ADAPTING THE ILLINOIS BULLYING SCALE INTO AZERBAIJANI: EXPLORING THE CONNECTION BETWEEN BULLYING, PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS, AND WELLBEING

Abstract

Bullying is a significant concern in the realm of psycho-social issues today. This study aimed to adapt the Illinois Bullying Scale for use with Azerbaijani adolescents and explore the relationships between bullying, psychological distress, and well-being. The study involved 3,320 Azerbaijani teenagers, comprising 1,882 females and 1,488 males. Various statistical techniques were applied during the adaptation process to assess the measurement's psychometric properties. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to determine its factor structure, concurrent validity was assessed, and reliability analyses were conducted. Mediation analysis was employed to investigate the links between bullying, psychological distress, and well-being. The results from confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the questionnaire, consisting of 18 questions, had a three-dimensional structure and demonstrated a good fit. Additionally, the study found positive relationships between bullying, victimization, fighting, and psychological distress, while these were negatively associated with well-being. Importantly, the findings highlighted that psychological distress acted as a mediator in the impact of bullying sub-dimensions on well-being. Collectively, these results suggest that the Azerbaijani adaptation of the Illinois Bullying Scale exhibits favorable psychometric qualities. Keywords: bullying scale, psychological distress, mental wellbeing, scale adaptation