The Effect of School Culture on Students’ Social Skills Development with Emphasis on Participation, Respect, and Collective Responsibility
Keywords:
School culture, social skills, student participation, mutual respect, collective responsibility, qualitative research, Tehran schoolsAbstract
This study aimed to explain how school culture contributes to the development of students’ social skills, with a particular focus on participation, mutual respect, and collective responsibility. This qualitative study was conducted using thematic analysis. The research population included students, teachers, and school counselors from secondary schools in Tehran, Iran. Participants were selected through purposive sampling with maximum variation. Data were collected exclusively through semi-structured interviews, and sampling continued until theoretical saturation was achieved. A total of 24 participants, including 18 students, 4 teachers, and 2 school counselors, participated in the study. After obtaining informed consent, interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using NVivo software. Data analysis involved open coding, categorization of initial codes, development of subthemes, and extraction of main categories. To enhance trustworthiness, member checking, peer debriefing, audit trail documentation, and constant comparison were applied. The analysis revealed five main categories through which school culture influenced students’ social skills development: “active participation and student voice,” “mutual respect and preservation of personal dignity,” “collective responsibility and school belonging,” “teacher modeling and fairness in school rules,” and “peer relationships and everyday social learning.” Participants reported that schools providing opportunities for dialogue, shared decision-making, cooperation, acceptance of differences, and group responsibility created richer conditions for practicing communication, empathy, self-control, conflict resolution, and prosocial behavior. The findings suggest that school culture is not merely a hidden organizational characteristic but an active educational context that shapes students’ social skills through daily interactions. Strengthening student participation, institutionalizing respect, fostering collective responsibility, and supporting positive teacher–student and peer relationships can contribute to sustainable social development in schools.
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