Spiritual quotient through extracurricular mediation: The impact of Islamic religious learning and peers in junior high school

The role of religious extracurriculars is crucial for spiritual intelligence because, through these activities, students can deepen their understanding and practice of religious teachings directly. In addition, interaction in an extracurricular environment allows students to support each other and share spiritual experiences, which strengthens the internalization of religious values ​​and increases their spiritual intelligence. This research explores the role of extracurriculars in mediating the influence of Islamic religious learning and peers on spiritual quotient. Quantitative methods with PLS-SEM analysis were used to test the feasibility of discriminant validity and research hypotheses. Data was collected through a questionnaire with 41 students selected using the purposive sampling method. The results showed that Islamic religious learning has a positive (β = 0.108), but not statistically significant influence on students’ spiritual quotient (T = 0.552; ρ = 0.581). Meanwhile, peers and extracurricular activities have a positive and significant influence on spiritual intelligence. The implications of the study show that Islamic religious learning needs to be supported by extracurricular activities and religious programs in schools. Research recommendations include strengthening extracurricular, regular monitoring, and increasing the involvement of learners who do not participate in extracurricular activities. This is expected to improve the over are all spiritual quotient of all learners.