Cognitive rehabilitation

The present study aimed to compare the effects of physical, cognitive and combined rehabilitation on improving working memory and cognitive flexibility of the elderly living in the nursing home. This quasi-experimental study was carried out with a pretest-posttest design in four groups with the control group. The statistical population consisted of all elderly residents of a nursing home in Tehran. 48 people were selected randomly and divided into four groups (three experimental groups and one control group). For the experimental groups, intervention programs, including physical, cognitive, and combined rehabilitation, were conducted in three sessions of one hour each week for two months. The data were collected using a working memory capacity scale and a cognitive flexibility inventory (CFI). Data was analyzed using a one-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and Bonferroni post hoc test using SPSS software version 22. The results showed that all three types of rehabilitation programs have a significant effect on improving the working memory and cognitive flexibility of the elderly (P <0.001). Also, the mean of the groups in the pre-test and post-test stages showed that among the three programs, the combined rehabilitation program had more efficacy in improving the working memory and cognitive flexibility of the elderly and there was no difference between the two types of physical and cognitive rehabilitation programs (P> 0.001) According to the findings, combined rehabilitation programs can be effective in improving the working memory and cognitive flexibility due to the focus on both physical and cognitive aspects.

Executive functions and visual perception are variables that play important roles in learning and educational improvement. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of attention rehabilitation on executive functions and visual perception of students with learning disorder and the study was of quasi - experimental type with pre-test, post-test and control group. The statistical population included all elementary school students in Rafsanjan in the second semester of 2018. The sampling method was multi-stage cluster method and the statistical sample of research involved 20 students with specific learning disorders, selected and replaced by a simple random method in two groups of experiment and control groups (2 groups of ten). The research tools were the visual perception test of Frostig and the Wisconsin cards. After performing pre-test on both control and experimental groups, the experimental group was trained using Captain Log software for 12 session, and at the end, the post-test was performed on both groups. The data were analyzed using SPSS v.24 software and statistical analysis of covariance (MANCOVA). The results of statistical analysis showed that attention facilitator rehabilitation is effective in improving students' ability in visual perception test. Also, the results revealed that rehabilitation of attention can significantly improve the performance of children with learning disorder in the executive functions.

The present study aims to identify the effectiveness of cognitive rehabilitation on different types of attention in the third-grade students with specific learning disabilities (reading) considering moderating role of gender. As a quasi-experimental research, the study uses pretest-posttest design with control group. Façade testing, a helpful tool to identify the reading difficulties and dyslexia in elementary school, is performed to determine the research sample among the third-grade students in Tabriz. The students who score above average survey response rate are identified as specific learning-disability learners (reading). Among these students, 60 (four groups of 15) are selected by simple random sampling method and randomly divided into two experimental groups (two groups of 15, one group female students and the other male students who received cognitive rehabilitation training program) and two control groups. Cognitive rehabilitation training is delivered through Smart Sound training software (8-level computer-based cognitive rehabilitation in reading disorder). Attention is also measured by focused/sustained attention and scattered attention test designed in Sina Institute. To analyze the data, multivariate analysis of covariance is used. The results indicate cognitive rehabilitation is effective in focused/sustained attention, scattered attention, and reaction time in specific learning-disability students and gender does not have a moderating effect. Accordingly, cognitive rehabilitation does not have meaningful effect in the increase of focused attention, scattered attention and reaction time in male and female students.

INTRODUCTION: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is one of the adverse events occurring in people exposed to severe traumatic experiences, such as earthquakes. The devastating effects of such events and their associated losses are significantly higher in children and adolescents. The present study aimed to determine the effectiveness of cognitive rehabilitation on academic achievement with the moderating role of emotion regulation in earthquake-stricken adolescents with PTSD in Kermanshah. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted based on a pre- and post-test design with control and experimental groups. Among the students who were diagnosed with PTSD in Kermanshah earthquake, 48 cases were selected and assigned to the control and experimental groups. Data collection instruments were Captain's Log cognitive rehabilitation software, and motion Regulation Scale developed by Gratz and Roemer. Students' academic achievement was judged based on the scores obtained from end-of-semester transcripts and teachers' evaluations. Data were analyzed in SPSS software (version 26). FINDINGS: Based on the results, cognitive rehabilitation is effective in the academic achievement of students with PTSD (P<0.01). Moreover, emotion regulation can moderate the effect of this method on academic achievement (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: As evidenced by the obtained results, cognitive rehabilitation can effectively strengthen cognitive abilities and components related to executive functions. In so doing, it enhances the educational performance of students with PTSD and brings them academic achievement.

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of cognitive rehabilitation and physical exercise on locomotor movement skill of children with DCD. Materials and Methods: The present study is a quasi-experimental study with a pre-posttest design with a control group. 80 boys aged 6-10 years (mean age: 8.68±1.2) were selected from primary school students in Shiraz using multi-stage cluster sampling method and were randomly divided into three experimental and control groups. Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (DCDQ7), Raven Intelligence Test and Movement Assessment Buttery for Children (MABC-2) were used to screen children and the Ulrich Gross Motor Skills Development Test (TGMD-2) was used to assess locomotor movement skills. Experimental groups performed the interventions for 8 weeks, Paired t-test and analysis of covariance were used to analyze the data. Results: The results showed that the locomotor movement skill score in the groups of cognitive rehabilitation, physical exercise and combined intervention from the pre-test to post-test stages increased significantly (P<0.05). While in the control group no significant difference was observed (P>0.05). Conclusion: Concomitant use of cognitive rehabilitation-related interventions with physical exercise is more effective in improving locomotor movement skill in children with developmental coordination disorders.

The present study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of cognitive rehabilitation on the executive functions (behavioral and cognitive regulation) of students with specific learning disorder. The research method was experimental with a pre-test-post-test design and a control group. The statistical population of the research was made up of all the students with specific learning disorder who referred to the learning disorders center of Ardabil in the academic year of 2021-2022, from which 40 students were selected using the available sampling method. Then, they were randomly replaced in the experimental group (20 participants) and the control group (20 participants). The experimental group was exposed to cognitive rehabilitation intervention for 11 sessions. To collect data, the behavioral rating questionnaire of Gioia et al. (2000) was used. The data were analyzed through the analysis of covariance statistical test. The findings showed that cognitive rehabilitation intervention improved executive functions (behavioral and cognitive regulation) in students with specific learning disorder of the experimental group (P<0.01). Considering the effect of cognitive rehabilitation intervention in students with special learning disorder, schools and counseling centers can use this type of treatment in working with these children to improve their executive functions (behavioral and cognitive regulation).