Moderating Effect of Gender and Age on the Relationship between Emotional Intelligence with Social and Academic Adjustment among First Year University Students

Noor-Azniza, Ishak,Farid, T Mustafa,Yahya Saleh Ibrahim,Malek, T Jdaitawi

doi:10.5539/ijps.v3n1p78

Abstract

This study examined whether emotional intelligence is significantly correlated with social adjustment andacademic adjustment. It also explored the moderating effects of gender and age factors and their linked betweenemotional intelligence and social adjustment as well as academic adjustment among first year university students.289 first year university students (148 males and 141 females) at the Irbid Govern Orate, North of Jordan,participate in the study and were categorized based on two age groups, younger students between the age of 18 –25 and older students between the range of 26 and above. Two valid and reliable instruments were used to assessstudent’s emotional intelligence, social adjustment and academic adjustment. Correlation and multi-groupanalysis using structural equation model were used to analyse these data. The result shows no significantrelationship between emotional intelligence and of both social adjustment and academic adjustment. In addition,the moderating effect of gender was not found. However, the moderating effect of age on the relationshipbetween emotional intelligence with social adjustment and academic adjustment were established.

Highlights

Researchers describe adolescents as a period of change in terms of individual’s physical and cognitive development, and in the adolescents’ personal and social contexts (Rice, 1996)
This study examined whether emotional intelligence is significantly correlated with social adjustment and academic adjustment
This research examined the relationship between exogenous variable and endogenous variables

Summary

Introduction

Researchers describe adolescents as a period of change in terms of individual’s physical and cognitive development, and in the adolescents’ personal and social contexts (Rice, 1996). The subject of transition to university has been given attention by scholars and researchers namely because the transition often generates considerable stress and negative outcomes. The literature, has given evidence that students in this stage face adjustment difficulties and challenges (Tinto, 1996, Noor-Azniza, 2005). Haloren and Santrock (1997) define adjustment as “the psychological process of adapting in coping with, managing their problem, challenging tasks and requirements of daily life”. Positive adjustment can assist student to face challenges, pressures and overcome it to accomplish their goals (Wolfok, 2001), in contrast to negative adjustment in which it will lead to frustration (Al-Kfaween, 2010)

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Conclusion