Social and Emotional Intelligence of Adolescents in Different Bullying Roles

Introduction. School bullying significantly impacts the learning and upbringing processes of contemporary adolescents. The problem of school bullying has been extensively and substantively examined through the lens of educational psychology and pedagogical psychology. However, a systematic understanding of this issue from the perspective of the factors contributing to the emergence and functioning of bullying, and the study of social and emotional intelligence characteristics as factors influencing students’ involvement in bullying, remain relevant. The aim of the study is to investigate the characteristics of social and emotional intelligence in adolescents with different roles in the bullying process. Materials and Methods. The study involved 252 secondary school students (53% girls and 47% boys) aged 14–15 years. The “bullying structure” identification method (E.G. Norkina) was used to define roles in bullying. The “Self-Regulation and Interpersonal Communication Success” methodology (V.N. Kunitsyna) was employed to determine social intelligence characteristics. The emotional intelligence questionnaire (D.V. Lyusin) was used to assess adolescents’ perceptions of their own emotional intelligence. Statistically significant differences between adolescent samples were established using the Kruskal – Wallis non-parametric test. Results. Differences in social and emotional intelligence have been revealed among adolescents who play the roles of initiator, victim, defender, and observer in school bullying. Teenagers who are victims of bullying are more spontaneous and open in communication, more adapted to situations of communication and successful in it, compared with initiators, defenders and observers. Initiators, defenders, and observers are better able than victims to recognize and identify the emotions of others, understand their causes, possible consequences, and manage them. Discussion and Conclusion. The research findings indicate the necessity of a differentiated approach to pedagogical interaction and the provision of psycho-corrective assistance to adolescents involved in bullying, depending on their role and considering the development of social and emotional intelligence. The proposed materials may be useful for teachers, educational psychologists, psychologists, and social educators.