The Effectiveness of a Counseling Program Based on Emotional Intelligence in Reducing School Bullying Behavior and Improving Classroom Climate among Middle School Students

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a counseling program based on developing emotional intelligence in reducing school bullying behavior and improving the classroom climate among middle school students. The need for the study stemmed from the seriousness of school bullying as a recurring aggressive behavior that threatens students' psychological safety and hinders the learning process, and from the expected pivotal role of emotional intelligence – a concept encompassing skills of self-awareness, emotion management, empathy, and social skills – in reducing aggressive behaviors and building positive relationships. The study employed a quasi-experimental method with a pre-post design for two groups (experimental and control). The study sample consisted of (60) middle school students in Bani Walid who were randomly divided into two equal groups. A group counseling program of (12) sessions was applied to the experimental group, while the control group received no intervention. The study used the School Bullying Scale, the Classroom Climate Scale, and the Emotional Intelligence Scale to collect data.

The results showed statistically significant high effectiveness of the program. Bullying scores decreased significantly in the experimental group compared to the control group, with a large effect size (η² = 0.65). Also, classroom climate perception scores improved remarkably and prominently in the experimental group (η² = 0.70). The results revealed a strong negative correlation between emotional intelligence and bullying, and a strong positive correlation between emotional intelligence and classroom climate. The follow-up measurement showed stability of these gains two months after the end of the program. Based on the results, the study recommended generalizing the application of such programs in schools, training counselors and teachers on them, integrating emotional intelligence skills into the curriculum, designing parallel programs for parents, and conducting further developmental studies.