Neslişah GÜR KURÇALOĞLU, Yeliz KAŞKO ARICI
Middle Black Sea Journal of Health Science - 2026;12(3):392-408
Objective : Peer bullying (PB) is an aggressive and deliberate behavior, generally repeated over time by an individual or a group against a victim who cannot easily defend themselves. Irritability is a state of internal strain characterized by an unusually sensitive response to environmental stimuli, often without an evident external trigger. Our research aimed to examine the relationship between PB and irritability. Methods : This retrospective observational study was based on data from adolescents aged 11-16 years who presented to the child and adolescent psychiatry outpatient clinic with peer relationship problems, along with their parents. Demographic data were assessed. The revised Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire was used to detect PB, and the Turkish Version of the Affective Reactivity Index (child and parent forms) was used to evaluate irritability. Participants were divided into four groups: victims (Group 1), bullies (Group 2), bully-victims (Group 3), and those not involved in PB (Group 4). Differences in irritability between the groups were assessed. Results : The research sample consisted of 442 adolescents, 219 (49.5%) girls and 223 (50.5%) boys. Total irritability scores of adolescents differed significantly by groups (p<0.001). The total irritability scores of adolescents in Group 4 were noted to be significantly lower compared to those of adolescents in other groups (p<0.05). Total irritability scores expressed by parents also demonstrated significant differences by groups (p=0.005). The total irritability scores expressed by the parents in Group 1 and Group 3 were detected to be significantly higher compared to those in Group 2 and Group 4 (p<0.05). It was observed that the total irritability scores stated by both the adolescent (p=0.596) and the parent (p=0.775) did not differ according to gender. The findings suggest that irritability screening in school-based mental health programs may help detect the risk of peer bullying early and support preventive interventions. Conclusion : Although irritability is a frequent symptom, information on its causes is limited. In our research, we revealed that the irritability levels of adolescents not included in PB were significantly lower than those included. Another outcome was that parents of children who were not exposed to bullying did not notice irritability syndromes.
