Associations among peer bullying, self-esteem, and self-care agency in high school students in Istanbul

Abstract This descriptive, cross-sectional study examined associations among peer bullying, self-esteem, and self-care agency in high school students in Istanbul, Türkiye. Data were collected at a public high school in Istanbul between March 1 and May 31, 2025. The study population consisted of 2,140 students, and the sample included 350 students selected using a stratified sampling method. Data were collected using a Personal Information Form, the Peer Bullying Identification Scale (PBIS), the Self-Care Agency Scale (SCAS), and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES). Strong negative correlations were identified between self-esteem and bullying victimization, particularly for total PBIS–Victim scores ( r = − 0.792, p < 0.01). Mediation analysis indicated that self-esteem partially mediated the relationship between bullying victimization and self-care agency. Higher bullying victimization scores were associated with lower self-esteem and self-care agency, whereas higher self-esteem was associated with greater self-care agency. These findings support the potential value of school-based mental health and nursing interventions that promote self-esteem, adaptive coping, and self-care agency among adolescents exposed to bullying.