The relative contribution of psychological stress and self-esteem in predicting intellectual extremism among university students

Abstract

This research aimed to identify the role of the psychological pressure and the self-esteem in predicting the intellectual extremism among university students. The sample of the study consists of (150) including male and female, whose ages range from 19-21 years old. A descriptive methodology was used as a kind of methodology. The researcher has developed the instruments of the study which include the psychological pressure scale, the self-esteem scale, the extremism scale, and then the psychometric features of these instruments were verified. The present study reached the finding that the ratio of the psychological pressures among the sample participants is low, and the ratio of self-esteem is high and the extremism ratio is low. The findings of the study also stated the psychological pressures can be adopted in predicting the intellectual extremism. The regression coefficient reached (2.705), which is statistically significant at the ratio of (0.008). The self-esteem can be used to predict the intellectual extremism, as the regression coefficient reached 0.4.067, which is statistically significant at the ratio of 0.004. The study has recommended preparing some programs and training sessions that contribute to minimizing the psychological pressures among university students and to enhancing their self-esteem, and to activating the role of the universities in raising the awareness among the students about the threats of the intellectual extremism by increasing the educational, cultural and recreational activities.