Bullying as a Correlate of Mental Well-Being among in-School Adolescents in Ikenne Local Government Area, Ogun State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between bullying and the mental well-being of in-school adolescents in Ikenne LGA Ogun State, Nigeria. The study was guided by two research questions, and one hypothesis. The study employed a correlational research design. The population of the study comprised 4709 in-school adolescents in Ikenne LGA. A sample of 406 in-school adolescents was selected using a multistage sampling technique. Data were collected using adapted standardized instruments: titled Bullying-Mental Health Questionnaire (B-MHQ). The instrument's reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha, which was 0.867. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson Product-Moment Correlation coefficient at a 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed the prevalence of bullying among students, with verbal bullying (Grand Mean = 2.96) being the most common, followed by physical bullying (Grand Mean = 2.91) and relational bullying (Grand Mean = 2.88). Mental well-being challenges were also prevalent, with loneliness (GM = 13.54) emerging as the most prominent issue, followed by insomnia (GM =12.98), anxiety (GM =12.84), and depression (GM =11.90). The results further indicated that bullying had largely weak and non-significant relationships with mental well-being. However, physical bullying showed weak but significant positive relationships with loneliness (r = .124, p < .05) and insomnia (r = .104, p < .05), while other dimensions showed no significant associations. The study concluded that although bullying is prevalent among secondary school students, its relationship with mental well-being is complex and not uniformly significant across all dimensions. It is therefore recommended that schools implement comprehensive anti-bullying programs, strengthen counselling services, and promote supportive school environments to enhance students’ psychological well-being.