Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology and Counseling, Farhangian University, Tehran, Iran
2
Assistant Professor, Department of Educational Management, Be.C., Islamic Azad University, Behbahan, Iran.
3
M.A., Department of Educational Management, Be.C., Islamic Azad University, Behbahan, Iran
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Bullying is one of the widespread social problems in today’s schools and requires the collective efficacy of school members to effectively prevent it. Therefore, the present study aimed to examine the relationship between principals’ participation and support and collective efficacy in schools for bullying prevention, with the mediating role of school climate. Methods: This research was a descriptive-correlational study using path analysis. The statistical population included all elementary school teachers in Behbahan city during the academic year 2023–2024, totaling 1,000 teachers. A sample of 300 teachers was selected using cluster sampling. Participants completed the following questionnaires: the Collective Efficacy to Prevent Bullying Scale by Skaalvik & Skaalvik (2007), the School Climate Scale by Rodriguez et al. (2021), the Principals’ Participation Scale by Rodriguez et al. (2021), and the Principals’ Support Scale by Littrell et al. (1994). Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation and path analysis with SPSSv24 and AMOSv24. Findings: The findings showed that principals’ participation (β=0.193), principals’ support (β=0.233), and school climate (β=0.255) had a direct, positive, and significant effect on collective efficacy for bullying prevention in schools (p<0.01). Moreover, the results revealed that principals’ participation (β=0.070) and support (β=0.074) also had an indirect, positive, and significant effect on collective efficacy through the mediating role of school climate (p<0.01). Conclusion: It can be concluded that the model of principals’ participation and support and collective efficacy in schools for bullying prevention, with the mediating role of school climate, has good model fit indicators. Therefore, applying this model can assist teachers, principals, and educational professionals in enhancing collective efficacy to prevent bullying in schools.
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