The relationship between moral indifference and emotional dysregulation with bullying behavior: the mediating role of social exchange power

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Assistant Professor of Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychology, Islamic Azad University, Khalkhal Branch, Ardabil, Iran

2 Assistant Professor of Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychology, Islamic Azad University, khalkhal Branch, Ardabil, Iran

3 Master's student in clinical psychology, Islamic Azad University, Khalkhal Branch, Ardabil, Iran

Abstract

Bullying in school is a form of interpersonal violence that can have adverse short-term and long-term consequences. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between moral indifference and emotional dysregulation with bullying behavior: the mediating role of social exchange power.
The method used in this study was descriptive-correlational, and the statistical population of this study included all second-year high school students in Khalkhal city in 1403, numbering 4633 people. The sample size was 355 people according to Morgan's table. The sampling method was multi-stage cluster random sampling and they were selected in person. They answered questionnaires (Bandura's Moral Indifference (1996), Bullying Scale (BS) (2011), Social Exchange Styles of Liebman et al. (2011), and Garanfsky's Emotional Regulation (2003)). Finally, data processing and analysis were performed .
The findings of the study showed that the relationship between the variables of moral indifference and emotional dysregulation with bullying behavior is intensified by the variable of social exchange, and there is a significant direct relationship between the dimensions of moral indifference (moral justification, prudent labeling, beneficial comparison, responsibility shifting, responsibility sharing, distortion of consequences, attribution of blame, and inhumane behaviors) and emotional dysregulation (self-blame, acceptance, rumination, refocusing on planning, positive reappraisal, catastrophizing, and blaming others) with students' bullying behavior, and there is a significant inverse relationship between the dimensions of social exchange (fairness, pursuit, excessive investment, individualism, and self-interest) with students' bullying behavior.
According to these findings, it can be concluded that if students have high levels of moral indifference and emotional dysregulation, they will have more bullying behavior, and social exchange is very important in reducing bullying behavior among students. With the help of school counselors, help can be obtained with the help of the results of this study to reduce bullying behavior

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References

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Journal of Rehabilitation Counseling
Volume 1, Issue 4
February 2026
Pages 296-306

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History

  • Receive Date: 31 December 2025
  • Revise Date: 18 February 2026
  • Accept Date: 01 March 2026
  • Publish Date: 20 February 2026

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