Understanding bullying and motivation in physical education: a serial mediation model through personal and social responsibility

Background Bullying remains a prevalent issue in school environments, particularly within Physical Education (PE) settings, where social interactions are heightened. Victimisation, perpetration, and bystander roles are key factors influencing social dynamics in PE. Self-Determination Theory (SDT) provides valuable insights into how bullying affects students’ motivation. Recent studies suggest that promoting personal and social responsibility can mitigate bullying and encourage positive behaviours. However, limited research has explored how these factors mediate bullying dynamics through self-determined motivation.Purpose This study explores the roles of personal and social responsibility in mediating the relationship between bullying behaviours (victimisation and perpetration) and self-determined motivation in PE. Additionally, it investigates how these forms of responsibility influence bystander behaviour, differentiating between active and passive involvement in bullying situations.Method A cross-sectional study was conducted with 1352 students aged 10–18 years from four public schools in Spain. Participants completed validated questionnaires assessing victimisation, perpetration, bystander behaviours, personal and social responsibility, and self-determined motivation in PE. Statistical analyses were performed using serial multiple mediation models, estimating the effects of personal and social responsibility as mediators between bullying behaviours and motivation outcomes.Results Personal responsibility played a significant mediating role in the relationship between victimisation and self-determined motivation, explaining 20.79% of the total effect. Perpetration also negatively predicted self-determined motivation, with personal responsibility serving as the main mediator. Active bystanders showed higher self-determined motivation, with personal responsibility being the key mediator. Additionally, self-determined motivation was negatively associated with passive observation, and social responsibility was also negatively associated with this passive behaviour.Conclusions The findings underscore the importance of promoting personal responsibility in PE settings to mitigate the negative effects of bullying on motivation. While social responsibility is negatively associated with passive bystander behaviours, personal responsibility is crucial for fostering active participation in defending victims. The study emphasises the need for educational strategies that promote both personal and social responsibility to create a positive and supportive PE environment, helping to prevent bullying and enhance students’ motivation.