The Relationship between Moral and Social Intelligence with the Bullying among High School Students

Bullying is a widespread disaster throughout school years which almost one-third of students are faced with. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the role of the determinants of moral and social intelligence components on the bullying of students. This study was a descriptive-correlational research. The population study consisted of all students studying in Ahar public and private high schools in the 2017-2018 academic years. According to Krejcie and Morgan table, 359 students were entered to the study who selected by cluster sampling method. Data collection was done using Lennick and Kiel’s moral intelligence questionnaire, Tromso’s social intelligence scale and the Illinois’s bullying scale. Data were analyzed using SPSS software Ver.22 as well as statistical tests of Pearson correlation and stepwise multiple regression. The mean scores of moral intelligence and social intelligence of the students were high and their bullying rate was low. Pearson correlation coefficient showed that all determinants of the moral intelligence and social intelligence had a significant negative correlation with the bullying components (P<0/01). Also, multiple regression analysis showed that the components of moral intelligence and social intelligence could significantly predict the bullying components in the students. Findings showed that moral intelligence and social intelligence play an important role in reducing the bullying in students. Therefore, it is recommended that improving the students’ social intelligence and moral intelligence be paid attention in any policy-making and planning to reduce students' bullying and their dropout.