Investigating the Mediating Role of Academic Self-Regulation in the Relationship between Risky Behaviors and Social Competence among High School Students with Learning Disabilities

Abstract

Background: Strengthening students with self-efficacy in emotional management and self-regulation can be a potent deterrent against risky behaviors. This study sought to explore the mediating effect of academic self-regulation on the relationship between risky behaviors and social competence among high school students with learning disabilities (LDs).Methods: This was a descriptive correlational study. The population encompassed all high school students with LDs in Ahvaz, Iran from February 2023 to April 2023. One hundred fifty-eight students were chosen using cluster sampling and received research questionnaires. The study tools comprised the Iranian Adolescents Risk-taking Scale (IARS), Social Competence Questionnaire (SCQ), and Academic Self-Regulation Questionnaire (SRQ-A). Using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), the hypothesized model underwent evaluation, and bootstrapping was utilized to assess indirect relationships. Data analysis was conducted with SPSS version 26 and AMOS version 25.Results: The mean and standard deviation (SD) for students’ risky behaviors, social competence, and academic self-regulation were 86.75±12.39, 112.18±24.25, and 42.05±9.86, respectively. The findings highlighted a significant relationship between social competence and academic self-regulation (β=0.71, P<0.001) and between academic self-regulation and risky behaviors (β=-0.65, P<0.001). However, the direct link between social competence and risky behaviors was insignificant (β=-0.16, P=0.115). However, the relationship between social competence and students’ risky behaviors became significant when mediated by academic selfregulation (P<0.001). In the final model, the values for CFI and RMSEA were 0.98 and 0.041, respectively.Conclusion: The study’s outcomes indicated that the final model was well-fitted and crucial for recognizing factors influencing risky behaviors in students with LDs. Enhancing social competence and academic self-regulation might offer a pathway to mitigate risky behaviors among these students.

Keywords

• health risk behaviors
• learning disabilities
• social