The Role of Peer Support in Bullying Behaviour among High School Students: A Systematic Literature Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29407/k7g8sa37Abstract
Bullying in secondary schools is not only a behavioral problem but also a social and educational issue because it can weaken students’ sense of safety, belonging, responsibility, and respect for others. This systematic literature review (SLR) examines the role of peer support in bullying behaviour among secondary-school students and distinguishes peer support from peer conformity, peer interaction, and friendship environment. It also examines how peer-led prevention can be connected to civic education and the development of civic dispositions. The review follows the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA 2020) reporting framework. Searches were conducted in SINTA, DOAJ, ERIC, and Scopus using predefined Boolean combinations and a publication window of 2015–2026. The screening record used in the manuscript reports 142 identified records, 54 duplicates removed, 88 records screened, 42 full-text reports assessed, and 10 studies included in the qualitative synthesis. The included evidence comprises cross-sectional and correlational studies, qualitative case studies, and one large longitudinal study. Overall, positive peer support is associated with lower bullying involvement and better psychosocial outcomes, whereas peer conformity and negative peer environments can be associated with greater exposure to bullying-related behaviour. Importantly, longitudinal evidence shows that friendship and social support do not necessarily prevent later bullying victimization, indicating that the protective role of peer support should not be overstated as a direct causal effect. Peer-led prevention can nevertheless create opportunities for students to practice empathy, respect, responsibility, inclusion, and participation. The review concludes that schools should treat peer relationships as a social mechanism whose effects depend on the norms, quality, and direction of peer influence, while integrating peer-based prevention with whole-school policy and civic education
Keywords:
Peer Support, Bullying Behaviour, Peer Conformity, Friendship Environment, Civic Disposition, Civic Education, PRISMA 2020, Systematic Literature ReviewDownloads
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Copyright (c) 2026 Rimma Melinda Putri, Yuanita Dwi Krisphianti, Guruh Sukma Hanggara (Author)
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