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Introduction
Bullying is usually referred to as intentional damaging conduct that is reproduced over a certain period by an individual or group who targets and victimizes a person who is less strong, bullying or indirect acts, such as psychological coercion can involve physical or verbal attacks or bullying in any environment where people interact. This involves schools, careers, families, and communities. Bullying can exist among social groups and between nations at a large level. It is essentially intentional, violence and power imbalances in relationships [1].
School bullying is a global issue that can have a detrimental impact on both the public school atmosphere and the students’ right to learn without fear in a secure environment, even bullying may have lasting negative effects on both bullying students and victims. Since young children and young adults endured bullying in schools for the past quarter century, it has become the subject of international studies [2].
Bullying victims have the propensity to experience depression, anxiety, self-esteem, loneliness, low school results, ideal suicides, and attempted suicide [3].
Bullying increased in primary schools; it peaked in secondary schools and declined in grades 11 and 12 [4]. The awareness about bullying and the need for protection at schools has increased in recent years. The challenge for schools has always been that children do not report it. The students worry that the issue may come to light because they fear that the issue may occur several times, as it has recently been before the issue is ignored [5].
Self-esteem is characterized as the assessment of people on their value, competence, and desirability (also known as auto-respect). Self-esteem is a feature that psychologists and other social scientists have extensively researched. Different varieties of self-esteem exist, clear measures ask the respondents to rate their satisfaction with being a valuable person, have a good figure, and be optimistic about themselves and provide self-esteem measures to evaluate self-confidence below the conscious awareness of the respondents. Self-esteem tests are not directly and indirectly interlinked. That means that people can believe that their self-esteem is high, but low self-esteem is “deep.” Similarly, people can believe that it is low, yet they can secretly love themselves [6].
Self-esteem means a global assessment of one’s worth or value as a person. Younger kids can assess their abilities in different fields, but cannot determine their self-worth. Self-esteem is a key theme relevant to children’s and young people’s academic success, social functioning, and psychopathology. Children with low self-esteem in school are less competitive regarding academic achievement [7].
 High self-esteem and a healthy self-concept are key features of a person’s health [8]. People with low self-esteem have an uncertain self-concept, poorly think of themselves, sometimes choose unrealistic goals or fully shy away from goals, appear to be negative about the future, more negatively remember their experiences, and their negative moods flow. People with low self-esteem often appear to have stronger adverse reactions of emotion or behavior to criticism or other negative input from individuals. These individuals are less likely to receive positive reinforcement, care more about social effects for others, and are vulnerable to depression or rumination if they experience reversal or stress [9].
Evidence shows that a sense of appreciation from and near others is a fundamental human need that makes us work well and live well [10]. If children want to excel, they should feel comfortable in the learning environment. Principals, teachers, and others play a crucial role in ensuring that children are taught in healthy, violence-free environments [11]. In Iraq, where violence has become one of the most prevalent children’s cultures in Iraq today, it poses a risk of a serious slide on the genesis of those in the community [12].
In conclusion, the issue of bullying behaviors and low self-esteem among primary school students is a complex and significant problem that requires urgent attention. By understanding its causes, effects, and possible solutions, we can work towards creating a safe and supportive environment for all children. Through effective interventions, ongoing education, and collaborative efforts, we can make a positive difference and ensure that every child thrives and flourishes in their educational journey.
Recognizing the relationship between bullying and self-esteem is essential to address the underlying causes and better support students who are vulnerable to bullying behaviors. By understanding and addressing this complex issue, we can work towards creating a safer and healthier environment for children to learn and grow. Alongside bullying behaviors, investigating the impact of low self-esteem is crucial. This article aims to explore the relationship between bullying behaviors and self-esteem levels among primary school students.

Materials and Methods 
A descriptive study design (correlational design) was conducted to investigate the bullying behaviors of victims and the self-esteem rate of victims among students and to determine the relationship between demographic data and self-esteem levels among school-aged students from September 1st, 2020 to October 19th, 2020. The study was conducted on a sample of 240 male and female students at schools in Karbalaa City, Iraq using a probability random sampling manner from the total study population, which consists of 627 male and female students, of which 125 boys and 115 girls were selected. The data were collected via a questionnaire format developed by the investigator for bullying victims and the self-esteem domain via interview with the students, and the time spent for each participant was about 10-15 minutes to complete the questionnaire.

Part 1: Type of demographic data
The demographic data sheet contains several items listed as general information, such as gender and age.

Part 2: Index of self-esteem scale (ISE-19-items)
This study used the self-esteem index (ISE), which included [10] things to determine the level, severity, or extent of a self-esteem problem. The Arabized image was used, Rosenberg’s self-esteem scale, translated into Arabic version by Oweis and others [13], and modified by adding 2 items, “I certainly feel useless at times” and “I think I am no good at all”. Consequently, the final scale contained 12 items with a Likert scale, which, in addition to indicating internal consistency, shows content validity, where the Cronbach’s α coefficient of the scale was 0.81. Regarding the scale in its original form, this scale was developed by Rosenberg [14] in the mid-sixties of the last century to measure the trait of self-esteem among high school students in New York State in the United States of America. Later, it was considered as a model for the development of other scales to measure the same trait in different cultural environments [15]. The scale consists of ten items that measure the self-esteem of adolescents and adults, five items formulated positively, and five paragraphs phrased positively through the individuals’ responses. The phrases are formulated in the speaker’s language. Half of the individual’s feelings correspond to a four-way verbal grading, strongly agree, agree, disagree, and strongly disagree, expressed quantitatively in degrees (4, 3, 2, 1), in order. The total score on the scale represents the sum of the scores on the ten items after reversing the quantitative grading of the negatively formulated items. 

Part 3: Bullying child scale
A rough image of the scale of a bully and victim was designed through a review of previous studies and tools used in these studies. This scale was used for students aged 10-18 years after being approved to experience injury (physical, verbal, and emotional) [16].
This scale consists of 24 items that use a 3-point Likert scale (3-1), including always, sometimes, never. This arrangement is according to the direction and responses to the items. Therefore, this area is to achieve the objectives of the study which includes the assessment of victims of bullying.

Statistical data analysis
To analyze and evaluate study results, the statistical analytical methods (SPSS software, version 26), including frequencies and percentages, normal distribution test, Mean±SD test, t-test, and Spearman test were used. 

Results
According to the results, 125 participants (52.1%) were boys and 115 participants (47.9%) were girls. Regarding age, most samples were in the age range of 10-11 years (50.9%), and the rest were in the age range of 12-13 years (49.1%) (Table 1).


Table 2 presents that the self-esteem of primary school students participating in the study is low, while most primary school students are exposed to a high level of bullying (Table 3).




The results showed a statistically significant difference between boys and girls regarding self-esteem at the P=0.04. Male students have lower self-esteem than female students. A statistically significant difference is observed between male and female primary school students regarding bullying. Male students are more exposed to bullying than female students. No significant difference is observed between self-esteem and age groups at P=0.08, while a significant difference is observed between bullying in age groups at P=0.0. The age group of 10-11 years is more exposed to bullying than 12-13 years (Table 4).


In Table 5, a significant correlation is observed between self-esteem and bullying at P=0.00.


It is less than P=0.01, which means that a statistically significant relationship is observed between self-esteem and bullying in children.

Discussion
Most primary school students participating in the study are boys, and most participants are in the age group of 10-11 years. In another study, the researchers found that most female participants were in the age group of 13-15 years [17]. 
The results showed that the self-esteem of primary school students is low. Compared to the study, the researcher found that African students who are exposed to bullying, violence, and risky behaviors have a low level of self-esteem [18]. The results are also consistent with the study showing that the patients with amputation in the prosthetic center have a low level of self-esteem. They concluded that low self-esteem is a consequence of having a negative body image. The person’s confidence and hopes for the future depend on how they feel about their personality and physical appearance. Victims of peer violence and bullying have a low level of self-esteem, a high level of psychological distress, behavioral problems, and negative attitudes towards the world [19, 20]. 
The results showed a significant difference between male and female students regarding their self-esteem. Male students have lower self-esteem than female students. This result is inconsistent with the study of cyberbullying victimization among Romanian adolescents. The researchers found that girls have low level of self-esteem because they are exposed to cyberbullying more than boys [21].
A significant difference is observed between boys and girls in primary school students regarding bullying. Boys are more exposed to bullying than girls. This result is inconsistent with the studies of [22, 23]. Girls are more exposed to bullying than boys, which leads to negative outcomes, such as truancy from school, low academic achievement, and low self-esteem.
A difference is observed between bullying among age groups. The age group of 10-11 years is more exposed to bullying than the age group of 12-13 years. Young children are affected by bullying more than those older than them due to immaturity, and thus their self-view is affected and a lack of self-confidence begins, and a strong correlation is observed between bullying and lack of self-confidence among children [21-23].

Conclusion
Based on the research conducted on bullying behaviors and self-esteem among primary school students, a strong relationship is observed between bullying behaviors and self-esteem. Children who experience bullying are more likely to have lower levels of self-esteem, which can lead to a variety of negative outcomes. Teachers, parents, and other adults in positions of authority need to be vigilant and proactive in addressing bullying behaviors among primary school students. By promoting positive self-esteem-building exercises and working closely with students to prevent and intervene in cases of bullying, we can create a positive learning environment that fosters self-confidence and self-esteem among all students.

Study limitations
Because the data presented here were collected using a descriptive study design, no causal inferences can be made. Participants were selected from the primary stage age group, but there may be an outbreak of this condition in the advanced stages. Before obtaining the sample, we did not assess the mental health of the participating students, given that some cases may be caused by mental disorders among the participants. In addition to the large number of students and the difficulty of reaching all students in the country’s governorates, the study is limited to a single governorate in Karbala City, which may be biased. To extrapolate the situation in society as a whole, the results should be interpreted with caution.

Recommendations
1. Greater awareness of bullying with self-esteem among parents and students to prevent bullying behaviors.
2. More studies of the nature of this event are required that lead to the definition of the etiology of bullying victims.
3. It should include family dynamics and other vulnerabilities, and qualitative early warning techniques, and should examine bullying conduct.
4. Parents and teachers should prioritize the prevention and reduction of children and adolescents’ low self-esteem.
5. Cooperation between the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health to apply a school health program for learning with students who have treated the victims of bullying and remove them; however, increased self-esteem for students who have low self-esteem.

Ethical Considerations
Compliance with ethical guidelines
The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the University of Al-Ameed (Code: JAM/EC/5/20/7). All participants were informed about the objective and steps of the study. They were also confident in the confidentiality of their data and their ability to quit the study at any time. They were aware that the study results could become public. Informed consent was obtained from the participants.

Funding
This research did not receive any grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or non-profit sectors.

Authors' contributions
Data collection, investigation, methodology and resources: Ridha M Lefta and Ameer Salah-Aldeen Abdulrazaq; Writing, review, editing and supervision: Ameer Salah-Aldeen Abdulrazaq; Final approval: All authors.

Conflict of interest
The authors declared no conflict of interest.

Acknowledgments
The authors thank the University of Al-Ameed for supporting and facilitating the current studys and the students who were involved in the study for their patience throughout the data collection process.

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