Leiden University Student Repository

Chin, Esmay (2026)

Digitale Vaardigheden voor een Veiliger Schoolklimaat: Een kwantitatief onderzoek naar competentiebeleving in het voortgezet onderwijs

Master thesis | Education and Child Studies (MSc)

Bullying among young people is a serious problem with negative consequences for both the psychosocial development of students and the broader school climate. Digital social skills training (DSVT) is increasingly being used to promote social skills and reduce bullying. However, little is known about how young people experience these training courses and to what extent they are related to perceived competence. This study investigated the extent to which students' perceived competence differs after participating in a digital training course compared to a traditional variant. In a quasi- experimental design, sixteen secondary school students participated in a one-time 30-minute intervention session. Depending on their assignment, they followed a digital or traditional training course. Afterwards, their perceived competence was measured using the Competence Perception Scale for Adolescents (CBSA). Both the total score and the subscales – social acceptance, close friendships, behavioral...Show moreBullying among young people is a serious problem with negative consequences for both the psychosocial development of students and the broader school climate. Digital social skills training (DSVT) is increasingly being used to promote social skills and reduce bullying. However, little is known about how young people experience these training courses and to what extent they are related to perceived competence. This study investigated the extent to which students' perceived competence differs after participating in a digital training course compared to a traditional variant. In a quasi- experimental design, sixteen secondary school students participated in a one-time 30-minute intervention session. Depending on their assignment, they followed a digital or traditional training course. Afterwards, their perceived competence was measured using the Competence Perception Scale for Adolescents (CBSA). Both the total score and the subscales – social acceptance, close friendships, behavioral attitude, and self-esteem – were analyzed. In addition, gender-related differences were investigated. The results showed no significant differences between the training groups on the total perceived competence or individual subscales, nor between boys and girls. Within the dimension of close friendships, however, a trend was observed in favor of the digital group. The limited duration of the intervention and the sample size limit the generalizability of the results. Despite the lack of significant effects, this study offers valuable insights for the further development of digital interventions. Effective DSVTs require a longer duration, interactive guidance, and alignment with the motivation and experiences of young people. Under such conditions, technology can play a meaningful role in strengthening social-emotional skills and preventing bullying behavior in education.Show less

Author

Chin, Esmay

Faculty

Faculty of Social & Behavioural Sciences

Specialisation

Orthopedagogiek

Supervisors

Asdonk, S. van der

ECTS Credits

30

Language

nl