VIOLENCE PREVENTION IN PUBLIC MIDDLE SCHOOLS IN BONTANG CITY USING CHI SIGMA IOTA-BASED LEADERSHIP AND ADVOCACY

Abstract

School violence remains a persistent challenge that threatens students' safety, psychological well-being, and educational outcomes, highlighting the need for preventive interventions that extend beyond reactive disciplinary approaches. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of a Chi Sigma Iota-based Leadership and Advocacy (CSIA-V) model in preventing violence in public junior high schools in Bontang City while strengthening counselors' leadership competencies. The study employed a three-cycle action research design based on the Kemmis and McTaggart model using a concurrent mixed-methods approach with quantitative dominance. Participants consisted of four school counselors and 150 eighth-grade students at SMP Negeri 1 Bontang. Quantitative data were collected using the Student Violence Behavior Scale, the CSI-Based Counselor Leadership Inventory, and the Violence Incident Observation Sheet, while qualitative data were obtained through semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and reflective journals. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test, whereas qualitative data were examined through thematic analysis and the DEAL (Describe–Examine–Articulate Learning) reflective framework. The findings demonstrated substantial improvements in counselors' leadership capacity, with the average leadership score increasing from 58.25 to 89.25 (53.2%). Violence incidents decreased by 82.7%, while Wilcoxon analysis indicated statistically significant reductions across all dimensions of student violent behavior (p < .001), with a medium-to-large effect size (r = 0.481). Qualitative findings revealed strengthened professional identity among counselors, active student participation through the Peer Counselor Anti-Violence (PCAK) initiative, enhanced multicultural collaboration, and improved school climate. The study concludes that the CSIA-V model is an effective and contextually appropriate framework for strengthening counselor leadership and reducing school violence. Integrating leadership, advocacy, professional identity, and community collaboration provides a sustainable strategy for developing safer, more inclusive, and violence-free schools.