Effects of a cognitive rehabilitation training program in school-aged children with specific learning disorder

ABSTRACT

Objective

This study investigated the effect of Cognitive Rehabilitation Training (CRT) on executive functions, problem solving, and attention in students with a specific learning disorder (SLD).

Method

Forty-two SLD students from the third to sixth grade (8–12 years old) were randomly assigned to 16 sessions of CRT (n = 21) or to a control (n = 21) group. Executive functions were assessed by the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (2nd ed.), problem solving by the Tower of London test, and attention by the Stroop test.

Results

Analyses of variance and post-hoc analyses revealed that there were significant improvements in the CRT group in most aspects of executive functions, problem solving, and attention, and these improvements were maintained over a two-month follow-up.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that a CRT program may have positive implications for cognitive functioning and may provide preliminary support for alternative therapeutic interventions for use in children with SLD.

چکیده

هدف: پژوهش حاضر با هدف بررسی تأثیر مداخله توان‌بخشی شناختی بر کارکردهای اجرایی، حل مسأله و توجه در دانش آموزان دارای اختلال یادگیری ویژه انجام شد

روش‌شناسی: در این پژوهش چهل‌ودو دانش‌آموز 8 تا 12 سال دارای اختلال یادگیری ویژه از پایة سوم تا ششم مدارس دورة

جایگزین شدند. گروه مداخله 16 جلسه برنامه توان‌بخشی ،(n=21) و کنترل (n=21) ابتدایی به‌طور تصادفی در دو گروه مداخله شناختی دریافت کردند. به‌منظور ارزیابی کارکردهای اجرایی، حل مسأله و توجه از ویراست دوم مقیاس درجه‌بندی رفتاری کارکردهای اجرایی، آزمون برج لندن و آزمون استروپ استفاده شد

یافته‌ها: تحلیل واریانس و تحلیل‌های تعقیبی حاکی از پیشرفت‌های قابل‌توجه گروه توان‌بخشی شناختی در بیشتر مؤلفه‌های کارکردهای اجرایی، حل مسأله و توجه بود و این پیشرفت‌ها طی یک دورة پیگیری دو ماهه پابرجا بود.

نتیجه‌گیری: با توجه به نتایج به دست آمده برنامه توان‌بخشی شناختی میتواند پیامدهای مثبتی بر کارکردهای شناختی این گروه از دانش آموزان داشته باشد و شواهد اولیه برای به کارگیری مداخلههای درمانی جایگزین جهت استفاده در کودکان دارای اختلال یادگیری ویژه فراهم نماید.

KEYWORDS:

• Specific learning disorder
• cognitive rehabilitation
• executive functions
• problem solving
• attention
• BRIEF2
• Tower of London
• Stroop

واژههای کلیدی:

• اختلال یادگیری ویژه، توانبخشی شناختی
• اختلال یادگیری ویژه، توانبخشی شناختی

Acknowledgments

All expenses of this research project were funded by the authors. They did not receive any financial grant from a specific entity. The authors would like to thank all students with SLD, and their parents for cooperating in study. They would also like to thank and acknowledge the efforts of the teachers, clinicians, and specialists who helped them during this study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The data has been anonymized; however, it must remain confidential due to a prior agreement with the Ethics Committee of Kharazmi University of Human Sciences.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Kamal Parhoon

Kamal Parhoon is a professor in the Department of Psychology, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran. His research interests include childhood and developmental issues and executive functions. E-mail: [email protected]

Frederick L. Coolidge

Frederick L. Coolidge is a professor in the Department of Psychology, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, USA. His research interests include psychological assessment across the life span. E-mail: [email protected]

Hamid Alizadeh

Hamid Alizadeh is a professor in the Adler Graduate Professional School, Toronto, Canada. His research interests include childhood and developmental issues. E-mail: [email protected]

Hadi Parhoon

Hadi Parhoon is a professor in the Department of Psychology, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran. His research interests include childhood and developmental issues. E-mail: [email protected]

Apeksha Srivastava

Apeksha Srivastava, Master of Technology in Biological Engineering, is a PhD candidate in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, India. Her research interests include psychology and science communication. E-mail: [email protected]