INCIDENCE OF BULLYING AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF GRADE 7 LEARNERS

Abstract

The study determined the incidence of bullying and academic performance of learners in public secondary schools in Dulag, Leyte during the School Year 2017-2018. The measured variables included the learners’ profile (age, sex, custodian, types of family, types of personality), bullying incidence (physical, verbal, psychological and cyberbullying) and academic performance (Filipino, English, Mathematics, Sciences, Social Studies [Araling Panlipunan], Technology and Livelihood Education [TLE], Music, Arts, Physical Education and Health [MAPEH], and Values Education [Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao – EsP]). The study likewise examined the association between the selected profile indicators, bullying incidence and academic performance of learners. Quota sampling was employed to randomly chosen one thousand Grade 7 respondents for the study. Descriptive and correlational research designs were employed where data generation was carried out utilising a research questionnaire. The Pearson r was used to test the association among the study variables. Findings revealed that there were more female respondents than their male counterpart. Their combined mean age was 12.78 years with parents as their custodian. The large majority belonged to nuclear type of family. They exhibited moderate level type of personality and experienced various forms of bullying: physical, verbal, psychological, and cyber bullying. Sending harmful text messages on Facebook and other social media platform emerged as most bullying acts experienced by Grade 7 learners. The learners manifested very satisfactory academic performance on courses (or subjects) not requiring highly technical and critical thinking (MAPEH, TLE and EsP) while only satisfactory performance in Mathematics and Science courses which required analytical skills. In conclusion, age, type of family and type of personality are statistical associated with the incidence of bullying such that bullying has negative bearing on academic performance. Younger learners are more likely to experience physical and cyber bullying than their older counterpart. The incidence of bullying has opposite bearing on academic performance, the higher the incidence of bullying among learners, the lower their academic performance. This study confirms the arguments put forward in the Social Dominance Theory (Sidanius and Pratto, 1999), the Choice Theory (Glasser, 1998) and the Social Ecological Theory (Bronfenbrenner, 1999). Article visualizations: