Abstract :
In this research, the relationship between the secondary school seventh grade students’ level of fulfilling their basic psychological needs (belonging, power, freedom and fun) and the bullying behaviour (bully and victim) is explored. Further, whether gender and the level of fulfilling one’s basic needs have an interactional influence on bullying behaviour. This study has been conducted on 444 students, 219 male and of 225 female, who attend seven state schools in Ankara city center. In the research, “School Bullying Inventory” that measures the students bullying behaviour and “Basic Needs Inventory” that measures the students’ fulfilling their basic needs were used. For data analysis, pearson moment correlation, t-tests, ANOVA statistical techniques and Scheffe tests have been used. Findings of the study revealed that there is a negative relationship between belonging, power, general basic needs score and bullying behaviour scores, and a positive significant relationship between freedom and bullying behaviour. The difference between the gender and the scores of bullying behaviour has been found meaningful. Interactional effect of gender and level of fullfilling basic needs on bullying behaviours are found to be not significant.
NaturalLanguageKeyword :
choice theory , bullying , basic needs , primary school
