Structural modeling of the relationships between quality of life, social competence, and aggressive behavior in children with autism spectrum disorder

The objective of the current study is to develop and evaluate a causal model of the relationship between quality of life, social efficiency and aggressive behaviour in autism spectrum disorder. The study sample consisted of (151) children with autism spectrum disorder according to the statistics (Department of Education for the Gove) for 2020/2021, ranging from (5-9) years of age at an average of 7.46 and a standard deviation (1.45). The measures (Quality of Life for Autism Spectrum Disorder (Zahrani Ali Ben Mustor, 2019), Social Efficiency Measure for Children with Zabidi Autism Spectrum Disorder, Rationing (Abdullah, Ahmed Amr, 2016), and Aggressive Behavior Measure for Children with Raji Autism Spectrum Disorder (2011) were applied. The results have resulted in a statistically positive correlation between quality of life and its dimensions: Social competence and a negative relationship in aggressive behaviour in children with autism spectrum disorder, The proposed model achieved high fit indicators with its various components in its interpretation of the relationships between quality of life, social competence and aggressive behaviour in children with autism spectrum disorder. There are also direct causal effects of relationships between quality of life and social efficiency and aggressive behaviour in children with autism spectrum disorder. There are also indirect causal effects of external underlying independent variables (social efficiency and aggressive behavior) on the subsets observed by the internal dependent variable quality of life. Indirect causal effects on social efficiency and aggressive behavior were also found on quality of life through age, as well as indirect causal effects on social efficiency, aggressive behavior on quality of life through severe disability.