Forms of Bullying That Affect the Academic Achievement of Eighth-Grade Students According to Data From the TIMSS 2023 International Study: A Comparative Study of Saudi Arabia, Japan, and Finland

This research aimed to identify the most common forms of bullying experienced by eighth-grade students, according to data from the TIMSS 2023, and those with the greatest impact on academic achievement, in Saudi Arabia, Japan, and Finland. The sample included all students who participated in the TIMSS 2023 study, totaling 15,667 students. The descriptive method, employing both causal-comparative and correlational approaches, was used to achieve the study's objectives. The results showed that the most common form of bullying in Saudi Arabia, Japan, and Finland was "listening to hurtful things about one's appearance," with rates of 35.5%, 12.1%, and 24%, respectively. The results also showed a statistically significant inverse correlation (p < 0.05) between each form of bullying and academic achievement. Furthermore, the results indicated that the most impactful form of bullying on academic achievement in Saudi Arabia was "spreading lies about me," in its effect on mathematics performance. Regarding science performance, "spreading lies about me" ranked first. In Finland, the bullying behavior "sharing negative or hurtful things about me online" ranked first in terms of its impact on students' mathematics achievement. Regarding science achievement, "sharing negative or hurtful things about me online" ranked first." In Japan, the bullying behavior "sending me hurtful or offensive messages online" ranked first in terms of its impact on students' mathematics achievement. The research recommends developing and designing more effective interventions to reduce bullying, especially the most common forms that impact academic achievement, and providing psychological and academic support to victims of bullying.