Poly‐bullying victimisation in Indonesia: Prevalence and factors related to children exposure to multiple bullying incidents, and its correlation to subjective well‐being

Research on bullying in Indonesia remains limited, revealing significant gaps in understanding its prevalence and underlying factors specific to the Indonesian context. This study addresses these gaps through a three‐pronged approach: (a) assessing the prevalence of poly‐bullying victimisation, (b) identifying factors associated with poly‐bullying experiences, and (c) evaluating subjective well‐being (SWB) in cases of poly‐bullying by comparing it with uninvolved children. Cummins' theory of SWB homeostasis was employed to interpret the findings. The study included 10,051 children aged 10 and 12 years (50% girls) who reported experiencing poly‐bullying in the past month. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and linear regression. Poly‐bullying was measured across five indicators: physical, verbal, and emotional bullying by siblings and other children at school. The analysis considered five independent variables: sociodemographic factors, perceptions of family, friends, and school, and reported fights among students. The results were statistically significant ( p < 0.000), though the model explained only 5.1% of the variance in poly‐bullying victimisation. Poly‐bullying was prevalent in both public and non‐religious schools. Significant contributors included the frequency of fights among students ( β = 0.129) and the belief that friends would help ( β = 0.045). The study's implications for preventing poly‐bullying victimisation were also discussed.