Arab Educational Information Network

The research aims to explore the family quality of life, social support and resilience of mothers of children with intellectual disabilities and those with autism spectrum disorder in Egypt, and to investigate the differences in these three variables according to the type of disability (intellectual disability - autism), and the child gender (male/ female) and the interaction between them. Additionally, it aims to investigate the relationship between the family quality of life, social support, resilience, and the possibility of predicting the family quality of life through social support and resilience. The research sample consisted of 250 mothers, (130) mothers of children with intellectual disabilities and (120) mothers with autism spectrum disorder. The results showed that the participants obtained a high level on most aspects of family quality of life and social support, while they obtained a medium level in resilience. The current research did not result in significant differences in the family quality of life, social support and resilience according to the type of disability (intellectual disability - autism), while differences were found in some dimensions of family quality of life and social support according to the type of child with a disability (male - female) in favor of females. The results of the current research also revealed a positive relationship between family quality of life and both social support and resilience, and the possibility of predicting family quality of life through social support and resilience. The results were discussed in light of the theoretical framework and previous studies, and a number of recommendations and suggestions for future research were presented. (Published abstract)