Self-perceived Social Communication Competence Profile of Korean Adolescents according to Gender and Coeducation Differences: Middle and High School Students

Abstract

Objectives: This study was analyzed using the data of 2013 Korean Educational Longitudinal Study (KELS), a Korean adolescents’ panel study, to examine the social communication competence (SCC) development by gender and coeducation. Methods: Data from the second year of middle school and first year of high school were used in the “2013 Korean Education Longitudinal Study” conducted on Korean adolescents. Group differences (gender 2: male and female; coeducation 4: coeducation girls, coeducation boys, boys’ school, girls’ school; class 2: middle and high school) for the SCC questionnaire scores were analyzed using MANOVAs. Results: 1) Communication skill, social cognition, and the pragmatic language register did not differ depending on gender and coed groups, but most other SCC skills exhibited a high evaluation of female students. 2) In coeducational situations, boys had improved social abilities and non-verbal communication skills (F(3, 3029) = 2.88, p < .001; F = 17.29, p < .001). 4) Boys’ experience in coeducation affected their social ability and nonverbal communication skills, while girls’ experience in girls’ middle school and coeducational high school affected their SCC evaluation average improvement. Conclusion: SCC scores can be influenced by gender and class or coeducation factors, so clinicians should consider gender and school background factors in their interpretation of the results of SCC assessment for adolescents.