The Effect of Cognitive and Cognitive- Meta Cognitive Education Strategies on Problem Solving Ability and Adaptive Behavior of Mentally Retarded Students

The present study aims at investigating the effects of cognitive and cognitive–meta cognitive education strategies on problem solving ability and adaptive behavior of mentally retarded students in junior professional schools. In this quasi-experimental research, 45 participants were selected by cluster sampling method and allocated in four experimental and two control groups. Research instruments include Towers of Hanoi puzzle and adaptive behavior scale. Cognitive and cognitive–meta cognitive strategies were respectively taught to experimental groups by lecture in 12 and 24 sessions.The data were analyzed by multivariate variance analysis and one –way analysis of variance. The results show that performance of students in problem-solving was better in cognitive–meta cognitive experimental group than the other groups.Also performance of problem – solving was better in cognitive experimental group than the control group. In addition, there was no difference in problem-solving performance and adaptive behavior of male and female participants who were taught the cognitive and cognitive–meta cognitive strategies. Also, experimental and control groups had no significant difference in adaptive behavior. Since, the results of this study were consistent and parallel withprevious researches, it can be concluded that cognitive and cognitive-meta cognitive education strategies have a positive effect on problem solving skills and adaptive behavior of mentally retarded students.