Iranian Journal of Educational Sociology 2645-3460 9 March 2026 2026 03 01 Curriculum Model for Enhancing Social Capital and Social Skills Among Elementary School Students Curriculum Model for Enhancing Social Capital and Social Skills Among Elementary School Students 1 11 10.61838/kman.ijes.1412 EN Journal Article 2025 07 03 <p><strong>Purpose: </strong>This study aimed to develop and validate a comprehensive curriculum model designed to enhance social capital and social skills among elementary school students through a mixed-methods approach.</p> <p><strong>Methods and Materials: </strong>A sequential mixed-methods research design was employed, beginning with a qualitative phase involving semi-structured interviews with curriculum specialists, educational psychologists, and elementary teachers in Tehran selected through purposive sampling. Thematic analysis generated foundational components for the curriculum model. These qualitative themes informed the development of quantitative instruments administered to 312 elementary teachers selected via stratified random sampling. Quantitative analyses included descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and structural equation modeling (SEM) using SPSS and SmartPLS. Reliability and validity indices, including composite reliability, Cronbach’s alpha, and average variance extracted, were calculated to assess the measurement structure and test the theoretical framework emerging from the qualitative findings.</p> <p><strong>Findings: </strong>EFA supported a four-factor model explaining 72.14% of total variance with strong factor loadings across components. CFA results  demonstrated excellent model fit (χ²/df = 2.41, RMSEA = 0.056, CFI = 0.957, TLI = 0.944), confirming the validity of the measurement model. SEM revealed significant predictive relationships among latent constructs: social interaction skills significantly predicted social capital development (β = 0.63, t = 11.42), prosocial behavioral training strongly predicted social skills enhancement (β = 0.58, t = 10.76), and curriculum contextualization predicted implementation feasibility (β = 0.47, t = 8.23). Additionally, social capital development significantly enhanced student social participation (β = 0.54, t = 9.61), and social skills enhancement improved classroom behavioral adjustment (β = 0.49, t = 7.88).</p> <p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The validated model demonstrates that a culturally grounded, interaction-centered curriculum integrating prosocial training, cooperative learning, and contextualized instruction can significantly strengthen social capital and social skills among elementary students.</p> https://www.qijes.com/index.php/ijes/article/download/1412/1427