Humanities and Social Sciences Review, CD-ROM. ISSN: 2165-6258 :: 03(04):249–255 (2014) Copyright c  2014 by UniversityPublications.net THE PROBLEMS FACED BY ADOLESCENTS IN ADAPTING THEMSELVES WITH HOSTEL LIFE M.S. Omar-Fauzee, Shaikh Mohd Shahridan Shaikh-Abdul-Karim, Wan Norizan Wan-Othman, The Poay Hean, Yahya Don, Yaakob Daud, Fauzi Husin, Arumugam Raman, Ismail Hussein Amzat, Rozalina Khalid, and B. Y. Muhamadul Universiti Islam Antarabangsa, Malaysia This study aims to determine the problems faced by adolescence in adapting themselves with hostel life. There are four factors which influence this problem, namely: gender, social economic status, parents’ level of education and also the number of siblings who further study at higher level institutions. This study is an exploratory study where the samples are of random sampling consisting of 105 Form One students in the year 2012. (Mean age = 12.92, S.D. = .34). The instrument used is “The Michigan International Student Problem Inventory” (MISPI) which is used to measure the adaptation problem among students. The statistical analysis comprising of t-test and correlation coefficient are used to test the hypotheses at a significant level of p<.05. The findings of the study showed that there is no significant difference in terms of gender. There is also no relationship between adaptation problem and social economic status, parents’ level of education and the number of siblings who further studies at higher level of institution. Nevertheless, the coefficient correlation showed that there is a positive significant relationship between adaptation problem with the effectiveness in counseling given by the school counselor (r=.36, p<.100). Therefore, the researchers conclude that to cater for students who have problems in adapting themselves to the hostel life, a suitable system is needed in order to help them such as counseling session or mentoring programs and an effective orientation week because these can help students get accustomed to the hostel life easily and quickly. Keywords: Adaptation problem, Problems experiences, Form One students, Problems at the hostel, Adolescence. Introduction Adaptation is usually related to the concept of ‘accommodation and adaptation’ whereby an individual will strive for survival in the physical and social environment. In Malaysia, the starting age for students to be enrolled in a boarding school especially to a fully funded government boarding school is 13 years, or Form one in a secondary school, and usually at this age the students will undergo transition process from children to early adolescent where at this stage, they are considered to have entered the adolescent world (Man, 1997; Monks, Knoers & Haditono, 2004). Mahmood Nazar (2005) said that students at this age will experience various problems such as physical and mental changes, trials and tribulations of growing and identity seeking which take place as they grow. 249