A latent profile analysis of DigComp dimensions and the alignment with EU digital goals

The European Union’s Digital Decade strategy, structured around the Digital Compass, identifies digital skills as a key dimension to ensure that at least 80% of the population possesses basic digital competencies by 2030. According to the DESI 2024 report, only the Netherlands and Finland have already reached this benchmark, while other member states, including Slovenia, lag behind. In 2023, only 46.7% of Slovenian citizens demonstrated at least basic digital skills, highlighting the urgency of addressing the digital divide. Drawing on resource and appropriation theory and digital capital theory, this study investigates the relationship between personal and positional resources, digital skills, and ICT usage. Using data from 2,585 Slovenian respondents in the EU Survey on the Use of ICT in Households and by Individuals (EUROSTAT), we conducted a latent profile analysis (LPA) to identify patterns across the five competence areas defined in the DigComp framework. The analysis produced five distinct digital skill profiles. Results indicate that older individuals are significantly more likely to belong to low-skilled profiles, while income does not exert a strong influence. Conversely, younger and lower-income respondents showed a higher probability of belonging to semi-skilled groups characterized by weak digital design competences and overconfidence in their abilities. These findings provide empirical evidence to guide policymakers in designing targeted interventions to strengthen digital competences across demographic groups. The research also demonstrates an approach that can be replicated across EU member states to support progress toward the Digital Decade’s 2030 objectives.