Social Intelligence as a Factor of Socio- Psychological Adaptation of University Students with Special Educational Needs during Distance Learning due to the COVID-19

The article is devoted to the research of social intelligence as a factor of socio-psychological adaptation of university students with special educational needs during distance learning. Study methods of social intelligence and socio-psychological adaptation are used. The respondents’ contingent of consisted of 78 students with special educational needs. The average level of social intelligence was empirically established in part students, which testifies to their ability to understand properly and the ability to behavior in almost half of life situations. Almost a quarter of students have a higher than average level of social intelligence and the same part is lower than average, which confirms their ability to understand and predict other people’s behavior in almost three quarters and one quarter of life situations, respectively. Students do not have high and low levels of social intelligence. Most students (almost two-thirds) have an average level of adaptability and mal-adaptability; instead, a minority (almost one third) is at a high level. Adaptability and mal-adaptability, respectively, indicate consistency and inconsistency between the needs of the individual and the requirements of the social environment. Students with a low level of adaptability and mal-adaptability were not found. The defined statistically significant relationship of social intelligence with adaptability (direct) and maladaptive (reverse) shows the influence of social intelligence on the effectiveness of socio-psychological adaptation of students. The results of the research proved that social intelligence is a factor of socio-psychological adaptation of students with special educational needs during distance learning.