Emotional Intelligence and its Relation with Adaptation to University Life

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the level of emotional intelligence, and adaptation to university life for Tafila Technical University students. It also aimed to find the relation between the dimensions of emotional intelligence and university life adaptation. The study further aimed to study the effect of students’ gender, level of study and major on the emotional intelligence dimensions and the adaptation to the university life. It also aimed to investigate the contribution of Emotional Intelligence dimensions to in interpreting the variance in Adaptation to University life. The sample of the study consisted of 392 students (208 males, 184 females). The investigator used two scales in this study: The Emotional Intelligence scale, and the Adaptation to University life scale. The study showed that the level of emotional intelligence and adaptation to university life means were (71.82) and (178.94) respectively. There were significant differences among the subjects’ scores means on emotional intelligence as whole and adaptation to university life attributed to students’ gender (in favor of females) study level (in favor of 4th year students), and specialization (in favor of scientific domain). The study also revealed that emotional intelligence with its five dimensions may interpret 47.9% of the difference in student degree on a scale for adaptation to university life. The study recommended programs to help students to develop their emotional intelligence in all study stages to increase the adaptation in their societies.