Ghaleb Hamad Alnahdi

1. Participation in transition planning is widely recognised as a key factor influencing the long-term outcomes of students with disabilities, including employment, independence, and social integra...

Background: Attention issues are increasingly prevalent among students in higher education. While existing research has primarily focused on external distractions and their relationship with personality traits, internal distractions remain underexplored, particularly in the context of specific learning scenarios like distance education. This study addresses this gap by investigating the correlations between personality traits, attention distraction, and attentional regulation in the context of distance learning. Method: This study adopted a combined person- and variable-oriented approach to examine the extent to which students’ personalities relate to attentional state and regulation strategies during emergent distance learning under COVID-19 lockdown conditions. 400 higher education students completed an online survey for this cross-sectional study. Results: The integrated approaches revealed three distinct groups: (1) the “Self-Attention Regulated” group, characterized by the lowest attention problems, the highest use of attention regulation strategies, and higher levels of conscientiousness and openness; (2) the “Hanging-On” group, marked by high attention discontinuity, moderate attention regulation strategies, and average levels across all personality traits; and (3) the “Social Media-Distracted” group, exhibiting the highest levels of distraction caused by social media and higher levels of neuroticism. Older students, who tended to belong to the self-attention-regulated group, spent considerably more time studying online than younger students, who were more likely to be social media-distracted. Conclusion: This study enhances our understanding of attention regulation in distance learning by identifying personality traits associated with students at risk for distracted attention issues. The results could help universities to design and implement effective distance learning programs that cater to a wide range of student personalities.

Families of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities often face unique challenges that significantly impact their quality of life. Understanding the predictors of family quality of life (FQOL) is crucial for developing effective support systems and interventions. Aim: This study investigated the predictors that might influence the perception of families having a member with a disability regarding their quality of life (FQOL). Method: The sample consisted of 320 family members from the Riyadh region of Saudi Arabia. Results: The overall results showed that participants’ satisfaction with FQOL was at a moderate level. Further results indicated that variables associated with severity, type of disability, and the mother’s age and education were significant predictors of the FQOL. Conclusions: These results emphasize the importance of considering the variables that impact FQOL, such as the severity and type of disability, and mother’s related variables, when directing support to families with a member with a disability. The recommendations and limitations of the study were discussed.

This study investigates the family well-being among Saudi Arabian families with youth who have an intellectual disability. A sample of 148 family members, including parents and other relatives, was surveyed on emotional well-being, family interactions, and parenting. This study aimed to explore the unique challenges and dynamics within these families, providing insights into how an intellectual disability in a youth affects the family unit. The research highlights a gap in understanding the specific impacts of intellectual disability on family life in the Saudi context. Key findings include variations in family quality of life perceptions among different family members, with fathers showing distinct levels of satisfaction. This study contributes to the development of culturally sensitive support strategies and policies, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions to enhance the well-being of these families in Saudi Arabia.