Perceived Bullying in Physical Education Classes, School Burnout, and Satisfaction: A Contribution to Understanding Children's School Well-Being

Aim: This study examines the effects of peer bullying that middle school students experience in physical education classes on school burnout and school satisfaction to understand children's well-being in this important stage of their lives. Method: The study was conducted with 829 students from 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grades in T & uuml;rkiye of both genders (403 male, 426 female), with an age mean of 11.7 +/- 1.16 years old. Data were collected using the Physical Education Class Perceived Bullying Scale, developed by the researchers in the present study, along with the School Burnout Scale and the School Satisfaction Scale for Children. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to analyze the data and examine the direct and indirect relationships between students' perception of bullying, school burnout and satisfaction. Results: The findings indicate that perceived bullying in physical education classes positively and significantly predicts school burnout (beta = 0.388, p < 0.001), while it negatively and significantly affects school satisfaction (beta = -0.122, p = 0.006). Moreover, significant positive relationships were found between perceived bullying and school burnout, and significant negative relationships were found between perceived bullying and school satisfaction. Conclusions: This study reveals that peer bullying in physical education classes significantly affects students' school burnout and satisfaction. These findings highlight the need for developing effective strategies to prevent bullying in educational settings and promote children's healthcare and well-being.