Relationship between Bullying and Low-Self Esteem among In-School Adolescents: Preventive and Counselling Intervention

Abstract

This study investigated the relationships between bullying, low self-esteem and suicide among students in Nigeria with reference to five selected secondary schools in Educational District 1V, Yaba Local Government Area of Lagos State. A descriptive survey was adopted in this study to elicit a response from the respondents. A non-probability convenience sampling technique was employed to draw a sample of three hundred and twenty-eight (328) respondents from a population of one thousand, eight hundred and thirty (1,830) students of the five selected secondary schools in Yaba Educational district IV, Lagos State. Relevant data were obtained through the questionnaire. Data were analysed using the Frequency Distribution Analytical Method. The Chi-Square technique and Pearson Product Moment Correlation method were used to test the hypotheses. The major findings of this study showed that there is a significant relationship between bullying (physical and verbal) and the incidence of suicidal thoughts among secondary school students. Results also revealed that bullying significantly affects low self-esteem as bullying undermines one’s perception of competence. The study concluded that as the rate of bullying increases in schools, the incidence of suicidal thoughts increases. Therefore, the study recommended that concerted efforts at establishing or strengthening counselling services in schools that employ peer support strategy, empathy training, role-playing that emphasizes respect for one another and mapping of school’s hot spots for bullying incidents for concentrated supervision in designated areas must be initiated to protect victims of bullying.