Understanding Psychosocial Determinants of Adolescent Bullying in Türkiye

Background: Bullying during adolescence is shaped by numerous psychosocial factors such as family dynamics, attachment, and peer relationships. This study aims to examine parental acceptance-rejection, attachment styles, and social exclusion factors as key psychosocial variables predicting bullying behavior in adolescents. Methods: In a cross-sectional study conducted with 349 high school students in Hakkari, Türkiye. Data were collected using the Olweus Bullying Scale, the Parental Acceptance-Rejection Scale, the Social Exclusion Scale, and the Three-Dimensional Attachment Styles Scale. Independent samples t-tests, one-way ANOVAs, Pearson correlations, and hierarchical regression analyses were performed. Results: Research findings reveal that peer bullying varies significantly according to gender, class level, parents’ educational level, and socio-economic status. Furthermore, our findings indicate that social exclusion (β = 0.506, p < 0.01) and avoidant attachment (β = 0.162, p < 0.01) positively predict peer bullying, while secure attachment (β = −0.205, p < 0.01), maternal (β = −0.385, p < 0.01) and paternal (β = −0.217, p < 0.01) acceptance/rejection negatively predict bullying. The final regression model explains approximately 55% of the variance in bullying. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that social exclusion, parental acceptance/rejection, and secure or avoidant attachment patterns may be associated with bullying behaviour in adolescents. These findings emphasise the necessity of family- and peer-focused interventions to combat bullying.