The Effects of Emotional Expression, Family-Expressed Emotion and Attitudes towards Violence on Peer Bullying Behaviors of Adolescents: A Structural Equation Model

Abstract

The present study aims to examine the effects of emotional expression, family-expressed emotion, and attitudes towards violence on adolescents’ peer bullying behaviors through the analysis of a structural equation model. A survey model and a correlational survey model were carried out in this quantitatively designed study. 403 students (199 females, 204 males) studying at 2 secondary public schools in Şanlıurfa, which is a southeastern city of Türkiye, participated in this study. The data was collected by the “Demographic Form,” the “Shortened Level of Expressed Emotion Scale in Adolescents,” the “Emotional Expression Questionnaire,” and the “Adolescents’ Attitudes towards Violence Scale.” SPSS and LISREL programmers were applied for data analysis. According to the findings of the study, it was found that family-expressed emotion and attitudes towards violence had a positive predictive effect on peer bullying behaviors, whereas emotional expression had a negative predictive effect on peer bullying behaviors. The findings were discussed in the scope of the literature, and it was suggested that parents need to be educated in effective communication styles and healthy parental attitudes.