شبكة المعلومات العربية التربوية

The present study aimed to determine the degree of secondary stage students’ academic adaptation and the effect of social intelligence and gender factors on the adaptation level. The study sample consisted of 317 students; 140 male and 177 female students enrolled in the secondary schools of Irbid Education Directorate, Irbid, Jordan during the academic year 2010/2011. To collect the study data, both social intelligence scale of Sternberg et al. and Porou's scale for students' academic adaptation were used. The results indicated that secondary stage students had a medium degree of academic adaptation on the whole scale of social adaptation, and all of its sub- domains. There were statistically significant differences in the total degree of academic adaptation and all of its domains that could be attributed to social intelligence. In addition, statically significant differences were observed for the total degree of academic adaptation in three subdomains, i.e., aims achievement, personal efficiency, and study skills that could be attributed to the student's sex to the advantage of female students. Furthermore, there were no statistically significant differences in the total degree of academic adaptation and in all sub-domains of academic adaptation due to the interaction between social intelligence and gender. The study recommends intensifying parents and teachers’ efforts for understanding the needs of male secondary stage students, their problems and interests. This would help in planning strategic programs that can reduce the impact of such problems that affect the students’ academic adaptation.(Published abstract)