Peer bullying, self-harm behavior, and self-compassion: The relationship and mediating role of self-compassion in high school students

Peer bullying and self-harming behaviors are significant issues that negatively impact the development of adolescents. Addressing these issues requires an in-depth examination to support youth mental health and develop preventive interventions. Accordingly, this study aims to investigate the relationship between peer bullying, self-harming behaviors, and self-compassion during adolescence, as well as to reveal the mediating role of self-compassion in this relationship. The study was conducted with data collected from 716 high school students in Bitlis, Turkey. The data collection process utilized the Self-Compassion Scale-Short Form, the Peer Bully Identification Scale, the Peer Victim Identification Scale, the Self-Injury Assessment Inventory, and a Personal Information Form developed by the researcher. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 26, with various correlation and significance tests applied. Mediation analyses were conducted following the Hayes (2013) approach, and indirect effects were examined using the bootstrap method. The findings revealed that self-compassion plays a mediating role in the relationship between peer bullying and self-harming behaviors in adolescents. The results indicate that an increase in self-compassion reduces the likelihood of being exposed to or engaging in bullying and serves as a protective factor against self-harming behaviors.