Tri Pujiati Sholikhah, Sri Lestari

Psychological Well-Being of Adolescents Experiencing Bullying: The Role of Family Functioning, Friendship Quality, and Resilience

Introduction

Psychological well-being of adolescents experiencing bullying: the role of family functioning, friendship quality, and resilience. Discover how family functioning, friendship quality, and resilience impact the psychological well-being of bullied adolescents. This study offers key insights for parents, teachers & practitioners.

Abstract

Adolescent victims of bullying often struggle to socialize and often experience some unpleasant feeling such as sense of uselessness, lack of confidence, anxiety, loneliness, sadness, and even suicide attempt. This study sought to investigate how family functioning, friendship quality, and resilience influence the psychological well-being of adolescents who had been bullied. This quantitative study involved 371 junior high school adolescents from Surakarta who had experienced bullying. Data were gathered using a validated family functioning measure, friendship quality scale, resilience scale, and psychological well-being scale. The data were then analyzed using the Structural Equation Model Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS). The findings suggest that despite their low predictive accuracies, all three variables have great predictive power and may considerably explain the effect of predictor factors on the adolescents’ psychological well-being of who are bullied. Current study's practical implications include that stakeholders, such as parents, teachers, and psychology practitioners, should pay attention to and develop these qualities in order to enhance the psychological well-being of adolescents who are bullied.

Review

This study addresses a highly pertinent and critical issue: the psychological well-being of adolescents experiencing bullying. The stated aim to investigate the roles of family functioning, friendship quality, and resilience in mitigating the negative impacts of bullying is commendable, given the severe and well-documented struggles faced by victims, including feelings of uselessness, anxiety, and even suicidal ideation. The focus on a specific adolescent population in Surakarta using a robust quantitative approach, including a substantial sample size and advanced statistical modeling, positions this research as a valuable contribution to understanding the protective factors crucial for this vulnerable group. Methodologically, the study's design involving 371 junior high school adolescents who had experienced bullying, utilizing validated measures for all constructs and employing Structural Equation Model Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS) for data analysis, demonstrates a rigorous approach. The abstract reports that all three investigated variables—family functioning, friendship quality, and resilience—possess "great predictive power" and "may considerably explain the effect of predictor factors on the adolescents’ psychological well-being of who are bullied." However, this finding is qualified by the statement "despite their low predictive accuracies," which introduces an apparent contradiction that warrants further elaboration and clarification within the full manuscript to ensure a clear understanding of the models' explanatory and predictive capabilities. Despite this minor ambiguity regarding predictive accuracy, the study's practical implications are significant. By identifying family functioning, friendship quality, and resilience as key factors, the research provides concrete guidance for stakeholders such as parents, teachers, and psychology practitioners. The recommendation to actively develop these qualities in adolescents who are bullied is a crucial step towards fostering improved psychological well-being. Future research could further explore the mechanisms through which these factors operate, potentially incorporating qualitative elements to gain deeper insights into adolescents' lived experiences and the nuances of these protective relationships. Additionally, cross-cultural comparisons or longitudinal studies could enhance the generalizability and long-term understanding of these dynamics.

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