Enhancing Political Self-Efficacy in Early Adolescence: An Intersectional Analysis of a Classroom Intervention in Belgium

Despite an improvement in gender equality worldwide, the field of politics is still considered a male-dominated environment (Fraile & Moyen, 2022). A gender gap in political efficacy and political participation remains (Bandura, 1997, 2006). Creating opportunities for young people to practice their political skills, such as through classroom discussions, can help increase political self-efficacy (Kudrnáč & Lyons, 2018). However, recent studies show that classroom interventions using discussions seem to benefit boys only (García-Albacete & Hoskins, 2024). It is therefore crucial to gain a better understanding of which interventions work for whom specifically, and why. To grasp these nuances, intersectional approaches should be employed to explain these educational inequalities (Keller et al., 2022). This paper draws on data from Belgian schools participating in the G-EPIC (Gender Empowerment through Politics in the Classroom) project. The G-EPIC intervention was co-created with students, teachers, and stakeholders, and consists of five lessons aimed at strengthening political efficacy beliefs. After a pilot phase, several didactical techniques were selected to create opportunities for students to gain successful experiences with political knowledge and political practice to enhance self-efficacy (Bandura, 1977). These techniques include group work, counter-narratives, the “diamond 9” exercise, and fostering an open classroom climate. The intervention was implemented in five ethnically and socioeconomically diverse schools in Grade 8 and Grade 9 classes with students aged 13 to 14 years old (N = 356, 254 intervention, 102 control). Students completed surveys before and after the intervention. To examine how the intervention might affect different groups (Keller et al., 2023; 2024), the intercategorical complexity of the data is considered (McCall, 2005). Given the analysis of individual data within school contexts, a Multilevel Analysis of Individual Heterogeneity and Discriminatory Accuracy (MAIHDA) model is used (Else-Quest & Hyde, 2016; Keller et al., 2023; 2024). This study investigates how complex intersectional interactions of students’ gender, SES (measured through proxies such as the number of books at home) and ethnicity influence political self-efficacy. This paper aims to inform future research on the development and implementation of school-based interventions designed to minimize gendered inequalities in political outcomes.