Investigation of the relationship between peer relationships and empathy levels in middle school children

This research was conducted to examine the relationship between peer relationships and empathy levels of secondary school children. The study group of this research, which was modeled using the correlational research method, consists of 749 children who continue their education in secondary school level in the Anamur District Center of Mersin. In this research, "Personal Information Form", "Peer Relationships Scale" and "Empathy Scale for Children and Adolescents" were used for data collection. Peer relations and empathy levels were evaluated by the children included in the study group, and such measurements were made through December 2024 and January 2025. The as-obtained data were analyzed with the help of Independent Samples t Test, One-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient, and Regression Analysis. Some important research results revealed that (i) peer relationships of children in secondary school differed significantly in favor of girls, but (ii) there was no significant difference according to their age and grade level, also (iii) there was a significant relationship between the empathic skills and peer relationships of children in secondary school, and finally (iv) these skills significantly predicted peer relationships, whereas neither the family income level nor parents' education level, which were included in the model, did not significantly predict peer relationships. The as-obtained results were discussed within the scope of the relevant literature, and recommendations were presented for both practitioners and researchers.