Investigation of the Relationship Between Peer Bullying and School-Based Loneliness in Primary School Children

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between peer bullying and school-based loneliness in primary school children. Designed as a descriptive and cross-sectional study, it was conducted with the participation of 453 third- and fourth-grade primary school students enrolled in a school located in a province in the Southeastern Region of Turkey. Data were collected using the Demographic Information Form, the Peer Bullying Scale - Child Form, and the School-Based Loneliness Scale. Statistical analyses included frequency, percentage, arithmetic mean, standard deviation, t-test, ANOVA, Mann–Whitney U test, Kruskal–Wallis test, and Spearman correlation. The mean scores obtained were 22.83±25.19 for the Peer Bullying Scale - Victim Subscale, 8.67±15.20 for the Peer Bullying Scale - Bully Subscale, and 22.89±10.73 for the School-Based Loneliness Scale. The findings indicated a positive correlation between being a victim and being a perpetrator of peer bullying among primary school students. Furthermore, an increase in peer bullying was associated with a higher level of school-based loneliness. The study also found that both peer bullying and loneliness were influenced by various demographic factors.