INTELLECTUAL EMPTINESS AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO PSYCHOLOGICAL ADJUSTMENT AMONG STUDENTS OF THE COLLEGE OF BASIC EDUCATION – UNIVERSITY OF MAYSAN

Abstract

This study aimed to identify the level of intellectual emptiness and psychological adjustment among students of the College of Basic Education at Misan University, and to reveal the relationship between them, in addition to determining the significance of differences in both intellectual emptiness and psychological adjustment according to the gender variable (males and females). The study employed a descriptive analytical correlation approach, and the sample consisted of (110) male and female students from the morning shift for the academic year (2025–2026). Data were collected using two scales developed for this purpose; one scale measured intellectual emptiness and included (15) items divided into three dimensions: weak critical and analytical thinking, reliance on superficial or ready-made information, and lack of intellectual and creative initiative. The second scale was dedicated to measuring psychological adjustment and included (16) items covering dimensions of emotional regulation, social adaptation, self-satisfaction, and positive responses to educational and social situations. The results showed that the level of intellectual emptiness was low among college students, while the level of psychological adjustment was relatively moderate to high. Statistical analyses indicated that there were no statistically significant differences between males and females in both intellectual emptiness and psychological adjustment, suggesting similarities in the educational and social conditions experienced by students of both genders. The results also indicated a statistically significant inverse correlation between intellectual emptiness and psychological adjustment, where a decrease in intellectual emptiness was associated with an increase in the level of psychological adjustment and vice versa.