Journal of Exceptional Childre
Year:2023 | Volume:22 | Issue:4|Papers Count:10

Objective: In this research, the diagnostic validity of the fifth integrated version of Wechsler’, s IQ scale for children with learning disabilities was studied in Mazandaran Province, Iran. The main question of the research is whether this version of the scale has diagnostic validity Mazandaran Province students? Method: The method of the present psychometric research is a subset of methodological method. The research community include d all Mazandaran Province students with learning disabilities studying in the first elementary school (first, second and third grade s) in the 2018-19 academic year. Overall, 240 students with learning disabilities were selected as the sample size using purposive sampling. The measurement instrument was the fifth integrated version of Wechsler’, s IQ scale for children with learning disabilities, which has good validity and reliability. The confidence interval method was used to determine the diagnostic validity of the tests. Results: The findings showed that the tests of "Digit Span Forward", "Digit Span Backward" and "Sentences Recall" in students with learning disabilities have diagnostic validity Conclusion: The scale can recognize students with learning disabilities from other students.

Objective: The present study aimed to assess the semantic processing of spoken and written words in Persian-speaking adolescents with cerebral palsy comparing to healthy adolescents. Method: The research is quantitative in terms of type, and experimental in terms of method. The statistical population consisted of 30 healthy adolescents and 30 adolescents with cerebral palsy living in Tehran City, Iran. The examination group included 17 girls and 13 boys (aged 10-15 years) who were selected by convenience sampling method. All of them were spastic. Spoken and written word-picture matching tests (47) and (48) were used. For the control group, 30 healthy adolescents were selected according to the gender, age and education of adolescents with cerebral palsy to assess the subjects’,vocabulary abilities. The tests were performed on the subjects one week apart. Results: The ability of adolescents with cerebral palsy in semantic processing of spoken and written words was significantly weaker than that of the healthy adolescents. Furthermore, the development of spoken and written word patterns in the adolescents with cerebral palsy was delayed comparing to the healthy adolescents. Conclusion: Data analysis revealed that vocabulary network and perceptual impairments are the main causes of weak semantic processing of spoken and written words in adolescents with cerebral palsy, however, their perceptual impairment is far greater than vocabulary network impairment.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of an intervention program based on multiple learning systems on improving the reading performance and interest in reading of dyslexic students. Method: The study employed quasi-experimental method with a pretest-posttest design and a control group. The statistical population included second grade dyslexic students in Maragheh City. Iran. Overall, 30 dyslexic students were selected randomly and were divided into two groups of experimental (n = 15) and control (n = 15). The intervention program was performed on the experimental group for 14 sessions of 45 minutes. At the beginning and at end of the intervention program, indicators of reading performance improvement, including reading speed, accuracy and comprehension were measured. Also the students' interest in reading was measured. Data were analyzed using the analysis of covariance (ANOVA) test. Results: There were significant differences between the two groups in reading speed (F = 1337. 6 = P = 0. 00), reading accuracy (F = 491. 6 = P = 0. 00) reading comprehension (F = 56. 5 = P = 0. 00), and reading interest (P= 0. 00 / F = 16284). Conclusion: An intervention program based on multiple learning systems can be effective in improving the reading performance of students with reading disabilities. Therefore, it is recommended that the facilitators and educators of the special learning disability centers use this program to improve the learning quality of students' with dyslexia.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of cognitive rehabilitation on the visual-motor perception and working memory of children with developmental delays. Method: The method of this research was semi-experimental and pre-test-post-test with control group. The statistical population included all 4-6 year old children with developmental delays studying in Tehran kindergartens and preschool centers in 2021. The sample size consisted of 30 children (15 in the experimental group and 15 in the control group) from the statistical population, who were selected by the available sampling method and DENVER-II test. First, Frostig Developmental Test of Visual Perception and N-Back working memory tests were taken as pre-tests. Then for the experimental group, cognitive rehabilitation intervention was performed while the control group did not receive any training. Data were analyzed using ANCOVA. Results: The cognitive rehabilitation intervention had a significant effect on the components of hand-eye coordination (P<0. 001, F =54. 567), figure differentiation from background (P<0. 001, F = 98. 528), shape stability (P<0. 001, F =35. 418), situation in space (P<0. 001, F =344. 701), spatial relations (P<0. 001, F =100. 722) and working memory (P<0. 001, F =125. 907). Conclusion: According to the results of this study, counselors and psychologists can use this intervention to improve visual-motor perception and working memory in 4-6 year old children with developmental delay.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of PERMA flourishing educational program on the quality of life of adolescents with hearing impairment. Methods: The research method was a semi-experimental intervention with a pre-test and post-test design with a control group. The statistical population included all 14-17 years old adolescents with hearing impairment in Kashan City, Iran. Overall, 28 adolescents with hearing impairment were selected by simple random method and divided into the experimental (n = 13) and control (n = 15) groups. The experimental group participated in 10 sessions of 90 minutes (two sessions per week) in PERMA flourishing training program, while the control group did not receive any training program and remained on the waiting list. Measurement tools included the Youth Quality of Life Instrument for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Youth (YQOL-DHH, 2011). Multivariate Analysis of Covariance (MANCOVA) was used to analyze the data using th e SPSS software (ver. 26). Findings: The findings showed that PERMA flourishing educational program had a positive and significant effect on the components of self, acceptance/advocacy, perceived stigma, and participation of adolescents with hearing impairment (P = 0. 0001). According to Eta squares test results, 65, 86 and 55 % of the changes were due to the effect of the intervention. Conclusion: Therefore, use of PERMA flourishing educational program is recommended for improving the quality of life in adolescents with hearing impairment.

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the effect of two methods of positive parenting training and bibliotherapy using a schema approach on children’, s anxiety. Method: The research design was pretest –,posttest with a control group. The statistical population included 7-10 year old male students in schools in district 2 of Kerman in 2010. Through the child behavior list (CBCL), 45 of them were selected by available sampling method and randomly divided into three groups of 15 people, two experimental groups (positive parenting training and bibliotherapy ) and one control group. Positive parenting was performed in 8 sessions of 90 minutes and bibliotherapy in 4 sessions of 60 minutes for the mothers of these children. Then the behavior list of Achen-Bach children (CBCL) was completed by the mothers of all the three group s, the control group did not receive any intervention. SPSS –,20 software and multivariate analysis of covariance were used to analyze the data. Results: The results showed the effectiveness of both methods on reducing anxiety in children,however, positive parenting training was more effective than bibliotherapy. Conclusion: Therefore, these two methods seem to be effective strategies that can be considered in the development of psychotherapy plans for children with anxiety.

Objective: This research was aimed to determine the effectiveness of Kephart's visual-motor method on the reading difficulties of students with reading disabilities. Method: The design of the study was clinical-trial with pre-test, post-test and follow-up. The subjects were selected among the students with reading difficulties referred to two private centers for learning disorders in Rafsanjan. In this case study, 10 students were selected through convenience sampling. The intervention program was designed based on Kephart's visual-motor method and was practiced for 10 weeks (one session each week). Reading assessment questionnaire was used to assess the subjects’, reading skills. Results: The highest means in the pre-test were related to the sound of the alphabet letters (37. 40) and the silent letters (23. 00). The highest means in the post-test were related to the sound of the alphabet letters (39. 70) and the name of the alphabet letters (23. 60). In follow-up, the highest means were related to the sound of the alphabet letters (40/00) and the alphabet names (24/90). The lowest averages in pre-test, post-test and follow-up belonged to rhyme detection (0/20, 2. 1 and 2. 10, respectively) and suffixes (1. 80, 2. 00 and 2. 30, respectively). Wilk’, s lambda multivariate test showed (P-value = 0/035, α, ≤,0/05) for removing the final sound and naming the sound of the remaining letters, (P-value=0/037, α, ≤, 0/05) for reading the words (1) and (P-value=0/001, α, ≤, 0/05) for the compound words, revealing a significant difference between the subjects in pre-test, post, test, and follow-up. The effectiveness was not confirmed in other scales. In the study of intra, group effects, the subscale of the vowel alphabet (α, ≤,0/02) was significant in all the three stages. Conclusion: Kephart's visual-motor method was effective in improving the reading disorders in students with reading disability in some levels of reading skills such as dropping the last sound, word reading, and vowel combinations.

Objective: In pathology and treatment of learning disorders, special attention has been paid to executive functions. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of computerized cognitive rehabilitation of working memory on improving the planning and organizing functions of children with special learning disorders of the reading type. Methods: The statistical population included elementary students with special le a rning disorders of the reading type in Amol and Mahmoudabad in the academic year 1397-98 who were referred to learning disability centers. From this statistical population, 30 people were selected by available sampling method according to the inclusion cr i teria, and were randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups. The experimental group received 14 sessions of computerized working memory rehabilitation (Memory Gym software). For data collection, NAMA dyslexia tests, Raven IQ test and the Towe r of London test was applied. Data were analyzed by multivariate analysis of covariance. Results: results showed that the computerized working memory rehabilitation group Showed significantly better performance in reaction time (p <0. 01, F = 42), error res p onse (p <0. 01, F = 29. 97) and test score (p <0. 01, F / 91/36). Conclusion: Working memory-based cognitive rehabilitation improves it by facilitating subprocesses related to the planning-organizing function.

Objective: Spatial affiliation (belonging) refers to the relation of the index to a particular space. This sense is one of the main effective educational factors in exceptional schools, hence, attention to the architecture of these school s is very important and is one of th e main goals of the present research. Method: This survey research is based on quantitative-qualitative method. Structural equation modeling method was used to investigate the effect of sensory perception on the sense of belonging to a place in exceptional schools designed with disability patterns in Zanjan City, Iran. Results: The Likert questionnaire results showed that the sense s of sight and touch have the highest importance among the five senses. Among the factors of sense of place, social interactions are more important for students, parents and educators. The results showed that students need to communicate more with the community and the environment around the school to tolerate the school environment more calmly, for this purpose, the presence of wi n dows in appropriate dimensions and the ability to see around are very important. Also diversity in material, texture, building materials and flooring, creating protrusions and indentations in the school structure and facade, and hand-body contact have a s i gnificant effect on increasing the students' perceptual sense. Conclusion: One of the main effective educational factors in the design of exceptional schools is to pay attention to the indicators of sensory perception and sense of belonging to a place, wh i c h would increase the motivation and desire to return to school and staying in it.

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of anger management and parenting training on response inhibition in students with Oppositional/Confrontational Defiant Disorder (ODD/FDD). Method: This research was a quasi, experimental study of pre-test and post-test design with a control group. The statistical population included all male students with ODD/FDD in Tehran in 2020. Overall 45 people were selected as a sample according to the entry and exit criteria through voluntary and available sampling and assigned into two experimental groups and one control group. The instruments used in the present study included a grading scale for ODD/FDD in children and to inhibit the response of the Stroop word color test. Results: Anger management and parenting training showed more effectiveness on response inhibition in the case comparing to the control group (P <0. 5). Also anger management training group parenting training group had the same effect on the response inhibition of students with ODD/FDD (P<0. 5). Conclusion: Therefore, education of anger management and parenting training as two interventional programs can be effective in inhibiting the response of students with ODD/FDD.