Examining the Role of Spiritual Intelligence, Social Skills and Creativity in the Relationship between the Students' Birth Order with Academic Achievement

The first-borns' superiorities over latter-borns in terms of personality, intelligence, and academic achievement are a part of a phenomenon known as "Birth Order" effect. The theories of birth order discus the difference in intelligence and functions of those with birth order. Among these theories Resource Depletion Hypothesis and Confluence Model are prominent. According to these theories the superiority of first-borns over latter-borns can be explained based on their intelligence and academic achievements. This research aims at explaining the role spiritual intelligence, social skills and creativity in relationship between birth order and academic achievement in students. This research is a kind of correlation research based on structural equation modeling method. The 250 samples were selected among 1472 students in 10th grade of Urmia City high schools in the academic year of 2017-2018. Each variable got a coefficient (15). Data gathering tools included the King's Intelligence Scale (2008), Foster and Inerbisent's Social Skills Scale (1992), and Torrance Creativity Scale (1993). The academic achievement was also achieved with Grade Point Average. The findings showed that there is a positive relationship between the birth order, spiritual intelligence, social skills and creativity with academic achievement in students. Furthermore, the research model was confirmed. In general, 38% of academic achievement can be explained by birth order, spiritual intelligence, social skills and creativity. Moreover, birth order showed a positive and direct effect on academic achievement. However, it showed an indirect effect on academic achievement with the presence of spiritual intelligence, social skills and creativity. Based on the results, it can be concluded that paying attention to birth order and variable such as spiritual intelligence, social skills and creativity can improve learners' academic achievement.