Bullying and Grades: Insights from Junior High Students in a Catholic Institution

Abstract

Bullying is a pervasive issue that affects students across the globe, ultimately disrupting the overall learning atmosphere and yielding negative outcomes, particularly in their academic endeavors. These outcomes include decreased concentration, lack of motivation, disengagement from the educational environment, and poor academic performance. This study aimed to ascertain the significant influence of bullying experiences among Grade 8 and 9 students. Using a standardized and adopted questionnaire, the researchers surveyed 200 students using a purposive sampling technique. The findings, based on mean and standard deviation, showed that the overall level of bullying was low. Conversely, the level of academic achievement was very satisfactory. Correlation analysis revealed that all domains of bullying displayed a significant relationship with academic achievement. When regression analysis was performed, only emotional bullying was found to significantly predict academic achievement. The findings suggest that when students experience bullying, particularly in terms of their emotional aspects—such as constant teasing, insults, exclusion, or humiliation—it creates a hostile and distressing environment that can greatly hinder their academic performance. These negative emotional experiences can significantly disrupt a student's ability to concentrate, engage in learning, and perform academically.