نویسندگان:
نورمحمد رضائی1 .1گروه آموزش روانشناسی و مشاوره، دانشگاه فرهنگیان، صندوق پستی 889 -24665. تهران. ایران.
چکیده فارسی: بروز رفتارهای قلدرانه در میان نوجوانان بهخصوص در مدارس، منجر به نگرانیهای عمدهای در بین روانشناسان، معلمان و خانوادهها شده است. این پژوهش با هدف تحلیل نقش میانجیگری سبک حل مسئلۀ خلاقانه و سلامت روان در رابطۀ بین مهارتهای مقابله با استرس و رفتارهای قلدرانۀ دانشآموزان دورۀ اول متوسطه انجام شد. این پژوهش از نظر هدف، کاربردی و از نظر نوع، به روش همبستگی انجام شد. جامعۀ آماری پژوهش شامل ۱۲۰۰ نفر از دانشآموزان دورۀ اول متوسطۀ شهر ایلام بود که بر اساس فرمول کوکران، ۳۰۰ نفر به روش نمونهگیری خوشهای انتخاب شدند. برای جمعآوری اطلاعات از مقیاس قلدری ایلینویز (۲۰۰۱)، پرسشنامۀ سلامت عمومی گلدبرگ و میلر (۱۹۷۹)، پرسشنامۀ مهارت حل مسئله کسیدی و لانگ (۱۹۹۶) و پرسشنامۀ سبکهای مقابله با استرس اندلر و پارکر (۱۹۹۰) استفاده شد. در راستای تحلیل دادهها به دلیل نرمال نبودن و ناهمسانی واریانسها از نرمافزار SmartPLS استفاده شد. نتایج پژوهش نشان میدهد که مهارتهای مقابله با استرس بهصورت مستقیم با رفتارهای قلدرانۀ دانشآموزان رابطه ندارد، ولی بهصورت غیر مستقیم و از طریق سبک حل مسئلۀ خلاقانه و سلامت روان با رفتارهای قلدرانه تأثیر دارد و مجموع این متغیرها توانستند ۵۰/۸۴ درصد از واریانس رفتارهای قلدرانۀ نوجوانان را تبیین نمایند. علاوه بر این، متغیر مهارتهای مقابلهای فقط و فقط بهصورت غیر مستقیم با رفتارهای قلدرانه رابطه دارند. این یافته، مفهوم «میانجیگری کامل» را در پژوهشها برجسته میسازد و به غنای نظری در حوزۀ رفتارهای اجتماعی دانشآموزان میافزاید. بهویژه، اثبات اثر محافظتکنندۀ مهارتهای مقابلهای بر قلدری نوجوانان از طریق سبک حل مسئلۀ خلاقانه و سلامت روان، نشاندهندۀ ظرافت تحلیلی و قدرت تبیینی مدل ارائهشده است.
Modeling the Relationship between Stress-Coping Skills and Bullying Behaviors: The Complete Mediation Role of Protective Factors
English Abstract: This applied correlational study investigated the mediating role of mental health and creative problem-solving style in the relationship between stress-coping skills and bullying behaviors among junior high school students in Ilam, Iran. A sample of 300 students was selected via cluster sampling from a population of 1,200. Standardized psychometric instruments were employed including Illinois Bullying Scale, General Health Questionnaire, Problem-Solving Skills Questionnaire, and Stress Coping Styles Questionnaire. Due to data non-normality, SmartPLS was utilized for structural equation modeling. Findings revealed no direct association between coping skills and bullying; however, an indirect effect was observed through the mediators. Mental health and problem-solving style jointly accounted for 84.5% of the variance in bullying behaviors, underscoring a model of "Complete Mediation". These results advance the theoretical understanding of adolescent social behavior and emphasize the protective function of adaptive coping mechanisms when mediated by psychological well-being and cognitive flexibility. Introduction Adolescents have a strong desire to establish effective communication with their peers; however, they are often unable to interact successfully with others, and this inability stems from a lack of social, coping, and communication skills (Rezaei, 2018). Bullying behaviors, as one of the serious challenges in educational settings, have wide-ranging negative impacts on students’ mental health, social development, and academic performance (Zhang et al., 2019). Given the growing concerns about the prevalence of bullying and its consequences (Mischel & Kitsantas, 2020), identifying protective mechanisms against bullying behaviors is of great importance. Coping skills not only serve as a direct preventive factor, but they can also moderate the effects of other protective factors, such as problem-solving skills and mental health, on bullying behaviors (Omura et al., 2016; Andrews, 2001). One of the protective behaviors is creative problem-solving skills (Korkmaz et al., 2020). Problem-solving approaches serve as a useful means of coping with situational challenges such as bullying, thereby maintaining and enhancing personal integrity and psychological well-being. However, if problems are not resolved constructively, they may lead to tension and stress among individuals (Adroishi, Ghasemi Dehcheshmeh, Khodaei, Mahmoudi, & Asadi, 2015). Another protective and promotive factor against bullying is mental health. Mental health refers to the successful performance of mental functions, which results in productive activities, constructive relationships with others, and the ability to adapt to changes and cope with challenges. Nevertheless, some individuals’ relationships with others may be characterized by aggression, coercion, and the exertion of power (Spoorthy et al., 2020). Considering that bullying is a major social problem in schools with serious and long-lasting consequences (Spoorthy et al., 2020), this study investigates the mediating role of mental health and creative problem-solving style in the relationship between coping skills and bullying behaviors among junior high school students. Methodology The present study is classified as applied research in terms of purpose; cross-sectional in terms of the time of data collection; and correlational in terms of research design, as it examines the relationships between variables (Sarmad et al., 2021; Ameri, Rezaei, & Nejadi, 2019). The statistical population consisted of junior high school students in Ilam city. Based on Cochran’s formula, 300 students were selected through cluster sampling. First, a list of schools was prepared, and four schools were randomly chosen. Then, all students from the selected classes were asked to complete the questionnaires. Four instruments of Illinois Bullying Scale, General Health Questionnaire, Problem-Solving Skills Questionnaire, and Coping Styles Questionnaire were used to collect the data. Due to the non-normal distribution of data and heterogeneity of variances, SmartPLS software was used for data analysis. Results To examine both direct and indirect relationships among the constructs, path coefficients were calculated and analyzed to assess the strength and statistical significance of the associations. For this purpose, the bootstrapping method with 5,000 resamples was employed, enabling the estimation of path coefficients along with corresponding t-values and p-values. This approach enhances the robustness of the inferential analysis and provides a reliable basis for evaluating the mediating effects within the proposed structural model. The findings of the study revealed a statistically significant positive relationship between stress-coping skills and students’ creative problem-solving style (β = 0.51, t = 12.59, p > 0.01). Additionally, stress-coping skills were found to have a significant positive effect on mental health (β = 0.51, t = 12.29, p < 0.05). However, no significant direct relationship was observed between coping skills and bullying behaviors (β = 0.01, t = 0.69, p > 0.05). Creative problem-solving style demonstrated a significant negative impact on bullying (β = -0.21, t = 6.37, p < 0.001), indicating its protective role. Similarly, mental health showed a strong inverse relationship with bullying behaviors (β = -0.77, t = 27.83, p < 0.05), suggesting that higher psychological well-being is associated with reduced aggression. Regarding indirect effects, the results indicated that stress-coping skills negatively influence bullying through creative problem-solving (β = -0.114, t = 5.687, p < 0.05), confirming a model of complete mediation in which only indirect effects are present (Hayes, 2013). Furthermore, stress-coping skills also exerted a significant negative indirect effect on bullying via mental health (β = -0.39, t = 10.96, p < 0.05). Collectively, the mediating variables—mental health and creative problem-solving—accounted for 84% of the variance in bullying behaviors among students. These findings underscore the importance of psychological and cognitive resources in mitigating aggressive conduct and support the theoretical framework of full mediation in adolescent behavioral research. Discussion and conclusion Global research consistently highlights the widespread prevalence of bullying and victimization among children and adolescents, identifying it as a serious social issue that adversely affects their psychological functioning and academic performance. The findings of the study indicate that coping skills play a decisive role in reducing bullying behaviors among adolescents through their indirect influence on creative problem-solving styles and the enhancement of mental health. While adolescents who bully tend to hold derogatory attitudes and beliefs toward others, students who are victims of bullying often develop negative cognitions about themselves. Bullying behaviors, often rooted in aggressive attitudes and power-seeking motives, are particularly prevalent in hierarchical educational environments where marginalized groups are more vulnerable (Saarento, S., & Salmivalli, 2015). The findings align with the “deviant peer group” hypothesis, which posits that children with antisocial tendencies actively seek affiliation with similar peers to reinforce their aggressive behaviors (Dishion, McCord & Poulin, 1999). Accordingly, coping skills training can be considered as one of the key components in the design and implementation of school-based preventive programs aimed at reducing bullying and promoting students’ mental health.