<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4/A</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2011-06-21</periodOfReport>

    <dateOfOriginalSubmission>2011-06-23</dateOfOriginalSubmission>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001006424</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>FIRST FEDERAL BANCSHARES OF ARKANSAS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>FFBH</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001237970</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BILLINGS SHERRI</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>FIRST FEDERAL BANCSHARES OF ARKANSAS INC</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>PO BOX 550</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>HARRISON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>AR</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>72602</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>EVP Chief Financial Officer</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2011-06-21</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>X</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1131</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>3</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1811</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Spouse's IRA</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2011-06-21</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>X</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1740</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>3</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1940</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Child</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">This Form 4/A amends the reporting persons Form 4 filed on 6/23/11 (Original Form 4).  The purpose of this amendment is to report the number of shares purchased by, or attributable to, the reporting person pursuant to the Oversubscription Privilege in the Rights Offering.  Following conclusion of the Rights Offering, the shares that were not purchased by other Rights holders were allocated pro rata among Rights holders exercising the Oversubscription Privilege in proportion to the number of shares of the Companys common stock each of those Rights holders owned on the Record Date, relative to the number of shares of Common Stock owned on the Record Date by all Rights holders exercising the Oversubscription Privilege.  On 7/1/11, the reporting person was informed of the number of shares allocated to her pursuant to the Oversubscription Privilege.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Includes 741 additional shares purchased pursuant to the Oversubscription Privilege.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Includes 1,140 additional shares purchased pursuant to the Oversubscription Privilege.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">The shares purchased pursuant to the Oversubscription Privilege were offered at a subscription price of $3.00 per share, which is the same subscription price at which shares were offered in the Rights Offering.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Sherri Billings</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2011-07-05</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
