GLOBAL RESEARCH TRENDS IN BULLYING PREVENTION AMONG ADOLESCENTS: A BIBLIOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF MORAL AND SOCIAL VALUE APPROACHES

Abstract

Bullying among adolescents remains a significant social and educational challenge that affects students’ psychological well-being, academic performance, and social development. In recent years, increasing attention has been given to the role of moral and social values in bullying prevention within educational environments. The purpose of this study is to examine global research trends related to bullying prevention and value-oriented approaches through a bibliometric analysis of scientific publications. The study is based on data retrieved from the Scopus database using a structured search strategy and selection procedure guided by PRISMA principles. A total of 90 peer-reviewed articles published between 2006 and 2025 were included in the analysis. Bibliometric analysis was conducted using the Bibliometrix package in the R environment, which enabled the examination of publication dynamics, citation patterns, authorship structures, and thematic research clusters. The results demonstrate a steady growth in scientific interest in bullying prevention, particularly after the early 2010s, reflecting the increasing global recognition of bullying as a multidimensional socio-educational issue. Thematic analysis indicates that research is primarily focused on adolescents, school environments, and peer relationships, while also highlighting the growing importance of moral development, empathy, and value-based educational approaches. The study contributes to the understanding of the intellectual structure of bullying research and identifies emerging research directions related to socio-pedagogical prevention strategies. These findings may serve as a basis for future interdisciplinary research and the development of educational interventions aimed at strengthening value-oriented approaches to bullying prevention among adolescents