درخت حوزه‌های تخصصی

This study aims to explore therapists' experiences with nonverbal communication techniques in psychotherapy for children with autism. This qualitative study employed a phenomenological approach to gain in-depth insights into therapists' experiences. Sixteen licensed therapists with at least two years of experience working with children with autism were selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, each lasting 60-90 minutes, and were transcribed verbatim for analysis. Thematic analysis was conducted to identify key themes and patterns in the data. NVivo software was used to facilitate the organization and analysis of qualitative data, ensuring rigor through triangulation, member checking, and maintaining an audit trail. The analysis revealed four main themes: implementation of nonverbal techniques, perceived effectiveness, challenges and barriers, and strategies for overcoming barriers. Therapists reported using a variety of nonverbal techniques such as gestures, facial expressions, eye contact, body language, and physical proximity. These techniques were perceived as highly effective in enhancing understanding, emotional connection, behavioral improvements, and self-expression in children with autism. However, challenges such as therapist-child compatibility, resource limitations, environmental factors, and inconsistent parental involvement were noted. Strategies to overcome these challenges included continuous training, collaborative approaches, adaptive techniques, creating supportive environments, and leveraging technology. Nonverbal communication techniques are essential in psychotherapy for children with autism, significantly enhancing therapeutic outcomes. Despite challenges, these techniques, when tailored to individual needs and supported by continuous training and collaboration, can greatly benefit children with autism. Future research should focus on larger and more diverse samples, quantitative measures of effectiveness, and the role of cultural sensitivity in nonverbal communication strategies.

There are different task types to improve oral production. The present study investigated the perceptions of Iranian EFL teachers towards the efficiency of incorporating different task types on their learners’ oral interaction. The research was performed through the use of qualitative content analysis by using semi-structured interview data. The interview protocol was developed following discussions with experts in the field and previous research. The first group of participants included six Iranian female English teachers selected through convenience sampling. This group was interviewed for the purpose of extracting their perceptions of different task types and the effect of task types on the oral interaction before and after the study. The second group included 120 EFL learners who were recruited using convenience sampling. The researchers transcribed the audio-recorded interview data verbatim for data analysis. Subsequently, qualitative analysis was conducted on the transcriptions of interviews using coding procedures such as open coding, axial coding, and selective coding to recognize recurring patterns, themes, categories, and sub-categories within the collected data. The findings indicated that EFL teachers held highly positive perceptions regarding various forms of form-focused and meaningful tasks, as well as their impact on the oral interaction of EFL learners. This shows that teacher’ familiarity with and practice of different types of form focused and meaningful tasks have changed their perceptions of the effectiveness of various task types. Given that oral interaction in general is considered as a big achievement and advantage for EFL learners, it can be concluded that different form focused and meaningful tasks can provide EFL learners with competitive advantages in comparison to their counterparts at homogenous conditions.

Strong reading comprehension skills and reading motivation are essential for personal growth, academic success, and overall well-being. Developing these skills can positively impact individuals' lives in various ways. Thus, this investigation aimed to examine the influence of massed and spaced instructions on the reading comprehension and reading motivation of Iranian EFL students. The researchers selected 150 Iranian participants from 300 based on their Oxford Quick Placement Test (OQPT) performance. The selected intermediate participants were randomly assigned into two experimental groups (massed and spaced) and one control group. The participants were given a reading comprehension pretest and post-test and a reading motivation questionnaire before and after the treatment. Three groups were provided with instruction on reading skills by English texts and new words from American English File 3. The massed group received a 90-minute session for each text, whereas the spaced group received three 30-minute sessions; the first session lasted 30 minutes, followed by two more sessions, each lasting 30 minutes, scheduled two days apart. The results of data analysis utilizing one-way ANOVA showed a considerable difference between the post-tests of the spaced and massed groups compared to the control group. The findings demonstrated that the spaced group outperformed the massed and control groups (p < .05) in terms of reading comprehension and reading motivation. The results have some pedagogical implications for English instructors, learners, and curriculum developers.

Although there have been many studies concentrating on writing development and techniques to improve it, there still remains the need to investigate more and give extra insight to the EFL language learners and teachers on these issues. Using a grounded model of research, the researchers performed an investigation to examine the various aspects concerning writing challenges, and requirements to improve it. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with an aim to achieve a thorough understanding of the topic by recruiting 25 male and female experienced EFL teachers along with 25 male and female intermediate EFL learners from language institutes in Tehran as the participants of the study through purposeful sampling technique. Then, 5 distinctive questions were chosen for the teachers and another set of 5 different questions for the learners to elicit their perceptions. After gathering the data and identifying the initial codes, the sub-categories emerged and helped the researcher to form the final model. Among the categories, writing strategies like collaborative and game-based, requirements like background, vocabulary, and grammatical knowledge were found to be essential. Based on the findings, a model was developed which is believed to support EFL learners in improving their writing proficiency.

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of Sandplay Therapy on enhancing perceptual reasoning and neuropsychological functioning in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). A randomized controlled trial design was used, involving 30 children aged 6-12 years diagnosed with ASD. Participants were randomly assigned to either the intervention group (n=15) or the control group (n=15). The intervention group received eight 90-minute sessions of Sandplay Therapy over two months, while the control group received standard care. The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-V) and NEPSY-II were used to measure perceptual reasoning and neuropsychological functioning, respectively, at baseline, post-intervention, and five-month follow-up. Data were analyzed using mixed-design ANOVA with repeated measurements and Bonferroni post-hoc tests in SPSS-27. Descriptive statistics showed significant improvements in the intervention group for both perceptual reasoning (M=95.53, SD=7.48 at baseline to M=107.45, SD=8.21 post-intervention) and neuropsychological functioning (M=89.74, SD=6.95 at baseline to M=101.29, SD=7.56 post-intervention). Mixed-design ANOVA revealed significant main effects of time (F(2, 56)=30.15, p<.001, η²=0.52 for perceptual reasoning; F(2, 56)=32.75, p<.001, η²=0.54 for neuropsychological functioning) and group-by-time interactions (F(2, 56)=24.12, p<.001, η²=0.47 for perceptual reasoning; F(2, 56)=28.75, p<.001, η²=0.50 for neuropsychological functioning). Bonferroni post-hoc tests confirmed significant differences between baseline and post-intervention (p<.001) and baseline and follow-up (p<.001) for the intervention group. Sandplay Therapy significantly enhances perceptual reasoning and neuropsychological functioning in children with ASD. These improvements were sustained at follow-up, suggesting that Sandplay Therapy is an effective and sustainable intervention for this population.

This study aims to explore the role of neurofeedback in managing behavioral issues in children with exceptional needs. This qualitative research employed a phenomenological approach to gain deep insights into participants' experiences. A purposive sampling strategy was used to select 20 participants, including 8 parents, 5 neurofeedback practitioners, 4 educators, and 3 pediatric psychologists/psychiatrists. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, which were audio-recorded and transcribed for analysis. Thematic analysis was conducted to identify and develop key themes from the data, ensuring credibility and reliability through member checking and peer debriefing. The study identified significant improvements in children's attention, emotional regulation, social interactions, academic performance, and overall well-being following neurofeedback therapy. Participants reported enhanced focus, reduced tantrums, better peer relationships, improved grades, and increased energy levels. Challenges included accessibility issues, therapy duration, individual differences in response, and technical difficulties. These findings align with previous studies demonstrating the efficacy of neurofeedback in managing behavioral issues in children with ADHD, ASD, and other developmental disorders. Neurofeedback shows promise as an effective intervention for managing behavioral issues in children with exceptional needs. However, challenges such as accessibility, therapy duration, and technical difficulties need to be addressed. Future research should focus on larger, more diverse samples, control groups, and long-term effects. Practical recommendations include increasing accessibility, tailoring treatment plans, and integrating neurofeedback with other therapeutic approaches for holistic child development.