The effects of self-control on bullying behaviour among martial arts practicing adolescents: based on the analyses of multiple mediation effects

ABSTRACT

Bullying behaviour is becoming alarmingly common among adolescents, and it significantly affects their physical and mental health. Martial arts emphasizes moral practice and self-control, and it improves emotional management ability. Hence, adolescents who practice martial arts may have better self-regulation and tend to perform fewer bullying behaviours. The purpose of this study was to explore the internal mechanisms between self-control and bullying behaviour among martial arts practicing (MAP) adolescents. The study included 775 adolescents (males = 515, age M = 13.48, SD = 1.11) who responded to questionnaires to assess self-control, negative affect, aggression, and bullying behaviour. The results showed that (1) The self-control level of MAP adolescents was higher than that of non-MAP counterparts while the bullying behaviour level of MAP adolescents was lower than that of non-MAP counterparts; (2) Self-control was negatively associated with bullying behaviour through indirect effects, and negative affect and aggression played key mediatory roles that contributed to most of the indirect effects. Our findings indicate a potential mechanism to understand the role of self-control in reducing bullying behaviour in MAP adolescents. Based on our findings, regular martial arts training is recommended as a physical education curriculum in school.

KEYWORDS:

• Adolescents
• bullying
• martial arts
• multiple mediation effects
• self-control

Acknowledgment

We acknowledge that all authors listed meet the authorship criteria according to the latest guidelines of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors and that all authors provided agreement with the manuscript.

Author contributions

Ting Xu: Analysis and interpretation of data and drafted the manuscript; Hansen Li: Conception and design; Zi Yan: Manuscript conducting and reviewing; Guodong Zhang: Revision of the article. Authorship must be limited to those who have contributed substantially to the work reported.

Data availability

The raw data supporting the conclusions of this manuscript will be made available by the authors, without undue reservation, to any qualified researcher.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Social Science Foundation of China in 2020 [grant number 20BTY093].