Physical education teacher candidates’ efficacy to prevent peer bullying: a vignette study
BMC PSYCHOLOGY, cilt.14, ss.1-15, 2026 (SSCI, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 14
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.1186/s40359-026-04725-w
- Dergi Adı: BMC PSYCHOLOGY
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Health Research Premium Collection (ProQuest), Scopus, Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), IBZ Online, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Psycinfo, Directory of Open Access Journals
- Sayfa Sayıları: ss.1-15
- İnönü Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Background Peer bullying in physical education (PE) poses a significant threat to student psychosocial development. This study examines pre-service PE teachers’ perceptions, empathy levels, and intervention tendencies towards physical, verbal, and relational bullying situations. Methodology Using a vignette-based mixed-methods design, data were collected between April and June 2025 from 105 final-year teacher candidates (N=105; 67.6% male). Participants were recruited via convenience sampling from six state universities across Türkiye: Dicle, Bartın, Tokat Gaziosmanpaşa, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart, İnönü, and Akdeniz. All candidates had completed or were enrolled in the 12-week teaching internship. Quantitative data were analysed using ANOVA and t-tests, while qualitative data underwent thematic analysis following Braun and Clarke’s framework. Results Quantitative results indicated that candidates attributed high seriousness, felt strong empathy, and showed a high likelihood of intervention across all bullying types, with no significant differences regarding gender or prior training. However, qualitative findings revealed three primary themes: Behavioural Control, Emotional Support, and Inclusive/Relational Strategies. These themes highlighted that sensitivity often failed to translate into pedagogical action, as most candidates relied on superficial, authority-based warnings. Conclusion The findings suggest that high emotional awareness does not guarantee pedagogical competence in conflict resolution. Anti-bullying training should be integrated into teacher education through applied case analyses and scenario-based pedagogical studies to bridge the gap between intention and practice.