mohsen shokoohi yekta

Learning disabilities are currently the largest group of disabilities in special education. These disabilities are defined as impairments in one or more basic psychological processes, including the comprehension or use of spoken or written language, which may manifest as impairments in listening, thinking, reading, writing, speaking, spelling, and mathematical calculations. In the context of learning disabilities evaluation, one of the few diagnostic–prescriptive tools is the fourth edition of the Learning Disability Evaluation Scale (McCarney and House, 2018), which, in addition to its diagnostic application, provides suggestions for relevant interventions, leads to an individualized educational plan. The provided interventions are based on the seven–component theoretical structure of this scale with a logical combination. The present study was conducted to validate the seven–component structure of the Diagnostic and Prescriptive Learning Disability Evaluation Scale (McCarney & House, 2018) among the second– to fifth–grade elementary students.

This research was a descriptive–analytical study of tool development type. The statistical population of the research consisted of the second– to fifth–grade elementary students in the 2021–2022 academic year. According to the announcement of the cooperation of elementary school principals, Tehran, Mazandaran, and Lorestan provinces were selected as the study settings using the available sampling method. Then, in each of these provinces, cities, elementary schools, and learning disability centers were selected using the available sampling method. Finally, following the minimum required sample size according to Mayers (2013) and considering the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the standard sample group of 298 students (145 girls and 153 boys) was selected by simple random and purposeful sampling method by the teachers of selected schools. Also, the clinical sample group of 27 students (9 girls and 18 boys) with learning disabilities was selected using the available sampling method by the educators of the selected learning disability centers. This study was conducted to validate the fourth edition of the Diagnostic–Prescriptive Learning Disability Evaluation scale (LDES–4) (McCarney & House, 2018). To adapt this scale to Persian culture and language based on the method presented by the World Health Organization in 2006, the following steps were performed: direct translation, referral to an expert panel and back translation, obtaining cognitive information through clinical interviews, and at last compiling the final version and documenting. The Colorado Learning Difficulties Questionnaire (Willcutt et al., 2011) was used to explore concurrent validity. To determine the content validity, the content validity ratio (CVR) and content validity index (CVI) were calculated using the opinions of 6 professors and experts in learning disabilities. To probe the construct validity, confirmatory factor analysis was utilized using the maximum likelihood estimation method in AMOS26. Internal consistency was also investigated using the Cronbach alpha method, and temporal stability was assessed using the test–retest reliability method with a time interval of four weeks in the clinical sample group using the intraclass correlation coefficient. The Pearson correlation coefficient was calculated for the clinical sample group for concurrent validity. In addition, to check the discriminant validity, 27 students of the normal sample group, who were equal to the clinical sample group (27 people) in terms of gender, educational level, and place of residence, were selected randomly, and their scores were compared with the scores of the clinical sample group through the independent t test. In this study, to perform the confirmatory factor analysis, AMOS26 software was used, and the rest of the statistical analyses were performed using SPSS26 at a significance level of 0.05.

In the confirmatory factor analysis using the item parceling modifying method, the fit indices were CMIN/df=3.883, CFI=0.963, PCFI=0.770, PNFI=0.761, and IFI=0.963, indicating the desired fitness of the seven–component structure of the Diagnostic–Prescriptive Learning Disability Evaluation Scale with the data. In examining the discriminant validity, there was a significant difference between the normal and clinical groups regarding the scale's total score (p<0.001). The Cronbach alpha value for the whole scale was 0.94, and each component was calculated at more than 0.70. Also, the intraclass correlation coefficients, with a confidence interval of 95% for the whole scale and its seven components, ranged from 0.891 to 0.970, which was significant (p<0.001), indicating the appropriate temporal stability of the scale. Also, a positive and significant relationship was obtained between this scale's total score and the Colorado Learning Difficulties Questionnaire (p<0.05).

According to the findings, the fourth edition of the Diagnostic–Prescriptive Learning Disability Evaluation scale (LDES–4) with a seven–component structure can be used as a valid and reliable tool to assess learning disabilities in the second– to fifth–grade elementary students.

This study aimed to investigate the Feasibility of the executive functions training program using augmented reality on social skills in high-functioning children with autism spectrum disorder. The research was conducted using a semi-experimental method with a pre-test-post-test design and a control group with a three-month follow-up period. The statistical population of the study included all children with autism spectrum disorder with high functioning in Tehran in 2023- 2024. After screening the research sample according to the entry and exit criteria, eligible children were included in the study and randomly assigned to two experimental (15 people) and control (15 people) groups. The research tool included Gilliam's autism diagnostic scale - Second Edition (1994). The variance analysis method with repeated measurements was used to analyze the data. The findings showed that the executive functions training program using augmented reality had a significant effect on the control group in the two stages of post-test and follow-up (p<0.001). Also, the effect size showed a 0.29% effect of the executive functions training program using augmented reality on social skills. It is concluded that to improve social skills in children with autism spectrum disorder, augmented reality can be used to teach executive functions.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability that can cause significant communication challenges. Because communication skills are essential to developing other skills, it seems necessary to use early interventions to improve communication skills in children with ASD. Therefore, the aim of this systematic review was to summarize current research about the effect of the Hanen parent program on the communication, interaction, and language skills of children with ASD. Accordingly, it was searched for all articles and dissertations indexed in Persian and foreign databases, in ScienceDirect, Sagepub, Eric, Wiley, Springer, Pubmed, ProQuest, Noormags, Sid, Magiran, and Irandoc in the period 1990 to 2022; using a combination of expressions including “autism spectrum disorder”, “Hanen parent program”, “communication skills” and “early intervention”. Thus, according to the eligibility criteria (Inclusion and exclusion), thirteen articles were included in this systematic review. The results of these studies showed that the Hanen parent program can lead to the natural acquisition of communication skills in children with ASD by relying on strategies in the natural environment and parent-child interaction. Therefore, it is suggested that the Hanen parent program be used as a beneficial early intervention for children with ASD. However, due to the research limitations that reduce the generalization of the results, its effectiveness requires more detailed studies.

Driving behavior is a behavior that a driver chooses as a pattern for his driving, and it depends on three factors: the driver, the vehicle, and factors related to the driving route. The driver's psychological and personality characteristics are the most important factors in his driving behavior and the driver behavior is related to his emotional and behavioral characteristics. Many studies have shown the role of emotional intelligence as one of the most important determinants of driver behavior. Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand and manage our own and others' emotions which play a key role in all kinds of personal, social and professional situations. Some research have shown that high emotional intelligence is associated with greater ability to manage emotions, and low emotional intelligence is often associated with greater involvement in risky behaviors. Emotional intelligence can improve through training and have a positive effect on people's performance. Adults can learn to manage their behaviors and emotional reactions. Considering the importance of emotional intelligence in reducing inappropriate driving behaviors, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of the mental health training program of drivers on their emotional intelligence.
 
In the present study, in order to enhance the emotional intelligence abilities of bus drivers through psychosocial training, a quasi-experimental with a pre- and post-test design was used. The driver training project of Tehran Bus Company has been started since 2011 and is implemented in different phases on drivers who are applying for employment in the Company. In one of the phases, 88 bus drivers from Tehran Bus Company who received 9 training sessions on anger management, retaliatory driving, stress management and effective communication participated in the study. Bar-On (1977) emotional intelligence test was used to collect data in two stages of pre-test and post-test. This questionnaire is a self-assessment tool that can be used for people over 18 years old. In the present study, a shortened form of the questionnaire was used, in which there are 54 items related to 9 scales of problem solving, stress tolerance, emotional self-awareness, interpersonal relationships, optimism, impulse control, flexibility, empathy, and self-expression.
 
The research findings of multivariate analysis of variance with repeated measures and univariate analysis of variance showed a significant difference between pre-test and post-test scores of four subscales. This difference is significant for the subscales of problem solving, emotional self-awareness and optimism at the 0.01 level and for the subscale of interpersonal relationships at the 0.05 level. In other words, participating in the training program has led to an increase in the ability of the participants in these subscales. Also, the value of F in these 4 subscales of emotional intelligence is equal to 7.70, 16.48, 11.52, and 5.29, respectively.
 
The findings show the effectiveness of the program on some components of emotional intelligence. In other words, the training course on socio-emotional interventions can be considered effective in promoting drivers' emotional intelligence.

Stress, as an inseparable part of the driving job, can lead to accidents by interfering with the driver's safe performance, which threatens the health of the passengers as well as the driver (Henzlikova, 2005). This research was conducted with the intention of evaluating the effect of the psychosocial skills training package on reducing drivers' anxiety and distress.The statistical population of this study consisted of 88 drivers of Tehran Bus Company. Sampling method used was based on available sampling and the design of the study was quasi-experimental with pre-test and post-test single group. The Cattle Anxiety Questionnaire (CAQ) and the Kessler Distress Questionnaire (K-10) were used for data collection. The experimental group was trained in 9 sessions, once a week and each session for 90 minutes. According to the findings, participation in this training course has led to a decrease in the average group in Kettle's anxiety subscales and Kessler's psychological distress scale. Results showed that the training package was effective in reducing anxiety and psychological distress in drivers.

 The current study aims to examine the effect of cognitive problem-solving skills training on parents' parenting styles and their anger reduction towards their children.

 The method of this research is quasi-experimental with a pretest-posttest single-group design without follow-up. The sample group consisted of 69 mothers of children aged 4 to 7 years, selected through convenience sampling. In these workshops, which were held over 9 two-hour sessions across 9 weeks, parents were made aware of effective and ineffective methods of dealing with children's behaviors, and practiced exercises to improve their response style to challenging behaviors of children. To evaluate the effectiveness of the training program, two questionnaires were used: the Parenting Styles questionnaire (Shokoohi Yekta & Parand, 2007) and the Anger Assessment questionnaire (Shokoohi Yekta & Zamani, 2007). The research data were analyzed with ANOVA and t-test methods using SPSS software.

 The results showed that participation in the problem-solving workshop had a positive effect on participants' performance regarding their parenting styles. Such that, this program led to an increase in the problem-solving parenting style and a decrease in parents' use of other ineffective parenting styles such as advising without explanation, and punishment and scolding (P<0.05). However, the analysis of the findings did not show a significant difference in terms of reducing mothers' aggression towards their children (P>0.05).

 Accordingly, it can be inferred that training in problem-solving skills can be used to improve parenting styles and the quality of interpersonal communications within the family.

Family is a crucial context for a child's healthy development. Parents awareness of parenting style, can lead to a reduction in children's behavioral problems, flourishing their talents, and a decrease in conflict in family relationships.

For this purpose, the educational intervention in the form of a workshop on child development was considered for parents to examine its effectiveness in solving family problems and behavioral problems of children.

The present study is a quasi-experimental in which the pre-test post-test design is used. In this study, parents of children 7 to 12 years old announced their readiness to participate in the child development workshop. All 32 working parents were evaluated using the Eyeberg Child Inventory and Family Problem Solving scale. The parents of the intervention group participated in five sessions of the Child Development Training Program., In order to examine the significance of the difference between pre-test and post-test scores, paired sample t-test was used.

The findings of this study indicated that the average score of family problem solving in pre-test and post-test shows an increase of 11 points in post-test. The value of t obtained is 2.56, which is significant at the level of P=0.05. Also, the mean scores for behavioral problems in pre-test and post-test shows a decrease of 3 points in post-test. The value of t is equal to 2.42, which is significant at the level of P=0.05. This change was statistically significant in both scales.

Child Development Training Program has caused a decrease in behavioral problems and an increase in family problem-solving. According to these results, it can be concluded that designing and planning in order to provide training interventions, especially teaching parenting styles and parents' awareness of physical, emotional, affective and cognitive features of children can be an effective step in strengthening parents in the real confrontation with children's behavioral problems and also managing them and solving their family problems.

The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of a family-centered sensory and motor interactive activities program in enhancing the motor and developmental abilities of infants between the ages of 12 and 24 months who have a medical history of low birth weight. The design of the study was combined methods (qualitative and quantitative). The statistical population comprised infants between the ages of 12 and 24 months who had a documented history of low birth weight in Tehran in 2022. The study sample comprised twenty-eight infants, ranging in age from twelve to twenty-four months, whose mothers were selected using a readily available sampling method. The participants were allocated into two groups—experimental and control—at random. The Children's Developmental Screening Scale, third edition of Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQ3TM) was utilized in both cohorts. Two sessions of the family-centered program for mothers and sixteen sessions for children in the experimental group were taken into account. The statistical analysis software SPSS version 26 was utilized to analyze the data. Initially, the descriptive analysis of the variables, the normality of the assumptions, and the equality of the variance of the variables in the groups were examined. Subsequently, univariate analysis of covariance was employed to examine the research hypotheses. The results of the covariance analysis demonstrated that the family-centered interactive activities program for sensory and motor development was effective. A significant difference has been observed between the experimental and control groups with regard to developmental skills between the pre-test and post-test (P<0.005). Motor and developmental skills among children aged 12 to 24 months with a history of low birth weight can be enhanced through entertainment programs that incorporate suitable structure, according to the findings of this study. It is recommended that future research investigate the efficacy of this program on children of average weight and conduct longitudinal studies.

Early findings that urban bus drivers are liable to suffer from mental health problems as a result of high levels of job stress remain true today. The research needs to concentrate on practical interventions that are systematically implemented and evaluated to improve the mental health of bus drivers. The current study aims to investigate the effectiveness of psycho-social skills training on interpersonal forgiveness and social anxiety of urban bus drivers in Tehran.

The training project of the bus drivers of Tehran bus driving company started in 2013 and it is implemented in different phases on drivers who are aplicants of employment in bus driving company in Tehran. This study utilized a quasi- experimental research method with pre-test & post-test design. 41 urban bus drivers with an average age of 43.95 (SD = 9.87) were trained in the areas of anger management, revenge driving, effective communication, and stress management over nine sessions, eighty minutes each. To evaluate the effectiveness of the training program,  Interpersonal Forgiveness Inventory (IFI) and Social Interaction Anxiety Scale (SIAS) were used.

Statistical analysis showed that the training program has a positive effect on the levels of recomunicating and controlling revenge, resentment control, realistic understanding and also on the overall forgiveness score, and had a significant impact on increasing the ability of drivers to control their resentment (P> 0.05). Also, our results showed that the intervention had a significant effect on reducing social interaction anxiety in bus drivers (P> 0.05).

Training in psycho-social skills could be used as part of the well-being program to improve the mental health of urban bus drivers. It is also expected that these trainings by focusing on cognitive and behavioral components will have a positive effect on improving the performance of bus drivers, as well ad the efficiency of the transportation system.

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the effectiveness of the shared story reading intervention on promot early literacy skills for preschool at-Risk. This study was quasi- experimental research design with pretest-posttest-follow-up with the control group. From two preschool centers, 30 children during a multi-level screening, included teacher introduction, imitation test and language development test. The participants were randomly assigned into either control or experimental group. Subjects of the experimental group, in 4 small groups, received 30 sessions of education, each session lasted 45 minutes three a week. Data were collected by Reading Readiness Test, and Test of Phonological Awareness. The results of Repeated Measures MANOVA indicated that a significant effect of program on increasing components of reading readiness and phonological awareness, in experimental group compared with the control group. While the differences were no significant for naming speed.

Behavioral problems represent a prevalent category of mental disorders in children and adolescents, encompassing internalized and externalized behavioral problems. Regarding prevention, it is necessary to investigate and identify the psychological issues of children and adolescents at the onset of the disorder and treat it to minimize the psychological damage. However, if this disorder persists, the damage done to the character will increase. Minority children and adolescents often face unfavorable situations, such as poverty and deprivation of the benefits of society. In addition, becoming part of the minority population with the discussion of bilingualism and its effects on people's development has always been the focus of researchers, who emphasize its negative and positive effects, such as the effect on intelligence and creativity. So, the present study was conducted to compare and investigate behavioral problems in bilingual and monolingual children.

The method of current research was causal–comparative. The study population included all preschool children in Kermanshah Province, as well as Pakdasht and Karaj cities, Iran, in the academic year 2020–2021. Among the mentioned statistical population, one testing center in Sarpol Zahab City of Kermanshah Province, one in Pakdasht City (Sharif Abad City), and one in Karaj City were selected according to an available sampling method. A total of 266 parents completed the Behavior Assessment System for Children–Third Edition parent form. Of whom, 133 people had bilingual children, and 133 people had monolingual children. The inclusion criteria included the informed consent of parents to participate in the research and having a preschool child of 4 to 6 years old. The exclusion criterion was incomplete filling out the questionnaire. The parent form of Behavior Assessment System for Children–Third Edition (BASC–3) (Reynolds & Kamphaus, 2015) was used to collect data. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics (percentage, frequency, mean, and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (the Chi–square test, independent t test, and multivariate covariance analysis) by SPSS version 26 software. The significance level of statistical tests was set at 0.05.

The results showed that behavioral problems in all subscales, including externalized problems (p<0.001), internalized problems (p=0.006), behavioral symptoms (p=0.036), and adaptive skills (p=0.046) were significantly higher in bilingual preschool children compared to monolingual preschool children.

Based on the results of the present study, bilingual preschool children perform weaker and slower than monolingual preschool children in four components of behavioral problems: externalized problems, internalized problems, behavioral syndromes, and adaptive skills.

Because the deficiency of communication skills in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has a negative effect on the relationship between them and their parents, it seems necessary to use early interventions to improving the communication skills of these children. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of Hanen parent program on the parent-child relationship of families with children with ASD.

Methods and Materials:

 This study was pre- test/ post- test and follow up with control group design. The Statistical population of this study included all children with ASD (ages 3 to 7) that lived in Isfahan county. The research sample included 22 children and their parents that were selected by convenience sampling. These participants assigned in two groups of 11 people, the experimental group and the control group. Then, parents of the experimental group received Hanen parent program for 3 months and 2 sessions per week. At this time, the control group did not receive any intervention. The study data collected by the child- parent relationship scale- CPRS (Pianta, 1994). The repeated measures MANCOVA analysis was used to analysis of data.

The results showed efficiency of Hanen parent program on child- parent relationship and Subscales (conflicts, closeness and dependence) is significant in α= 0/05 level.

According to the results of the present study, Hanen parent program can be used to improve the quality of child- parent relationship in children with ASD and their parent by providing opportunities for parent training.

The birth of a child with special needs is a stressful experience and challenging for the family that can affect the physical and mental health of the parents. Given the key role of parents in the care, education and supervision of children with intellectual disabilities, timely intervention and assistance to parents in discovering coping resources, especially internal coping resources, is essential. One of the most effective interventions in this area is Positive Psychology, proposed by Seligman in 2000. Positive psychology, as a meta&ndash;diagnostic intervention, emphasizes promoting well&ndash;being and prosperity rather than addressing weaknesses. The purpose of this study was to design a compassion&ndash;based positive education program for parents of children with Down syndrome and evaluate its effectiveness on parental psychological well&ndash;being.

This study was a quasi&ndash;experimental study with a pretest&ndash;posttest design and follow&ndash;up with a control group. The study&rsquo;s statistical population included parents of children with Down syndrome less than 2 years old. The study was conducted in February 2019. Due to the limited population, 17 couples of infants with Down Syndrome who were accessible and willing to participate in the study were included from the three cities of Yazd, Meybod, and Ardakan, Yazd Province, Iran. They were identified by the Welfare Organization of Yazd Province and presented to the researcher. Of whom, 14 families were selected according to the inclusion criteria and matched based on their level of education and socioeconomic status. Then they were randomly divided into experimental and control groups. For data collection, we used Psychological Well&ndash;Being Scale (Ryff, 1989). The intervention program used in this research was designed by the researchers based on Martin Seligman (2011). The results of research in the field of positive psychology were designed according to the five core elements of psychological well&ndash;being: positive emotions, engagement, interest, meaning, and purpose. This program was adapted to cultural characteristics. A different and innovative feature of the present study was the use of compassion as a form and explanation of positive psychology exercises and activities from the perspective of compassion (Gilbert, 2019). The intervention included 14 sessions (one session per week). Both groups underwent three stages of evaluation: pretest, posttest and 3 months follow&ndash;up. Descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, frequency, percentage) were used to describe the data. Then the data analysis was done using the analysis of variance test with repeated measurement of multiple variables and pairwise comparison test in SPSS version 20 software. The significance level was set at 0.05.

The results showed a significant difference between the two groups in the psychological well&ndash;being scores after the intervention (p=0.001). The results of pairwise comparisons showed a statistically significant difference between the mean scores of the pretest with posttest and the pretest with follow&ndash;up of the experimental group (p=0.001). Also, the mean scores of the posttest phase are not significantly different from the mean scores of the follow&ndash;up phase for the experimental group, which indicates the persistence of the effects of the intervention and its effectiveness during the quarterly follow&ndash;up period (p=0.080). Examination of the subscales of the Psychological Well&ndash;Being Scale showed that the independent variable of compassion&ndash;based positivity education could make a significant difference between the experimental group and the control group in the meaningful life subscale (p=0.045). But in other subscales including mastery of the environment (p=0.081), positive relationships (p=0.081), self&ndash;acceptance (p=0.133), and personal growth (p=0.051), the differences observed in different stages between the two groups were not significant.

According to the result of this study, a positive education program for parents of children with Down syndrome can improve their psychological well&ndash;being.

The present study aimed to train the creative problem solving program and determines its effectiveness on reducing behavior problems in gifted elementary students. The research was conducted as a quasi-experimental study with two intervention and control groups with pretest and posttest. The statistical population comprised gifted male primary school students of Mulla Sadra school in Karaj who started school in 2019-2020. The statistical sample consisted of 50 second grade male students who were randomly selected and divided into experimental and control groups. The data collection instrument was Achenbach Child Behavioral Checklist (CBCL). The experimental group received 12 sessions of the program twice a week and their parents received 4 training sessions at the same time. Both groups answered the Child Behavioral Checklist in two phases, a pretest and a posttest. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS-25. The results showed that training a comprehensive creative problem-solving program significantly reduced behavior problems in gifted students (P <0.005). Therefore, training Comprehensive Creative Problem Solving Program can counteract behavior problems by creating a sense of efficiency and self-confidence and laying the foundation for reducing behavior problems.

Executive functions are a set of high-level cognitive processes that, by influencing low-level processes, enable individuals to direct their thoughts and actions. Despite the importance of measuring executive functions Many current tests of executive function are complex, have limited reliability and validity, and suffer from task impurity.

The purpose of this project was to develop a novel set of executive function test based on the integrated model of executive function.

The sample consisted of 115 students (18 girls and 97 boys) who were selected by cluster random sampling from 16 and 6 urban areas of Tehran (M=9.2 years; SD=1.7). central nervous system vital signs test was used to evaluate the validity of the test. Pearson correlation tests and exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis were used to analyze the data.

The reliability of the main scores of the subtests was mainly calculated in a significant range (p<0.05). Also, the concurrent validity of the test using the correlation showed a significant correlation. The calculated coefficients for the snake and ladder, gift box, school bag, special route, mannequins, cards, apples, ball and rocket and hands are equal to 0.61, respectively, 0.53, 0.41, 0.79, 0.54, 0.38, 0.66, 0.60 and 0.39. Exploratory factor analysis identified three factors: updating, shifting, and inhibition. The results of confirmatory factor analysis also indicated a good fit of the mode.

The pictorial-computer test of executive functions has outstanding features for measuring students' executive functions.

In recent years, the growing amount of public transport drivers’ aggression and anger has increased the road rage rate. Although various studies have been conducted on this issue, the impact of cognitive flexibility has not been investigated yet.

The aim of the present study was to examine the effectiveness of psycho-social skills training on bus drivers’ cognitive flexibility and aggression.

This project started in 1390 and in several phases administered on drivers applying for bus driving company in Tehran This research was quasi-experimental with one group pretest posttest design and the sample group consisted of 70 Tehran bus drivers who were selected by using the convenience sampling method in 2019. The Shokoohi-Yekta Psycho-Social Skills Training Program (2015) was performed in 9 sessions each of which was 90 minutes. Buss and Perry Aggression Questionnaire (AQ) (1992) and Cognitive Flexibility Inventory (CFI) (2010) were used for data collection. The data were analyzed utilizing dependent t-tests.

The findings of the present study showed that the training program significantly decreased the drivers’ aggression and increased their cognitive flexibility (P< 0/000).

The results demonstrated that the psycho-social skills training package can be broadly used to reduce bus drivers’ aggression and improve their cognitive flexibility.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate effect emotional intelligence on components of social adjustment of adolescents with single parents in Tehran city. The study utilized a quasi-experimental research method with pretest-posttest and follow-up with control group. The population was all adolescents girls 13 to 16 age with emotional and behavioral problems and single parent in Tehran city in 2012-2013 (1392-93 s.c.).The sample of the study selected by a purposive sampling method and11 students in the experimental group and 12 students in the control group were among the adolescents with emotional and behavioral problems who were living in single parent families. This program was offered through workshop which consisted of 10 sessions, two hours per session. The instruments which were used in this study included Need Assessment Checklist, Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), and Youth Self Report (YSR); (Achenbach & Reskula, 2001), Social Adjustment subscale of California Personality Inventory (Tiegs, Clark & Thrope, 1941). The obtained data was analyzed using Repeated Measures of Analysis of Variance, which showed that emotional intelligence training program could significantly increase social adjustment in adolescents with emotional and behavioral problems in single parent families. (p<0/01). Participating in the workshop, has led to increasing the social adjustment of adolescents with emotional and behavioral problems that living in single parent. Therefore, it is concluded that emotional intelligence skills training, as basic skills of mental health, can be an effective approach in increasing social adjustment of adolescent.

Driving is an important and inseparable part of work, economic activities, and social life. Increasing the level of happiness and improving driverschr('39') self-efficacy are the factors that can be achieved by educating psychosocial skills training. In different countries, special attention is paid to the mental health of drivers and several programs are designed and implemented in this field. However, this issue has not been addressed in Iran. Due to the high number of accidents caused by the psychological problems of drivers in Iran, attention to the health and occupational health of drivers needs to be the focus of mental health service providers.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the efficacy of psychosocial skills training package on driverschr('39') happiness and general self-efficacy.

This study utilized a quasi-experimental research method with a one-group pretest-posttest design. The statistical population included all drivers of Tehran Bus Company, from which 101 drivers were randomly selected and received the desired training in psychosocial skills training in 1395 at Khajeh Nasir Toosi University. In these workshops which took place in nine sessions, eighty minutes each, the drivers were trained in the areas of anger management, revenge driving, effective communication, and stress management. This project started in 1390 and in several phases administered on drivers applying for bus driving company in Tehran. To evaluate the effectiveness of the training program, the Munsh Scale of Happiness (Kozma, Stone & Stones, 2000) and General Self-efficacy Scale (Schwarzer & Jerusalem, 1995) were used. Data were analyzed using repeated measure analysis.

Findings from the repeated measure analysis for evaluating happiness show that there is a significant difference (P< 0/05) in the mean scores of positive experience between the pre-test (M= 10/49) and the post-test (M= 11/29) scores (P= 0/02). Even though the results of the paired sample t-test on the general self-efficacy questionnaire show a difference between the mean scores of pre-test (M= 31/81) and post-test (M= 32/64), this difference is not statistically significant (P> 0/05).

Participating in a psychosocial skills workshop has had a positive effect on participantschr('39') performance like increasing positive experience. However, the data analysis failed to show statistically significant differences in terms of increasing positive emotion and general self-efficacy and also decreasing negative feelings and experience. The findings of the present study showed that the psychosocial skills training package can be an effective intervention in improving the mental health of drivers.

Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) experience many problems in executive functions which later may result in numerous negative consequences in different dimensions. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of parent based metacognitive executive functions training on behavioral symptoms and cognitive functions of children with ADHD.

This study was quasi-experimental in the methodology with a control group pretest-posttest design. The population included all the 1st to 3rd grade primary school students aged 7 to 10 in Tehran in the academic year 2018-2019. Among them, 40 students together with their mothers were selected by purposive sampling and then randomly divided into the two groups, the experimental and the control group. Mothers of the experimental group received twelve 2-hour sessions of metacognitive executive functions training whereas the mothers in control group (n=20) were placed in the waiting list. SNAP-IV Rating Scale (Swanson, Nolan and Pelham, 1983) and CNS Vital Signs Neurocognitive Assessment (Gualtieri & Johnson, 2006) were used to gather the data. Then, data were analyzed by Multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA).

Results showed that metacognitive executive functions training was significantly effective in decreasing the behavioral symptoms (F=24.782) and increasing the cognitive functions (working memory: F=32.130 and cognitive flexibility: F=6.053) of children with ADHD. 

By using game based activities structurally managed by the parents, this therapeutic method targets dimension of executive functions which are important in the management of cognition and behavior; hence it can improve the cognitive and behavioral symptoms in children with ADHD.

Early intervention is important to minimize persistent difficulties in language and its related domains in  preschool children with or at-risk of language impairment. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of shared story reading program on the development of language skills of preschool children of low socioeconomic status. This study adopted a quasi- experimental research design with pretest-posttest-follow-up and a control group. From two preschool centers in Ahmadabad Mostofi town during a multi-level screening process, 30 children whose language test scores were below the standard deviation (70-85) were selected, being diagnosed for language problems. They were randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups. Subjects in the experimental group (n=15) were further divided into four smaller groups, received 30 shared story reading program intervention sessions, each session lasting 45 minutes three days a week. Data were collected through Test of Language Development and Narrative. Data analysis was performed by using the Repeated Measures MANOVA. The results indicated a significant effect (P=0/001) of the program on increase of semantic knowledge, syntactic knowledge, and language development in general, and improvement of narrative writing in the experimental group. Post-test and follow-up differential scores also approved the effectiveness of the shared story reading program. Accordingly, the shared story reading program is recommended as a preventive program, potentially bridging the word gap for at-risk children.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effectiveness of phoneme-based working memory educational program on enhancing reading ability of dyslexic students. The research method was Quasi-experimental with control group and random assignments, using pre-test, post-test, and fallow-up stages. The statistical population of the study consists of all the students with reading disability in primary schools in Tehran. Among them, 30 students with dyslexia were selected by available sampling method from leading disorders centers and randomly assigned in experimental and control groups. The experimental group participated in 24 educational sessions of working memory on phonological stimuli in auditory and visual dimensions. Reading and Dyslexia Test (Kormi-Nouri and Moradi, 2008) were used for data collection. The data were analyzed using the multi-variable variance analysis with repeated measures. Findings showed that the phoneme based working memory educational program significantly improved the reading ability of dyslexic students in all three components of reading accuracy, reading fluency and reading comprehension. These findings were also stable in a two-month follow-up. Therefore, it can be concluded that phoneme based working memory education, can improve the reading ability of dyslexic children.

The birth of a child with special needs can cause a big challenge for the family and create a lot of pressure on the family. The strategies used to report this issue to parents can play an important role in accepting the problem. The purpose of this study was to examine the experience of parenting life since parents become aware of the issue and their reactions.

The research instrument was a semi-structured interview. The average time of interviews was 60 minutes and the data were collected from a sample of 17 mothers and 9 fathers aged 39 to 58 years in Yazd. The qualitative data were coded in three stages (open, axial, and selective coding) and analyzed  using software MAXQDA.

The open codes consisted of 19 concepts. The axial codes included four categories of how parents become aware of the disease, parental reaction to Down syndrome, attribution style, and coping resources. In general, the type of parental reactions ranged from full rejection to full acceptance of a child with specific requirements for Down syndrome.

Given the parental experiences since diagnosis of Down syndrome, all parents reported experiencing feelings of sadness and despair. This is a common human experience reported similarly in various studies in different cultures and geographic regions.

Teaching problem-solving skills and parental self-efficacy enable the parents to deal effectively and logically with problematic behaviors of a child in different situations. However this is, can your child's law-abiding and thoughtful educational program make it possible for you?

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of teaching Thinking Child Program on problem solving and parenting self-efficacy.

The research was quasi-experimental with pretest and posttest design without control group. The sample of this study was parents of children aged 4 to 7 years old of non profit schools in Tehran in 97-98 academic year, who were selected by available sampling method for participating in the “Thinking Child Program” workshops. The research tools were Hepner-Petersen Problem-Solving Questionnaire(1982) and Parental Self-Efficacy Questionnaire(1996). The intervention program was organized as a workshop in 9 sessions, one session of two hours per week.

The findings of the present study showed that after the implementation of the “Thinking Child Program”, the mean scores of problem-solving (in problem-solving components, problem-solving confidence, approach-avoidance style, and personal control) in mothers indicated an increase in their post-test scores (P=0/0001). In addition, the mean scores of parenting self-efficacy in pre-test and post-test of mothers indicate a significant increase in post-test scores (P= 0/01).

The results of this study indicate that teaching “Thinking Child Program” could change problem solving and self-efficacy of mothers at a significant level after the program intervention. Based on the increase in scores, it can be concluded that mothers' training had a positive effect on choosing appropriate behaviors and solutions

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effectiveness of working memory educational program on enhancing Phonological working memory and phonemic awareness performance of dyslexic students. This study was Quasi-experimental design with pre-test and post-test. The statistical population was all the primary school students of 2 and 3 greads, with dyslexia who went to learning disorders centers in Tehran, 30 of them using convenience sampling and were assigned by random in experimental and control groups. The assessment tools included Working Memory Test Battery for Children (Gathercole & Pickering, 2001) and Phonological Awareness Test (Soleimani & Dastjerdi-Kazemi,  2010). The experimental group experienced the working memory educational program in 16 sessions, 30 to 35minutes. The obtained data were analyzed statistically by using of analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). Results showed significant differences between experimental and control group in both dependent variables at post-test. The results showed that training of working memory educational program improved Phonological working memory and phonemic awareness performance of dyslexic students.

It is hypothesized that there are deficiencies in the Executive Functions (EF) as well as specific–domains of mathematics learning, as the substructure of mathematical learning disabilities. Furthermore, there is a lack of process–based interventional programs, i.e., specially designed to use numerical and arithmetic materials for students with mathematical learning disabilities. Therefore, the present study aimed to design and validate a process–based program for enhancing EF in students with learning disabilities in mathematics, i.e., called "Farayesh."

The intervention program was designed after studying EF theoretical models and task paradigms. The Farayesh program was generated based on Diamondchr('39')s EF theoretical model (2013) in three components of working memory, inhibition, and switching. The program training approach was process–based, and tasks’ content implements numerical materials and arithmetic processes. The Farayesh was presented in the form of 12 tasks with parallel forms. Four complex span tasks contain categorization span, subtraction span, computation span, and numerical dot–matrix used for working memory component. Four tasks comprise number–word Stroop, number–digit Stroop, size–magnitude Stroop, and stop–signal designed for inhibition component; four tasks are used for switching contain addition–subtraction switching, larger–than–smaller switching (with two rules), number–digit switching, and ones–tens switching. The face and content validity of the program was estimated using the views of 8 experts by the Content Validity Ratio (CVR). For assessing the effects of the program, a quasi–experimental research with a pretest–posttest and an active control group design was used. The research population comprised all third– and fourth–grade students with mathematical learning disabilities in governmental centers for individuals with learning disabilities in Ahvaz City, Iran. In total, 30 students were selected using a purposive sampling method and randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups. The experimental group received 17 sessions of the Farayesh program; however, the control group received their routine schedules. The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children–Fourth Edition (WISC–IV) and IRAN KEY–MATH Test of Mathematics was used for recruiting eligible students. Scores, completion time, and the number of errors of the 12 tasks were considered as the pretest and posttest values to assess working memory, inhibition, and switching. The obtained data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, including Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) in SPSS at the significance level of α=0.05.

The obtained data indicated the high reliability and validity of the process–based program of executive function (Farayesh) for students with mathematical learning disabilities. The CVR for all tasks was higher than those of the Lawshe table (CVR>0.75). Thus, the content validity of the program was established. The Farayesh program improved the frequency of correct responses of working memory (p<0.001) and reduced completion time and error in switching (p<0.001) and inhibition tasks (p<0.001) in the experimental group, compared with the controls.

The "Farayesh" program with a process–based approach to teaching core EFs (i.e., working memory, inhibition, & switching) and with a math–specific domain content could be used to stimulate and optimize the pre–existing cognitive capacity of students with mathematical learning disabilities. Implementing this program could improve dysexecutive functions in this group. Additionally, the present study result was consistent with the brain plasticity theory. In other words, it approved that with a sufficient amount of time and effort of cognitive exercises, the inherent capacity of biological, cognitive systems could be eliminated. The Farayesh program could be used as a preventive and therapeutic cost–effective intervention, i.e., especially for children with learning disabilities. The process–based program, "Farayesh," used for improving EFs, is recommended for educational, clinical, and therapeutic use in schools and rehabilitation centers due to its high reliability and validity.