Spiritual Intelligence, Resilience, and Mental Health: A Comparative Study among University Students with Different Academic Degrees
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The present study aimed to compare the spiritual intelligence, resilience, and mental health of university students majoring in Islamic studies with those who are not majoring in Islamic studies. The sample consisted of 200 university students enrolled using purposive sampling (100 Major in Islamic studies & 100 Non-majors in Islamic studies) with age ranging between 20 - 25 years (M = 22.59; SD = 2.56). The study participants were selected from various departments of a public university in Karachi, Pakistan. To collect data from the participants a demographic form and three standardized instruments including Spiritual Intelligence Self-Report Inventory (SISRI -24), Brief Resilience Scale (BRS-6), and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale 21 (DASS-21) were used. Descriptive statistics and t-test were applied to analyze the collected data. Results showed a significant difference on spiritual intelligence between those having Islamic studies as major and non – majors, with a higher mean score for the group majoring in Islamic studies. The group with non-major in Islamic Studies showed a higher mean score on depression, anxiety, and stress. However, no significant group differences were observed based on resilience. In conclusion, study suggested that a comprehensive curriculum based on Islamic teachings have a positive influence on the spiritual intelligence and mental health of the students. The results hold significant implications for curriculum development and support services to enhance overall wellbeing of university students.
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