Preschool children mproving peer bullying awareness and bullying behaviors on reducing them with strategies suitable for their temperament: An action research

This thesis aims to identify the changes and temperament characteristics of peer bullying in the preschool period, to ensure that the initial stages of peer bullying are eliminated, and to reduce bullying behaviors with strategies appropriate to their temperaments. In the research, action research method, one of the action research types, was used. The study product of the research consists of 15 children between the ages of 5-6 who attend the state kindergarten in Esenyurt district on the European side of Istanbul. As a data collection tool in the research; "Preschool Peer Bullying Scale" and "Brief Temperament Scale for Children", individual and focused group interviews with children and parents, researchers' observations and field notes were used. After determining peer bullying and temperament change, the target document "Activities Including Awareness Levels" and MEB's "Peer Bullying Awareness Training", which were intended to be taught using these data, were planned and secured for children's temperaments. Within the scope of the sessions in MEB's "Peer Bullying Awareness Training", the pictures drawn by the children and the forms of the interviews with the children were uploaded to the MaxQda2022 program and analyzed using the open coding technique. In the activities carried out for the purpose of determining the situation before the action plan was implemented, it was determined that children initially had a basic awareness of peer bullying, but had insufficient knowledge about preventing and intervening in peer bullying.The findings obtained in the research show that the applied action plan provides a significant decrease in peer bullying behaviors. This decrease occurred thanks to children becoming aware of peer bullying behaviors and using the coping strategies they learned during education by moving away from such behaviors. The functionality of "Peer Bullying Awareness Training", which was carried out in accordance with the temperament of children, was supported by teacher observations and data collected as a result of the sessions. As a result of the research, it was determined that children gained significant knowledge and awareness about peer bullying, their skills in coping with peer bullying improved, their attitudes and awareness levels towards bullying behaviors increased, and bullying incidents in the classroom decreased significantly. Keywords: Preschool Period, Peer Bullying, Temperament, Bullying, Awareness Education