Headnote
ABSTRACT
Objective: To evaluate the social skills of ninth-grade students from two educational institutions after implementing the Challenge-Based Learning methodology, identifying students' sociodemographic characteristics and their relationship with social skills.
Theoretical Framework: Challenge-based learning as an active methodology in the teaching-learning process and the social skills developed by students.
Method: A quantitative approach with a quasi-experimental design, pretest-posttest for related samples. The Goldstein Social Skills Scale was used to measure social competence. The population consisted of students from one public and one private educational institution, with 59 and 36 students, respectively.
Results and Discussion: The study assessed the impact of an intervention on students' social skills across various sociodemographic characteristics. An increase in social skills was observed, particularly in males, adolescents aged 17-18, and students from both high and low socioeconomic backgrounds. However, these differences were not statistically significant (Wilcoxon, p=0.072). Living with both parents and spending more time with them was found to enhance social development. These findings highlight the significant influence of family and sociodemographic contexts on the acquisition of social skills.
Implications: It is essential to integrate active methodologies such as Challenge-Based Learning to strengthen adolescents' social skills. Interventions should consider family and sociodemographic contexts to maximize their effectiveness.
Originality/Value: This study contributes to expanding the existing literature on social skills and the use of active learning methodologies.
Keywords: Challenge-Based Learning, Social Skills, Teaching-Learning Process, Learning Methodology, Learning.
RESUMO
Objetivo: Avaliar as habilidades sociais dos alunos do nono ano de duas instituições de ensino após a implementação da metodologia de Aprendizagem Baseada em Desafios, identificando as características sociodemográficas dos estudantes e sua relacio com as habilidades sociais.
Referencial Teórico: A Aprendizagem Baseada em Desafios como uma metodologia ativa no processo de ensinoaprendizagem e as habilidades sociais desenvolvidas pelos alunos.
Método: Abordagem quantitativa com um delineamento quase-experimental, pré-teste e pós-teste para amostras relacionadas. A Escala de Habilidades Sociais de Goldstein foi utilizada para medir a competéncia social. A população foi composta por estudantes de uma instituição pública e uma privada, com 59 e 36 alunos, respectivamente.
Resultados e Discussão: O estudo avaliou o impacto de uma intervenção nas habilidades sociais dos alunos em diversas características sociodemográficas. Observou-se um aumento nas habilidades sociais, especialmente em alunos do sexo masculino, adolescentes de 17-18 anos e estudantes de estratos socioeconómicos altos e baixos. No entanto, essas diferenças não foram estatisticamente significativas (Wilcoxon, p=0.072). Constatouse que viver com ambos os pais e passar mais tempo com eles favorece o desenvolvimento social. Esses achados destacam a significativa influéncia do contexto familiar e sociodemográfico na aquisicáo de habilidades sociais.
Implicações: E essencial integrar metodologias ativas, como a Aprendizagem Baseada em Desafios, para fortalecer as habilidades sociais dos adolescentes. As intervenções devem considerar o contexto familiar e sociodemográfico para maximizar sua eficácia.
Originalidade/Valor: Este estudo contribui para a ampliação da literatura existente sobre habilidades sociais e o uso de metodologias ativas para a aprendizagem.
Palavras-chave: Aprendizagem Baseada em Desafios, Habilidades Sociais, Processo de Ensino-Aprendizagem, Metodologia de Aprendizagem, Aprendizagem.
RESUMEN
Objetivo: Evaluar las habilidades sociales de los estudiantes de grado noveno de dos instituciones educativas, posterior a la aplicación de la metodología de Aprendizaje Basado en Retos, identificando las características sociodemográficas que poseen los estudiantes y su relación con las habilidades sociales.
Marco teórico: El aprendizaje basado en retos, como metodologías activas en el proceso de enseñanza aprendizaje y habilidades sociales que desarrollan los estudiantes.
Método: Enfoque cuantitativo, de diseño cuasiexperimental, antes y después para muestras relacionadas. Se empleó la Escala de Habilidades Sociales de Goldstein, para medir la competencia social. La población conformada por estudiantes de dos instituciones educativas pública y privada con 59 y 36 estudiantes respectivamente.
Resultados y discusión: El estudio evaluó el impacto de una intervención en habilidades sociales en estudiantes con diversas características sociodemográficas. Se observará un aumento en las habilidades sociales, especialmente en hombres, adolescentes de 17-18 años y estudiantes de estratos altos y bajos. Sin embargo, estas diferencias no fueron estadísticamente significativas Wilcoxon (p=0.072). Vivir con ambos padres y pasar más tiempo con ellos favorece el desarrollo social. Estos hallazgos resaltan la importancia de la influencia del contexto familiar y sociodemográfico en la adquisición de habilidades sociales.
Implicaciones: Es necesario integrar metodologias activas como el Aprendizaje Basado en Retos para fortalecer habilidades sociales en adolescentes. Las intervenciones deben considerar el contexto familiar y sociodemografico para maximizar su efectividad.
Originalidad/Valor: Este estudio contribuye a ampliar la literatura existente sobre las habilidades sociales y el uso de metodologias activas para el aprendizaje.
Palabras clave: Aprendizaje Basado en Retos, Habilidades Sociales, Proceso Enseñanza-Aprendizaje, Metodología de Aprendizaje, Aprendizaje.
1 INTRODUCTION
Schools often focus only on imparting knowledge to students, neglecting soft skills - specifically social skills - which can significantly impact academic success and even contribute to improving interpersonal relationships among students. These skills are considered key criteria in the workplace, on par with technical skills (López-Fraile et al., 2021). Therefore, this study focuses on strengthening new, useful pedagogical practices for developing school management strategies that address social demands. In that sense, Challenge-Based Learning (CBL) is an active educational methodology that enables students to engage in dynamic learning by implementing an action plan to solve a real-world problem (D'Urso et al., 2023).
In this context, the objective of the intervention is to improve students' social skills. Studies have shown that this type of intervention usually helps students improve their social skills. As Frost Cruz et al. (2021) show, the intervention directed at teenagers aged 12 to 17, using Goldstein's social skills checklist, was effective in improving students' social skills, particularly those related to basic skills and stress-coping abilities. Along these lines, HuyhuaGutierrez et al. (2024) also demonstrated that the intervention was effective in improving teenagers' social skills, especially assertiveness, communication, self-esteem, and decisionmaking.
On the other hand, other skills are associated with social skills, as Sosa-Palacios and Salas-Blas (2020) demonstrated. Social skills are related to students' resilience, specifically influencing their ability to cope with stress, communication skills, and alternative skills to violence, and planning (especially among women).
Moreover, teenagers at this stage often experience various emotional conflicts with their families and surroundings, such as authority issues with parents, self-esteem problems, shyness, difficulties fitting in, and addiction to games. Regarding this topic, Andrade et al. (2020) mentioned that teenagers with openness to the world, a good group of peers, and a functional family, present better social skills, which influence their problem-solving abilities. Additionally, Chumbirayco Pizarro (2016) argue that social skills can help them interact in different contexts, usually without feeling anxious, interact assertively with others, express what they feel and think in an appropriate manner, end unwanted conversations, and initiate conversations with the opposite sex (Mendivil Hernandez et al., 2023).
To sum up, ninth-grade students, who are considered teenagers, often show deficits in communicative processes, both oral and written, as well as in social interaction. These deficits manifest in areas such as giving and following instructions, defending their own rights, planning and problem-solving abilities, and critical thinking development. Additionally, they experience difficulties interacting with their family members and peers. All of these factors directly influence the progress of their academic, personal, and social development.
Therefore, the objective of the research presented in this study was to evaluate the development of students' social skills after the implementation of the Challenge-Based Learning (CBL) methodology and to analyze how these skills impact interaction processes.
2 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
2.1 CHALLENGE-BASED LEARNING
Challenge-Based Learning (CBL) is an educational approach that focuses on real-life problem solving and active student participation (D'Urso et al, 2023). It is a dynamic learning model that involves students in transforming their reality through the analysis, design, and implementation of an action plan to solve real problems. This process helps consolidate the connection between learning and context. CBL is an extremely beneficial methodology that significantly improves students' academic performance and contributes to the development of competencies (López-Fraile et al., 2021). In this sense, the role of teachers becomes more relevant as they act as facilitators, addressing students' concerns and answering their questions (Reyes y Carpio, 2018).
The benefits of implementing CBL range from improving academic performance and student participation to the development of essential skills for success in key subjects such as Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, ultimately enhancing students' grade point averages (Freeman et al., 2014).
2.2 BACKGROUND OF CHALLENGE-BASED LEARNING
CBL, also known as Challenge-Based Learning, originated in the United States as a training program called "Apple Classrooms of Tomorrow - Today", designed for K-12 students (which corresponds to primary and secondary education in the Colombian system). CBL is part of a group of active learning methodologies that emphasize student knowledge construction (De La Cruz-Velazco et al., 2022).
Describing the model characteristics, Dos Santos (2016) explains that he seeks to promote the students' skills development in alignment with the principles that should guide 21st-century schools. He defines these principles as the understanding of 21st-century skills, a curriculum adapted to needs, the identification of new evaluation systems aligned with the roles of the participants, the support of an innovation culture, the promotion of interactions through social and emotional connections, and constant access to technology as a tool to support communication and the transfer of research process findings.
2.3 SOCIAL SKILLS
Social skills are a group of behaviors that individuals exhibit during social interactions, contributing significantly to peer relationships and general satisfaction within specific contexts (Moura and Gerhart, 2019). These skills encompass the ability to express oneself effectively, interpret various social situations, understand social norms and roles, solve interpersonal problems, and participate in social roles (Prasetyo, 2018).
Social skills are interpersonal competencies essential for successful adaptation in society and for mental well-being (Horishna, 2022). They encompass behaviors that facilitate effective communication, social interaction, and social cognition. They strengthen the capacity to collaborate and work effectively in teams. Additionally, social skills contribute to emotional intelligence, allowing individuals to understand and empathize with others, improve the family climate, and ultimately contribute to better mental health and overall well-being by reducing social alienation (Ninilouw et al., 2022; García Nuñez Del Arco, 2005). Social skills are crucial for academic success, and research indicates a significant link between social skills and academic performance, identifying them as predictors of future academic functioning (Rehman et al., 2021; Malecki and Elliot, 2002; Hachem et al., 2022; Chumbirayco Pizarro, 2016).
Regarding the typology of social skills, this research uses the proposal by Arnold Goldstein et al. (1980), who created an instrument for behavioral observation called the Social Skills Scale, which is divided into six dimensions or groups: basic social skills, advanced social skills, skills related to feelings, alternatives to aggression, skills for coping with stress, and planning skills.
The consequences of a social skills deficit can lead to difficulties in social functioning in various settings, causing issues with learning, interpersonal relationships, behavior, and mental health (Horishna, 2022). Likewise, another aspect that hinders the development of social skills is the influence of social media, as increased social media addiction leads to a reduction in social skills (Dominguez and Ybafiez, 2016).
3 METHODOLOGY
This is a quantitative study, where data analysis was used to test or refute theories and assumptions (Hernández Sampieri et al., 2014). This type of research is classified as educational intervention, which, according to Touriñán López (2011), is defined as: "The intentional action aimed at carrying out activities that lead to the achievement of the student's holistic development" (p. 283). The research design is quasi-experimental, as it measured samples before and after for related groups.
3.1 TECHNIQUES AND INSTRUMENTS
The research employed the Social Skills Scale by Goldstein et al. (1980), which consists of 50 items in a Likert format (fixed responses used to measure the degree of agreement or disagreement in attitudes and opinions), rated on a 4-point scale. Participants responded based on the following criteria: 1. It happens to me very rarely, 2. It happens to me sometimes, 3. It happens to me often, and 4. It happens to me very often. This scale measures the social competence of adolescent and adult populations and is defined in six dimensions or groups: basic social skills, advanced social skills, skills related to feelings, alternatives to aggression, coping with stress skills, and planning skills (Tomás-Rojas, 1994). The instrument was validated by Rodriguez Macayo et al. (2022) with a Cronbach's Alpha ranging from 0.72 to 0.75, indicating good internal consistency.
However, for the purposes of scoring the Goldstein scale, individual scores were calculated to identify the level of competence of the participant in using their social skills by dimension and by direct weighted score.
Since the creation and adaptation of the instrument were carried out for other countries, as previously explained, it was considered appropriate to submit the instrument to the judgment of five experts to assess its feasibility for use in the Colombian national context. Simultaneously, it was reviewed by a style corrector to adjust it to the sociocultural context. Additionally, the researcher calculated Cronbach's Alpha coefficient for internal consistency, obtaining a total result "rtt" = 0.9244, which is considered valid and appropriate.
Population: The population consists of ninth-grade students from two educational institutions: Colegio Agustin Nieto Caballero, with 59 students; and Colegio Adventista de Ibagué, with 36 students.
Sample: The sample size was determined using the statistical program Epidat (Program for Epidemiological Data Analysis). The calculation was based on an expected proportion of 50%, a confidence level of 95%, and a 5% margin of error, resulting in 59 participants. Colegio Agustin Nieto Caballero, with 23 students (10 females and 13 males), ranging from 14 to 16 years old; and Colegio Adventista de Ibagué, from which 36 adolescents (17 females and 19 males) were selected for this study.
Procedures: Approval was requested from the institution and parents through informed consent. A pilot test was conducted with 20 students to calibrate the instrument and intervention, followed by the application of a pretest and posttest after the intervention. Additionally, it is important to describe the steps for implementing Challenge-Based Learning, outlined below:
4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The study aimed to evaluate the social skills of ninth-grade students from two educational institutions: Agustin Nieto Caballero in Tame and Colegio Adventista in Ibagué, after applying the Challenge-Based Learning (CBL) methodology, comparing them with sociodemographic factors before and after the implementation of this program.
4.1 SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS
First of all, the results show that 61% of the participants belong to a confessional private institution, Colegio Adventista in Ibagué, and 39% are students from Colegio Agustin Nieto Caballero in Tame, Arauca. The gender distribution is relatively balanced (50.8% female and 49.2% male). The predominant age range is 13 to 14 years old, accounting for 69.5%, followed by the 15 to 16-year-old range at 23.7%, and the 17 to 18-year-old range representing 6.8% of the population (see Table 2).
Regarding the respondents' place of origin, 59.3% live in the city, and 40.7% are in rural areas; this result aligns with the geographical location of each educational institution. The group has varied religious affiliations, with evangelicals predominating at 44.1%, followed by the Catholic and Adventist populations, at 28.8% and 13.6%, respectively. The majority of students participating in the study (54.2%) live with both parents, 22.0% are under the care of relatives, and 16.9% live exclusively with their mother.
Concerning the variable "Who do you spend most of your time with?" the results show that most participants spend time with their mothers, accounting for 42.4%. The next category is sibling(s), representing 20.3%, followed by those who spend time with their fathers, which represents 10.2% of the population. A total of 52.5% of the surveyed population corresponds to the lower socioeconomic stratum, 45.8% fall in the middle stratum, and only 1.7% belong to the higher socioeconomic stratum. In this way, the study population was characterized.
4.2 RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN STUDENTS SOCIAL SKILLS AND SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS
Secondly, the relationship between sociodemographic characteristics-origin, educational institution, gender, age, religious beliefs, socioeconomic level, who they live with, who they spend most of their time with-and students' social skills before and after the intervention was analyzed. It is worth noting that the instrument was applied individually, but the data analysis was conducted globally, that is, by group or dimension. Therefore, the results obtained in the three variables that showed the most significant change between the pre-test and post-test are described below.
Considering the initial social skills and the variable of sex, there is an observed equality in social skills post-test, with an increase of 3.02% in females and 8.19% in males. Regarding age, there is a significant increase of 21.88% among adolescents aged 17 to 18 in the post-test. Similarly, at the Agustin Nieto Caballero School, there was an increase of 11.28% in the posttest. In terms of socioeconomic status, there is an increase of 21.88% in the high level, followed by a 14.08% increase in the middle socioeconomic stratum. Concerning origin, there is a significant increase of 10.16% in the rural area and 2.41% in the urban area. Regarding religious beliefs, students who profess the Catholic religion recorded an increase of 12.31%; however, it is vital to highlight the behavior of students who identified as atheists or agnostics, who showed a decrease of 23.44% and 31.25%, respectively. Students living with their father registered the largest increase of 34.38%. Finally, students who report spending time with the entire family show an increase of 21.88% post-test (see Table 3). Similar data reported by Andrade et al. (2020) reveals that adolescents from nuclear families tend to develop better social skills and greater self-awareness, regardless of sex.
The measurement of advanced social skills by the variable of sex showed an increase of 9.91% in males and a smaller increase of 4.31% in females. In relation to age, students aged 17 to 18 showed a post-test increase of 20.83%. Concerning the educational institution, an increase of 11.96% was found at Agustín Nieto Caballero. García Terán et al. (2014) note that there are differences in social skills by sex, with males performing better in skills for affective sexual approaches, while females excel in conversational skills, assertive opposition skills, empathetic skills, and expression of feelings.
Caballo (2007) also mentions that there are differences by sex; men tend to be more skilled in aspects such as public speaking, interacting with authority figures, and strangers, while women excel in areas such as apologizing and acknowledging their own mistakes. Additionally, Poblete and Jiménez (2013) indicate that this type of intervention, in the case of women, helped empower them, showing high levels of self-concept, social skills, and subjective well-being (Gonzáles Portillo et al., 2019).
Regarding socioeconomic status, students belonging to the lower-lower level showed an increase of 13.10% higher than the others. In terms of origin, the rural area showed an increase of 11.98%. Students who identified as Jehovah's Witnesses exhibited an increase of 41.67%, which is higher than the others. Similarly, students living with only their father showed an increase of 12.5%. Finally, students living with both parents showed a post-test increase of 30.56% compared to the others (see Table 3).
In terms of skills related to emotions, regarding sex, it is shown that men had an increase of 13.42% compared to women. Regarding age, adolescents aged 17 to 18 increased their posttest score by 21.43%. In relation to the educational institution, the Agustin Nieto Caballero educational institution achieved an increase of 12.42% in the post-test, compared to the Adventist School of Ibagué, which had an increase of 3.37%. Gonzales Portillo et al. (2019) showed that adolescents with a high tendency to have good social skills tend to have effective feelings that lead to a low risk of suicide, as adolescents exhibit positive behaviors and social interactions; likewise, social skills are associated with good emotional intelligence development. Additionally, social skills are linked to adolescents' capacity for resilience (Sosa and Salas, 2020).
In the socioeconomic status variable, students from the high stratum showed an increase of 39.29%, higher than the others, followed by the lower-lower stratum. In the origin variable, the rural area showed an increase of 10.71% and urban only 4.29%. Regarding religious beliefs, students who profess to be Jehovah's Witnesses had a 25% increase post-test; however, students who identify as agnostic showed a decrease of 42.86% post-test. Students living with only their father showed an increase of 25%, higher than the others. Finally, students who spend more time with their friends showed an increase of 33.93% post-test (see Table 3).
The assessment of alternative aggression skills shows that, regarding sex, men recorded an increase of 9.29% compared to women at 1.76%. In terms of age, students aged 17 to 18 showed an increase of 18.06% in the post-test. Concerning the educational institution, Agustin Nieto Caballero increased by 10.63% in the post-test. Students from the high socioeconomic stratum recorded an increase of 11.11%, while students from the lower-lower socioeconomic stratum showed an increase of 10.71%. Regarding origin, there was an increase of 8.1% in the rural sector and only 0.63% in the urban area. In terms of religious beliefs, students who identify as Jehovah's Witnesses increased their post-test score by 22.22%, while agnostic students showed a decrease of 22.2%. Students living with only their father increased their post-test score by 19.44%. Finally, students who spend more time with all family members showed an increase of 30.56% (see Table 3).
Continuing with the measurement, in the skills for coping with stress, regarding sex, men showed an increase of 9.84% in the post-test. Concerning age, students aged 17 to 18 showed an increase of 20.31% in their post-test score. Regarding the educational institution, there was an increase of 11.5% at Agustin Nieto Caballero, while the Adventist School of Ibagué experienced a slight decrease in skills of 1.97%. In the rural area, there was an increase of 9%, in contrast to the urban area, which achieved an increase of 0.65%. Regarding religious beliefs, students who identify as Adventists increased their post-test score by 11.46%. On the other hand, students who identify as agnostic showed a decrease of 35.42% post-test. Students living with their mother recorded an increase of 11.46%. Finally, students who spend more time with everyone showed an increase of 31.25% in their skills (see Table 3). The skills for coping with stress focus on managing daily life, as noted by Sosa and Salas (2020).
In planning skills, it was recorded that women had a higher percentage in the post-test compared to men, with 2.65% and 0.75%, respectively. Regarding age, students aged 17 to 18 showed an increase of 8.59%. In relation to the educational institution, there was a difference of 4.82% at Agustin Nieto Caballero, while the Adventist School of Ibagué experienced a drop of 0.26%. In terms of socioeconomic status, students from both the high and lower-lower levels benefited more, with increases of 6.25% and 4.02%, respectively. Subsequently, in the rural sector, there was an increase of 3.7%, while the urban area showed a minimal increase of 0.36%. Regarding religious beliefs, students who identify as Jehovah's Witnesses increased by 12.5%. Students living with their family members showed an increase of 9.48%, and students who spend most of their time with both parents recorded an increase of 16.67% (see Table 3).
In general, a percentage increase in social skills was observed across the six dimensions for men (8.53%), students aged 17 to 18 (18.5%), a percentage increase in social skills in the post-test at Agustin Nieto Caballero (9.87%), for students from the high socioeconomic stratum (15%) and the lower-lower stratum (11%), and a percentage increase for students coming from a rural area (8.25%). Similarly, students who identify as Jehovah's Witnesses showed a percentage increase of 13%, while students who declared themselves agnostic showed a percentage decrease of 28% in their social skills. Students living only with their father increased their skills by 16%, and students who spend time with everyone increased their social skills by 26.5% (see Table 3).
In conclusion, regarding the social skills of students by sex, it was the men who notably improved their social skills compared to women. At the beginning of the intervention, the skills related to feelings (Habilidades Relacionadas con los Sentimientos, HRS) of males had the lowest average percentage (61.33%); after the intervention, this percentage increased to 74.75%, indicating that the program was effective in improving this skill, which was the least developed by males. Likewise, the average percentage of alternative aggression skills (Habilidades Alternativas a la Agresión, HAA) at the start of the program was 68.97%, and after the program, this percentage increased to 78.26%. This means that, in general, one of the skills that were most developed after the program was the alternative aggression skills (HAA). In summary, the program was effective in improving alternative aggression skills (HAA) and skills related to feelings (HRS) in males. On the other hand, in the case of females, not many differences were observed in their skills; however, the skill that showed the greatest improvement was women's planning skills (Habilidades de Planificación, HP) (see Table 3).
These findings reinforce the assertion that there are differences in social skills by sex. In this regard, Sosa-Palacios and Salas-Blas (2020) and Caballo (2007) also found differences in social skills by sex; women tend to develop planning skills (HP), while men tend to develop other types of skills, such as public speaking skills and skills to interact with authority figures and strangers.
Regarding social skills in relation to the age of the students, the intervention was more effective for students aged 17 to 18, especially in improving their advanced social skills (Habilidades Sociales Avanzadas, HSA), as they initially showed an average of 66.67%, which increased to 87.50% after the program. Additionally, the program was effective in improving the primary social skills (Habilidades Primarias Sociales, PHS) (see Table 3).
Regarding social skills and the educational institution, Agustin Nieto Caballero was the one that responded most to the intervention. The skills that developed the most among its students were alternative aggression skills (HAA) and skills related to feelings (HRS) (see Table 3).
In relation to the socioeconomic stratum, students from the lower-lower stratum benefited the most from the intervention, achieving an improvement in their advanced skills (with an increase of 13.1%). A notable improvement in social skills was also observed in the high socioeconomic stratum; however, this is not conclusive as this stratum is made up of only one student (see Table 3).
Regarding the origin of the students and their social skills, the results showed that students from rural areas had higher percentage increases than those from urban areas after the intervention. Advanced social skills (HSA) showed the greatest increase (11.98%), indicating that these skills improved more than the others (see Table 3).
Religious beliefs showed very varied results due to the diversity of data. On one hand, students who identify as Catholic showed a 12.32% increase in primary social skills (PHS); on the other hand, students who identify as Adventist showed an 11.46% increase in stress coping skills (Habilidades para el Afrontamiento del Estrés, HFE). Additionally, the student who identifies as a Jehovah's Witness showed a notable improvement in all their social skills, especially in advanced social skills (HSA). In contrast, students who identify as atheists and agnostics showed notable average decreases in their social skills (see Table 3).
Regarding with whom the student lives, it was found that students living with their mother showed an average increase of 11.46% in stress coping skills (HFE). Similarly, students who report living with family members showed improvements in planning skills (HP) (see Table 3).
Concerning social skills and the people with whom the student spends the most time, there was a 30.56% increase in advanced social skills (HSA) among students who reported spending more time with both parents. Similarly, students who reported spending more time with friends showed a 33.93% increase in skills related to feelings (HRS) (see Table 3). In this sense, Andrade et al. (2020) mention that the quality of functioning and support from family contributes to good emotional development and adaptive social interactions. This reinforces the idea that adolescents who live with and spend more time with their parents tend to develop better social skills compared to their peers who may be in a dysfunctional family.
To address the general objective of this study and determine whether statistically significant changes occurred regarding the development of students' social skills after implementing the ABR methodology, a Wilcoxon signed-rank test was conducted. As can be seen in Table 4 of the test statistics, three hypotheses were proposed with a significance level of p> 0.05.
Since the Wilcoxon test is a contrast statistic, three hypotheses were proposed: a. Social skills after the intervention are lower. b. Social skills after the intervention are higher. с. Social skills after the intervention are the same. The asymptotic significance value for this study was 0.072 (See Table 4). This means that there was not enough evidence to reject the null hypothesis, concluding that, despite the observed mean differences between the groups before and after, these are not significant; therefore, the groups remain without differences when the confidence level is 5%.
Regarding studies in this field, various investigations have demonstrated that an intervention aimed at improving the social skills of a population is effective in enhancing social skills (Poblete and Jiménez, 2013; Salcedo and Violeta, 2016; Alania and Turpo, 2018; Frost Cruz et al., 2021; Mendivil Hernandez et al., 2023; Huyhua-Gutierrez et al., 2024). However, this research differs from the previously mentioned studies, possibly due to one of the main limitations in this study related to the sample size.
5 CONCLUSIONS
The main skills developed by students during this study were advanced social skills and skills related to feelings. In particular, the group of males benefited more in the development of their skills related to feelings and alternative aggression skills, compared to females, who developed more planning skills. Overall, when comparing by sociodemographic characteristics, males showed greater improvements in their social skills compared to females. The Agustin Nieto Caballero educational institution showed the best results in social skills after the intervention. Similarly, students living in a rural area showed greater improvements in their social skills compared to their urban peers. Students who live with both parents, relatives, and have a larger circle of friends showed greater improvements in their social skills. On the other hand, one of the most interesting results concerning students' religious beliefs revealed that students who identify as atheists, agnostics, or do not define religious beliefs did not respond to the intervention program; in fact, they showed a tendency to worsen their social skills. In this regard, this could form a line for future research that seeks to investigate the relationship between students holding these beliefs and their social skills.
Finally, the study did not determine the effectiveness of the intervention program for improving students' social skills at a confidence level of 5%, although at a confidence level of 10%, very interesting results were observed. This can be partially explained by the sample size, which is one of the main limitations of this study.
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References
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