The level of bullying among a sample of students at the Faculty of Education, Zuwarah, University of Zawiya

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the levels of bullying in its three dimensions (physical, verbal, and social) among students at the Faculty of Education in Zuwara, University of Zawia, and to identify differences in these levels based on gender and academic achievement variables. To achieve these objectives, the study employed a descriptive-analytical approach, utilizing a questionnaire developed for this purpose and administered to a purposive sample of 50 male and female students. The reliability of the instrument was confirmed using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient (0.814).

The results indicated that students experience high levels of bullying across all dimensions. Harassment, pushing, and jostling emerged as the most common forms of physical bullying, while verbal bullying was primarily manifested in raising voices, threatening, and ridicule. Social bullying was centered on ignoring students and intentionally excluding them from group activities.

Regarding statistical differences, the study revealed a statistically significant difference in "physical bullying" attributed to gender in favor of male students, whereas no significant differences were found in verbal or social bullying. Furthermore, the results demonstrated no statistically significant effect of academic achievement on the levels of bullying across any of the three dimensions.