Modeling the relationships between social intelligence, school bullying and psychological Adjustment

The descriptive study aimed to identify the levels of social intelligence, school bullying and psychological adjustment among students of seventh, eighth, and ninth grades studying in public schools in the Sultanate of Oman. The study also examined possible differences in the study variables according to gender, grade and birth order. In addition, the researchers proposed a mediating model that explains the causal relationships among the study variables. The study sample consisted of 403 students, including 165 male and 238 female students, who were selected by the random cluster method from three governorates in the Sultanate and the quantitative approach was adopted. The results indicated high levels of social intelligence and psychological adjustment and low bullying levels among the study sample. Statistically significant gender differences were found in social intelligence and psychological adjustment in favor of girls, while the differences in school bullying were favoring boys. Differences based on school grades were found in social intelligence (in favor of the eighth grade), in school bullying (in favor of the seventh grade), and in psychological adjustment (in favor of the ninth grade). Birth order seems to have influences in school bullying (in favor of the middle child). The mediating analyses showed direct effects of social intelligence in psychological adjustment and indirect effects through the mediating role of bullying. The researchers recommended a number of recommendations, including: Preparing training programs and workshops for teachers and parents concerned with how students acquire social intelligence skills because of their role in their psychological and social adjustment