Social-Emotional Learning Program: As a Mediation for Bullying Issues and Self-Confidence in Elementary School Students
Kustiyaningsih, Ira Dwi. 2025. Social-Emotional Learning Program: As a Mediation for Bullying Issues and Self-Confidence in Elementary School Students. Thesis, Master’s Program in Primary Education, Faculty of Education, State University of Surabaya, Supervisors: (1) Dr. Ganes Gunansyah, S.Pd., M.Pd and (2) Dr. Ari Metalin Ika Puspita, S.Pd.SD., M.Pd.
Bullying in elementary schools remains a critical issue that negatively affects students’ psychological development and self-confidence. The Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Program is considered a potential intervention to reduce bullying and strengthen students’ self-confidence. This study aims to analyze the effect of SEL on reducing bullying behavior and enhancing self-confidence, as well as to examine the causal relationship between bullying and self-confidence among elementary school students. This quantitative research employed a quasi-experimental non-equivalent control group design involving 78 students from Grades 3 to 6, proportionally assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group received SEL intervention, while the control group followed conventional instruction. Data were collected using validated bullying and self-confidence scales. Statistical assumption testing included the Kolmogorov–Smirnov normality test and Levene’s homogeneity test, while hypothesis testing was performed using paired samples t-test and path analysis at a significance level of 0.05.
The findings reveal that SEL has a significant negative effect on bullying behavior (p = 0.000), but does not significantly improve self-confidence (p = 0.097). Path analysis also indicates a strong negative relationship between bullying and self-confidence (p = 0.000), suggesting that higher levels of bullying correspond to lower self-confidence in students. These results confirm that SEL is effective as both a preventive and curative intervention for bullying; however, improving self-confidence requires more specific and long-term intervention strategies. The state of the art of this study lies in applying SEL not only to bullying victims but also to perpetrators and bystanders, thereby fostering a safe, supportive, and violence-free classroom ecosystem. The study recommends continuous integration of SEL into the elementary school curriculum, strengthening teachers’ competencies in social-emotional instruction, and further research with a stronger experimental design that considers cultural and family environmental factors.
Keywords: Social-Emotional Learning Program, bullying, self-confidence, elementary school.