The Digital-Social Nexus: Investigating the Influence of Digital Intelligence on Peer Relations in Higher Education
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56294/saludcyt20252213Keywords:
digital competence, peer relationships, social confidence, university students, digital literacy, social development, KeralaAbstract
Background: Digital transformation in higher education has fundamentally altered peer interaction patterns globally. Digital competence, encompassing technical proficiency, emotional awareness, and ethical understanding, has become essential for student success. However, the psychological mechanisms linking these technological capabilities to meaningful peer connections remain poorly understood.
Objective: This study examines how digital competence affects peer relationship quality among Kerala university students, investigating social self-efficacy as a mediating mechanism between technological abilities and relational outcomes.
Methods: A mixed-methods approach was implemented across eight Kerala universities. The quantitative component surveyed 1,248 students using three validated instruments: Digital Competence Scale (9 items), Social Self-Efficacy Scale (4 items), and Peer Relationship Quality Index (5 items). Subsequently, 48 in-depth interviews and 12 focus groups provided deeper understanding. PLS-SEM examined direct relationships and mediation pathways using bootstrapping procedures with 5,000 replications.
Results: Analysis revealed significant associations between digital competence and peer relationship quality (β = 0.285, p < 0.001). Digital competence strongly predicted social self-efficacy (β = 0.467, p < 0.001), which subsequently influenced relationship quality (β = 0.378, p < 0.001). Social self-efficacy functioned as a partial mediator, explaining 38% of the total association. The model exhibited excellent fit indices (CFI = 0.972, RMSEA = 0.045). Digital emotional competence emerged as the most influential component.
Conclusions: Digital competence enhances peer relationship quality primarily by strengthening students' social confidence. Universities should integrate confidence-building approaches with technical training in digital literacy programs to optimize student social development outcomes.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Sreelatha. P, C. Karthik Deepa (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
The article is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. Unless otherwise stated, associated published material is distributed under the same licence.
