نشریه کودکان استثنایی
سال بیستم شماره 4 (پیاپی 78، زمستان 1399)

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of computerized cognitive games on reduction of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms and time perception in children with ADHD.

The present research method was a quasi-experimental pre-test-post-test design with a control group. Thirty students with ADHD were selected through purposeful sampling from elementary school students in Khormoj City and randomly divided into two experimental (Mage= 9.01, SD= 0.67) and control (Mage= 9.20, SD= 0.91) groups. The experimental group was trained in Captain Log software in 20 sessions of 45 minutes and the control group remained on the waiting list. All participants were assessed before and after treatment on the Diagnostic Scale for Conners Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (Parent and Teacher Form), Time Perception Software, and IVA Software. .

The MANCOVA results showed that computer cognitive games have a significant effect on reducing ADHD and improving short-term perception; but no significant effect on the symptoms of hyperactivity/impulsivity and long-term perception.

This study that computer cognitive games can be used as a tool to reduce ADHD symptoms and improve time perception.

The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of parent_ centered intervention based on Gottman’s meta- emotional philosophy on cognitive emotion regulation in children with externalizing behavioral problems.

This research is applicable in terms of purpose and its method was quasi-experimental with pretest and posttest design with control group. The study population included all 7-10 years old children with externalizing behavioral problems in Isfahan. The sample included 30 students with externalizing behavioral problems who were selected through multiple random cluster sampling and divided into experimental and control groups. The experimental group participated in a 6- session intervention. Achenbach Child Behavior Check List and Cognitive Emotion Regulation Scale were used for data collection.

The mean of posttest showed a significant difference between the experimental and control groups (P<0/05), indicating the positive effect of parent-centered intervention. The rate of this effect on the variables of re-focusing on planning was 56%, positive reassessment 69%, acceptability 69%, self-blame 18%, acceptance 54%, ruminant 54%, positive re-focus 56%, catastrophe 31%, and blame of others 25%.

This study clarified the role and importance of parental meta-emotional viewpoint. It was also revealed that parent_centered intervention based on meta-emotional philosophy improves the cognitive emotion regulation of children with externalizing behavioral problems. The use of this educational package as part of the parent skills training program is one of the practical suggestions the present of research.

Recent studies have identified a disorder called Sluggish Cognitive Tempo (SCT) that has similarities with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in attention problems, and often mistakenly labeled as ADHD. The purpose of this study was to compare response inhibition and sustained attention in children with ADHD and SCT in order to elucidate the distinct contribution of attention problems in these two disorders.

The design of the present study was in the frame of Casual Comparative. Participants comprised 100 boys (50 ADHD and 50 SCT) from elementary schools in Tabriz in 2019-2020 academic years, who were selected through a screening method using the Child Behavior Rating (SNAP-IV) and SCT scale. So then, continuous performance test was performed on the samples to measure response inhibition and sustained attention. For data analysis, Manova and SPSS 20 were used.

The results showed a significant difference between the two groups in response inhibition and sustained attention (P<0.0001). Moreover, ANOVA and means of the two groups showed that children with ADHD have deficits in response inhibition and children with SCT have deficits in sustained attention.

Based on the research background and the findings of this study, it seems that children with SCT have deficits in hot executive circuit and children with ADHD have trouble in cold executive circuit.

Learning disabilities are one of the most common areas in any countrychr('39')s education system. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of computer-assisted cognitive homework on improving the executive functions and reading performance of children with dyslexia.

This research was quasi-experimental with pretest-posttest and control group. The statistical population included 8-11 years old children with dyslexia in Mashhad who were diagnosed using DSM-5 and reading tests. The experimental group received computer-assisted cognitive homework training while the control group had no intervention. All participants were assessed by paper-and-pencil tests (reading and dyslexia test (NEMA) and functional tests (Hanoi tower, go/no-go, similarities subtest and digit span subtest) before and after training.

Data analysis showed that the participants in the experimental group had significantly higher scores compared to the control group in the post-test phase on reading (P <0.001), direct digit span (P = 0.01), reverse digit span (P = 0.03) and similarities (p <0.01), and lower scores in movement (P = 0.01), time (P = 0.001), commission errors (P = 0.01), omission error (P = 0.001) and reaction time (P = 0.001).

It seems that computer-aided cognitive assignments have a positive effect on improving the executive functioning and reading performance of children with reading disorder.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of mindful parenting on emotional self-regulation in children aged 7-12 years with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

This research was supposed as a quasi experimental, pretest and posttest with control group in 30 mothers of Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disordered children aged  were selected by sample available, and then randomly assigned 15 individuals in experimental and 15 individuals in control groups. After pretest (BRIEF: behavior rating inventory of execution functioning test) the training package of mindful parenting was completed in eight sessions of two hours by using BRIEF (behavior rating inventory of execution functioning) test as data collection tools. In this study, we used ANCOVA to analyze research data.

The results of the study showed that post-test scores in experimental group with control of convergent variance had a significant difference with pre-test scores.

Based on the results of this study, it can be said that mindful parenting can play an important role on the emotional self-regulation in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Moreover mindful parenting as a complementary therapy, can be used in treatment of Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disordered children and for other children with pervasive developmental disorders.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of play therapy on reducing social anxiety and increasing emotional insight in children with sensory-motor disorder in elementary school of Arak.

The method of this quasi-experimental research was pre-test, post-test and 2-month follow-up. The statistical population consisted of all children with sensory and motor disorders in Arak City who received educational and rehabilitation services in the academic year 2018-2019. The sample consisted of 26 students with sensory and motor disorders who were selected by simple random sampling method and divided into experimental and control groups. The experimental group received an eight-session intervention in 70 minute weekly sessions and the control group did not receive any intervention. Watson and Freundchr('39')s Social Anxiety Scale and Shiring Emotional Insight Questionnaire were used to collect the required data. Repeated measures analysis of covariance was used to analyze the data.

The results of repeated measures analysis of covariance showed that play therapy can decrease social anxiety and increase emotional insight in children with sensory-motor disorder (P≤0/001).

The results have important direct and implicit clinical applications in improving emotional insight and reducing social anxiety in children with physical and motor disabilities.

Dyslexia is one of the most common learning disabilities. One of the main factors that play a major role in this disorder is the defect in attention, visual and auditory working memory. For this purpose we evaluate the effect of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on the attention, visual and auditory working memory in children with dyslexia.

A sample of 24 male students from the primary school learning disorders in Saqqez was selected through a targeted sampling method. The subjects were randomly divided into experimental and control groups, then the tests were performed before and after treatment by the n-back test and The Karami Nouri and Morady reading test was evaluated, The intervention group consisted of 15 sessions of one-day, 1.5mA for 20 minutes in the DLPFC area under the treatment of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) based on the treatment protocol. But the control group did not receive any intervention. Data were analyzed using SPSS 20 software, using covariance analysis.

The results show that there is a significant difference between the intervention and control groups in improving visual working memory and attention. Also, Anodchr('39')s stimulus has a positive on improving performance in the auditory work memory, but not significant.

It can be concluded that anod stimulation is effective on the attention and visual working memory and improves the problem of dyslexia.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of emotion regulation training on reducing bullying behaviors and increasing empathy among middle-school bully students.

This is a semi-experimental study with pretest-posttest and control group design. The statistical population included all male students studying in the secondary schools of Khoy City in the school year of 2018-2019. A sample of 30 people was selected by purposeful sampling method using the Illinois Bullying Scale (IBS) and were randomly assigned into two experimental and control groups. Data were collected Basic Empathy Scale (BES) and Illinois Bullying Scale (IBS). Data analysis using the performed using covariance analysis in SPSS26 program.

Data analysis showed that the emotion regulation training led to a significant difference between the groups in bullying behaviors with 51% and empathy with 56%.

According to the results, it can be concluded that emotion regulation training is effective on reducing bullying behaviors and increasing empathy among middle-school bullying students.

The purpose of this study was Designing guideline of developing functional reading texts for mentally retarded students in primary school.

This study is exploratory in both documentary and field took place. 100 parentsand 100 teachers of students with intellectual disability and 20 Professionals Exceptional Children were recruited using multiple cluster sampling and convenience sampling method, respectively.In order to collect the required information, a researcher-made questionnaire was used to gather information. Descriptive statistics (mean and percent) were used for data processing.

The results of this study showed that functional reading texts requirements for mentally retarded students includes six components of social skills, self care skills, personal hygiene skills, eating skills, dressed skills and independent life skills. Skills identified in order of importance are placed within the functional reading texts divided to required skills, selective skills and optional skills.

The results of this study suggest that the reading texts taught to Slow paced students would be more practical, that is, students would be able to read, understand and apply those texts in daily life and position Social functions, their performance improves in reading.

The aim of this study was to survey the effect of distal and proximal external attentional focus instructions on postural sways and muscular electrical activity amongst children with mental retardation.

For this purpose, 30 child 10- 12 years old (M= 11.2) were selected from exceptional children schools and divided into three 10- person groups (distal external attentional focus, proximal external attentional focus and control) randomly. We used the Biodex Stability System to measure postural sways and Electromyogram to measure the muscular electrical activity. The participants at pre-test phase performed 10 trials (each trial 20 seconds) without instruction. Then each group, according with their group schedule, participated in three training sessions (each session included 10 trials). Finally, the participants performed 10 trials without instruction as a post-test. During the pre and post- test phases, the electrical activity of Soleus and Tibialis Anterior muscles was recorded. For intra-group comparisons, paired t- test and covariance analysis were used and for between-group comparisons, ANOVA test was used.

The results showed that the balance performance of distal external focus group was better than the other groups significantly. Also, the performance of proximal external focus group was better than the control group (P<0/05). The comparisons of muscles electrical activity indicated that the electrical activity of Soleus muscle in distal external focus group was less than the proximal external focus group. But, in case of Tibialis Anterior muscles, the electrical muscle activity in the distal and proximal external focus groups was less than the control group significantly (P<0/05).

The findings of the present study showed that shifting the attentional focus away to closer distances has relatively better results on the balance and postural sways of children with mental retardation and supports the constrained action hypothesis.