Validation of an Abbreviated Scale of the CENVI Questionnaire to Evaluate the Perception of School Violence and Coexistence Management of Chilean Students: Differences between Pandemic and Post-Pandemic

Abstract

The objective of the study was to specify an abbreviated model of the school coexistence questionnaire for non-violence (CENVI) for students from 5th to 8th grade (9 to 14 years old), in order to determine the perception of violence and management of school coexistence, and the differences between Mapuche and non-Mapuche students. A total of 1870 students from schools in the city of Temuco (Chile) responded to the CENVI questionnaire. There were two samples: (1) Pandemic, with online, face-to-face and hybrid classes; and (2) Post-pandemic, with face-to-face classes. Sample 1 consisted of 848 students aged 9 to 15 years (M = 11.90; SD = 1.27). Sample 2 consisted of 1022 students aged 9 to 14 years (M = 11.46; SD = 1.14). The questionnaire was validated using expert inter-judgment and Confirmatory Factor Analysis. A good fit of the proposed model to the data and good internal consistency measured according to the composite reliability were found, and convergent validity was demonstrated. Mapuche students perceived more physical violence and social exclusion. Cut-off points were proposed for the interpretation of the results. In the data, the effect of Coexistence Management on School Violence was null. The discussion approaches the findings from the literature on education in spaces of socio-cultural diversity in a Mapuche context.

Validation of the questionnaire to measure Chilean teachers’ perception of school violence and coexistence management (VI+GEC)

“…It also corroborates the importance of training tools that facilitate the management of coexistence and the approach to situations of violence (Morales et al, 2014). It is important to note that this result is opposite to that reported by Muñoz-Troncoso et al (2023b), where a null effect of management on violence was found. However, this effect can be explained by the fact that the questionnaire used in that study measures the perception of students, actors who, according to López et al (2023), have little or no impact on coexistence management.…”

“…Having a psychometrically developed questionnaire such as the one presented is relevant for understanding the phenomenon of violence in schools and for the analysis of coexistence management. A comprehensive perspective in this regard can favor decision-making (Torrego et al, 2022) to prevent and mitigate the effects of violence (Muñoz-Troncoso et al, 2023b). Thus, the novelty of the study is the development of a psychometric scale-for teachers-that incorporates factors of mutual violence between students and teachers, in addition to the factor of school coexistence.…”

“…In Chile, after the reopening of schools, the Ministry of Education (MINEDUC) reported an increase in complaints about problems of school coexistence, most of which were due to violence among students (MINEDUC, 2022). In the same context, students also reported statistically significant differences in school violence, with more violence in face-to-face classes than in the online modality during confinement (Muñoz-Troncoso et al, 2023b). School violence continues to be a problem that affects children and young people, however, research on the subject comes mainly from high-income countries (Kelmendi et al, 2023), which highlights the need to study the phenomenon in developing countries and countries with income disparities.…”

“…This is part of the Indicative Performance Standards emanating from the educational policy that governs the school institution (MINEDUC, 2021). From the legal point of view, the above policy is in compliance with Law 20536 on School Violence and Law 20128 Safe Classroom, and in regulatory bodies legislated on school violence and coexistence management in Chile (Muñoz-Troncoso et al, 2023b).…”