The Effectiveness of Developing Social Skills, Emotional Intelligence, and Achievement Motivation in Reducing Bullying Behaviour Among Middle School Students in Abu Dhabi

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of a counselling program based on the development of social skills, emotional intelligence, and achievement motivation in reducing bullying behaviour among middle school students in the United Arab Emirates, as perceived by teachers, principals, social workers, and educational supervisors. The study employed a quantitative research design, and data were collected through a closed-ended self-reported questionnaire designed to assess the psychological and behavioural characteristics of bullying students. The questionnaire, validated for reliability and validity, was administered to a purposive sample of 283 staff members working in middle schools in Abu Dhabi, under the title "A Counselling Program to Develop Social Skills, Emotional Intelligence, and Enhance Achievement Motivation to Reduce Bullying". The collected data were analyzed using various statistical techniques, including correlation analysis, analysis of variance (ANOVA), t-tests, and regression analysis to test the research hypotheses. The findings revealed that the levels of social skills (M = 4.11, SD = 0.52), emotional intelligence (M = 4.18, SD = 0.50), and achievement motivation (M = 4.25, SD = 0.47) were high according to the participants’ responses. Results from the t-test and one-way ANOVA indicated no statistically significant differences in these variables attributable to gender, school type, job role, or years of experience (p > 0.05). Correlation analysis showed significant positive relationships between social skills and achievement motivation (r = 0.607, p < 0.01), as well as between emotional intelligence and achievement motivation (r = 0.662, p < 0.01). Moreover, multiple linear regression analysis demonstrated that emotional intelligence was the strongest predictor of achievement motivation (β = 0.455, p < 0.01), followed by social skills (β = 0.297, p < 0.01). The study concluded that the counselling program focusing on the development of social skills, emotional intelligence, and achievement motivation is an effective tool for reducing bullying behaviour in middle schools in Abu Dhabi. This research contributes to the educational psychology literature by presenting an applicable counselling model for addressing bullying in educational institutions. It also provides practical evidence for educational policymakers to adopt similar training programs grounded in contemporary counselling psychology strategies.