Feeling of loneliness and its correlation to self-esteem in children with Asperger’s disorder in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Asperger's Disorder (AS) and feeling of loneliness (FOL) are related to low self-esteem (SE) in children as many autistic children do not participate in society. However, there was a need to further explore the correlation between the feeling of loneliness (FOL) and self-esteem in children with AS in the Saudi context. This study aimed at investigating the type of correlation between FOL and SE in the sample of children with AS and typically developing children from primary school pupils in Riyadh. It drew a comparison between the study sample individuals regarding psychological loneliness as well as SE according to the sex variable (male/female) and developmental disorder variable (children with AS and typically developing children). It further discussed the prevalence of psychological loneliness, low self-esteem, and negative social perception in individuals with an autism spectrum disorder. It adopted the descriptive approach (correlative/comparative). The data were statistically analyzed using Pearson's correlation coefficient, two-direction variance analysis (2x2), and T-Test. This is a pioneering study in terms of emphasizing the importance of early detection and intervention to identify children with AS and taking precautionary measures and treatment in the Saudi context. The findings indicated that FOL is negatively correlated to SE in children with AS and typically developing children of both sexes. This result is consistent with the findings of the previous studies. It was also found that male children with AS demonstrated more FOL and less SE than female children with AS. The study also provided some educational recommendations and proposed further research in this area. It also recommended developing training programs and courses for parents to optimally deal with the mentally retarded child.