Examination of Peer Pressure in High School Students Based on Teachers' Opinions

Abstract

This study examines peer bullying behaviors among high school students between the ages of 15 and 18 based on teachers' opinions. The sample group consisted of a total of 30 teachers, 22 of whom were female and 8 of whom were male. All these teachers worked in high schools and equivalent schools in Istanbul. A total of 23 of the participants hold undergraduate degrees, and 7 of them hold postgraduate degrees. The participants were selected from different branches. The data were collected using the face-to-face interview technique. Teachers were asked 11 types of questions about peer pressure, and their responses were noted. The data were collected from volunteer teachers who were still on duty. The 'Peer Bullying Questionnaire in Schools', developed by the researchers and determined according to expert opinions and consisting of two parts, was used as a data collection tool. The first part of the peer bullying questionnaire includes the demographic characteristics of the participants, and the second part includes 11 types of questions for teachers about peer pressure. Consequently, this research is a study that reflects the peer bullying cases that students have been exposed to, how students react to such bullying, what kind of attitude teachers have towards such behaviors, how they act as teachers, why bullying behaviors develop, and how they suggest solutions to such behaviors. The results of the present study showed that peer bullying is a highly prevalent problem in high schools, and the students mostly suffered from verbal and social bullying. Familial factors were reported as the major cause of peer bullying. Teachers stated that the first source they used to cope with bullying was the school's psychological counseling and guidance services. The results of the present study were discussed based on the available literature, the study's limitations were indicated, and suggestions for future practical and theoretical studies were presented.