Successful intelligence in the light of Sternberg’s theory and its relationship with perceived self-competence and academic engagement of freshmen in Minia University

Abstract
The present study aimed at identifying the difference between the mean scores of the students of theoretical faculties and practical faculties on successful intelligence, perceived self-competence and academic engagement of freshmen students at Minia University. Additionally, it explored the possibility of predicting perceived self-competence as well as academic engagement through successful intelligence successful intelligence abilities. The study sample consisted of 262 participants (122 from theoretical faculties & 140 from practical faculties. The instruments included the Sternberg’s test of triarchic abilities (translated by Abdelhamid, 2004), in addition to scales of perceived self-competence and academic engagement scale (both prepared by the researcher). Through using multiple regression analysis of two independent samples and t-test, the study findings indicated the following:
- there are statistically significance differences at (0.01) level between the mean scores of the students of theoretical faculties and practical faculties on the successful intelligence scale as a whole and on all dimensions, on the perceived self-competence scale as a whole and in all dimensions, as well as on the academic engagement scale as a whole and in only one dimension, namely the emotional engagement in favor of practical faculties students.
- there are statistically significance differences at (0.01) level between the mean scores of the students of theoretical faculties and practical faculties on the two dimensions of behavioral engagement and cognitive engagement.
- perceived self-competence among the students of practical faculties can be predicted through students’ scores on practical abilities and creative abilities.
- academic engagement among the students of practical faculties can be predicted through students’ scores on creative abilities and practical abilities.
-perceived self-competence among the students of theoretical faculties can be predicted through students’ scores on analytical abilities.
- academic engagement among the students of practical faculties can be predicted through students’ scores on analytical abilities and creative abilities.