Nurturing Social Intelligence Through AuthenticSocial Experiences: A Study Of Muslim Gifted And Talented Students

Social intelligence is often described as the interplay of cognitive abilities that help individuals to understand others and behavioral elements that support wise and effective interaction. Gifted and talented students frequently prefer socializing with older peers or adults yet may struggle to communicate with peers whose cognitive level is comparatively lower. Moreover, the social intelligence of these students is further shaped by cultural and religious expectations. Research suggests that this intelligence can be cultivated through community service programs which
provide authentic social experience. While many studies have focused on social skills, research on nurturing social intelligence among Muslim gifted students remains limited. This study therefore, aimed to examine the social intelligence of Muslim gifted and talented students through participation in a community service program. A quantitative approach was employed using an online questionnaire adapted from the MESI instrument, administered survey to final-year students at Kolej PERMATA Insan two months after the program. Out of 48 students, six selfrated themselves as having poor social skills prior to the program. Categorical analysis using SPSS v27 indicated that four students demonstrated high social intelligence, forty-one were at the middle level, and three were at the lower level after participating in the community service program. While no significant gender differences were observed, a significant difference was found by age, with 17-year-old students showing higher levels compared to 16-year-olds. These findings suggest that age may play a role in the development of social intelligence and that community service provides a meaningful platform for its growth.