JOURNAL OF CHILD MENTAL (JOURNAL OF CHILD MENTAL HEALTH)
Year:2018 | Volume:5 | Issue:3 |Papers Count:19

Background and Purpose: Social skills are the important part of individual growth and the lack of it in a long term has a serious impact on the child. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of storytelling method on social skills in children with Down syndrome. Method: The present study was a semi-experimental design with two experimental and control groups with pre-test and post-test. The Sample for study consisted of 22 students with Down syndrome aged 6 to 8 years old in Rasht in 2015-2016 selected by purposeful sampling method and randomly assigned to two experimental and control groups. Then Leiter International Performance Scale (1990) was performed on both groups. The experimental group received training in 8 sessions of 60 minutes, using storytelling techniques. To analyze the data, covariance analysis was used. Results: The results showed that storytelling method improves social skills (Collaboration, assertiveness and self-control) in children with Down syndrome (P<0. 01). Conclusion: The storytelling method improves linguistic and communication skills such as auditory accuracy, increased comprehension of meanings of words, ability to listen and speak That consequently Social skills are also positively affected. Thus The social skills of children with Down syndrome can be improved by using the storytelling method.

Background and Purpose: The quality of life of parents of children with special needs and the factors affecting it is an important issue that needs to be studied and explained carefully. Numerous variables and factors have been investigated in different studies to explain the quality of life of these parents. However, the present study was conducted to investigate the relationship between attitude and resiliency with the quality of life of parents of children with special needs. Method: The present study was a descriptive correlational study. The population consisted of the parents of all children with special needs in Rasht city in 2015-2016. Among them, 110 parents (55 mothers & 55 fathers) were selected by convenience sampling. For collecting data, attitudes of parents towards their mentally retarded children (Govender, 2002), the Conner-Davidson resilience scale (Connor & Davidson, 2003) and WHOQOL-BREF (1996) were used. Finally, the data were analyzed by Pearson correlation and stepwise multiple regression. Results: Results of the study indicated that attitude and resiliency of parents of children with special needs have a significant correlation with their quality of life; and that attitude (β =-0. 30) and resiliency (β =0/47) can significantly predict the quality of life of parents of children with special needs (p<. 001). Conclusion: According to the results of this study, attitude and resiliency are among the factors affecting the quality of life of parents of children with special needs. Implications of the results have been discussed in the article.

Background and Purpose: The presence of a child with disability or disease is the source of a great deal of stress for parents, especially for mothers, because they experience more stress, feeling of guilt, and fatigue. The present study aimed at investigating the effect of positive psychotherapy on increasing the psychological well-being and hardiness in mothers of children with special needs. Method: This semi-experimental study was of pretest-posttest design with nonequivalent group. The research population consisted of mothers of children with special needs in Roodsar city of Iran in 2017. Using convenience sampling, 30 students were selected and randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups (15 students per group). Prior to the training, both groups completed the psychological well-being scale (Reef, 1989), and hardiness questionnaire (Kobasa, 1986). The experimental group underwent ten 90-minute sessions of positive psychotherapy, while the control group received no intervention. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to analyze the data. Results: Data analysis by ANCOVA showed that the experimental group scored significantly higher than the control group in psychological well-being and hardiness (P < 0. 05). Conclusion: Based on the results of the present study, positive psychotherapy can increase the mental health indices and life quality of mothers of children with special needs through developing positive thoughts and schemes.

Background and Purpose: Research evidence suggests that cognitive development is a critical factor in shaping the personality. This study aimed to investigate the effect of educational intervention based on Quinn's training program on the personality traits (curiosity, devotion to a passion, persistence, a tolerance for failure, and self-control) of preschool children. Method: This experimental study was of pretest-posttest-follow-up design with a control group. The population of the study included the mothers of all 5-year old children presenting the kindergartens and preschools of District 3 of Tehran in the academic year of 2017-2018. A sample of 80 mothers selected by cluster sampling method was randomly divided into two groups of 40. Research tools included pediatric volitional questionnaire (Geist& Kielhofner, 1998), self-control scale (Kendall & Wilcox, 1979) and frustration discomfort scale (Harrington, 2005). The experimental group underwent Quinn's training program in seven 90-minute sessions. Data were analyzed using repeated measure analysis of covariance. Results: Findings of the study showed that Quinn's training program had a significant effect on the personality traits (curiosity, devotion to a passion, persistence, a tolerance for failure, and self-control) of preschool children and that this effect was constant in the follow-up phase (P˂ 0. 01). Conclusion: Based on the findings of the present study, Quinn's training program affected the personality traits of the children by making positive changes in their mothers, e. g. increasing the emotional intelligence. Keywords: Quinn's training

Background and Purpose: Internalizing disorders have long-term impacts on the level of behavioral, physical, cognitive and emotional reactions in children. The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of creative drama on decreasing internalizing disorders in pre-school children. Method: This quasi-experimental study was of pretest-posttest control group design. The research population consisted of all preschool girls studying at West Tehran preschools in the academic year of 2014-2015. The sample included 30 children selected by cluster sampling and assigned randomly either to the experimental or the control group. Then, the children of the experimental group underwent ten 45-minute sessions of creative drama training. child behavior checklist (Achenbach, 2001) was used as the research tool in the screening, pretest and posttest phases. Finally, the collected data were analyzed through SPSS by using analysis of covariance. Results: Findings revealed that creative drama had a significant effect on decreasing the isolation/depression and anxiety/depression sub-scales of internalizing disorders in the experimental group (p<0. 05). However, it had no effect on the physical complaints. Conclusion: By creating mental dynamism and by leading to externalization of feelings which could not be previously expressed, creative drama can decrease internalizing disorders in children. Therefore, child psychologists and therapists can consider creative drama as a therapeutic method in the treatment of internalizing disorders.

Background and Purpose: Attention is one of the essentials conditions of learning, and before starting the process of learning, the child must pay attention to the task. Therefore, present study was conducted to examine the effect of learning and cognition program of University of Utah on the (sustained, selective and shifting) dimensions of attention in young children. Method: It was a semi-experimental study of control group design. The study sample consisted of 24 children in the 4-5 age range presenting the kindergartens of Babolsar in 2016, selected through convenience sampling based on entrance conditions of the research and randomly assigned to either the experimental or the control group. Wisconsin card sorting test (Grant and Berg, 1948), Stroop (Ridley Stroop, 1935), and continuous performance test (Rozvold, 1956) were performed on both groups simultaneously. Then, the experimental group underwent twenty 45-minute sessions of learning and cognition program of University of Utah, while the control group received no training. Finally, the posttest was performed for both groups. Results: Results of the multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) showed that there was a significant difference in the mean score of experimental and control group in selective and shifting attentions (p <0. 05). Conclusion: Whereas attention and its dimensions are considered as one of the essential cognitive skills; therefore, based on the results of the present study, it can be concluded that learning and cognition program of University of Utah, considering the training of cognitive skills, can increase the ability of attention in young children.

Background and Purpose: Presence of a child with a disability may be the source of a great deal of stress for any member of the family. Therefore, the present study was conducted to investigate the effect of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) on distress tolerance of mothers with autistic children. Method: This semi-experimental study was of pretest-posttest control group design. The research population consisted of all mothers with autistic children in Esfahan in 2017, of whom 30 were selected by convenience sampling and then randomly assigned to the experimental or control group (n= 15 per group). However, due to the dropout, only 10 subjects remained in the control group and 12 in the experimental one. Distress tolerance scale (Simons & Gaher, 2005) was used for data collection. The experimental group underwent eight 90-minute sessions of group therapy based on acceptance and commitment, while the control group received no intervention. The data were analyzed by multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA). Results: The results showed that acceptance and commitment therapy had a positive effect on distress tolerance and its components (emotional distress tolerance, distress appraisal, and distress regulation) (p<0. 05), but it was of no effect on distress absorption by negative emotions (p<0. 05). Conclusion: Based on the results of the present study, it can be concluded that acceptance and commitment therapy can be effective in increasing the distress tolerance of mothers with autistic children by promoting their psychological flexibility and other mental health indices.

Background and Purpose: Among the new therapeutic methods that have attracted the attention of autistic therapists are the interventions related to motor and physical activities. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of Kephart's visual-motor skills on reducing the stereotypic behaviors of children with autism spectrum disorders. Method: The present study was a single-case study. The study sample consisted of three 5-14-year-old children with autism spectrum disorder living in Tehran during 2017-2018, selected through convenience sampling. They underwent an intervention of 10 sessions of 45 minutes. Initially, stereotypic behaviors were observed at the baseline and recorded by interval recording. After that, Kephart's visual-motor perception intervention programs were presented, and then again the occurrence of stereotypic behaviors was immediately observed and recorded by interval recording in two stages. Results: The results of in-situ and inter-situ visual analysis of the subjects' data showed that the mean score of stereotypic behaviors for all three subjects decreased significantly from the baseline (4. 8, 10, and 12. 8) to the intervention phase (2. 2, 4. 2, and 3. 4). Also, PND showed that the overlap of baseline and intervention points was effective with 100 percent confidence. Conclusion: Results indicate that the perceptual motor activities based on Kephart approach, can be used as one of the methods to decrease the stereotypic behaviors in children with autism.

Background and Purpose: Hearing impairment is one of the disabilities that can lead to mental health decline in mothers, which in turn may cause behavioral disorders in children. Present study was conducted to predict behavioral disorders in children with hearing impairment, based on maladaptive emotional schemas of their mothers. Methods: It was a descriptive correlational study. The research population consisted of the mothers of all children with hearing impairment who had referred to Pezhvak Deaf Health Clinic in Rasht in 2017. Of these mothers, 140 were selected by purposive sampling to complete child behavior inventory (Eyberg, 1978) and maladaptive schema questionnaire (Yang, 1998). Data were analyzed by Pearson correlation coefficient and simultaneous multiple regression. Results: Findings showed that there was a significant positive relationship between maladaptive schemas of the mothers and the behavioral disorders in children with hearing impairment (P <0. 01). Also, the schemas of impaired autonomy, impaired vigilance, and impaired limits in mothers could predict the behavioral disorders in their children. Among these schemas, the vigilance was a more significant predictor of the behavioral disorders (B= 0. 235, t= 2. 76, p<0. 01). Conclusion: Modifying the emotional schemas of mothers and, as a result, their effective communication with their child suffering from hearing impairment can reduce behavioral disorders in the children and improve their mental health.

Background and Purpose: One of the basic strategies to reduce the working memory problems in children with specific learning disorder is goal-oriented physical activity. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Paaryaad perceptual-motor exercises on the working memory of children with specific learning disorder. Method: It was an applied semi-experimental study with pretest-posttest control group design. In this study, twenty-four 7-9-year-old boys with specific learning disorder in Mashhad were selected in the academic year of 2017-2018 and assigned randomly to either the experimental or the control group. The experimental group was subjected to twenty 30-minute sessions of Paaryaad perceptual-motor exercises, repeated five days per week. During this period, the control group performed its routine activities. Changes in the working memory of the subjects were measured by N-back test before and after the intervention. Results: Findings of the study showed that Paaryaad perceptual-motor exercises improved the working memory of the experimental group. All these changes were significant in comparison to the control group (P <0. 05). Conclusion: Based on the findings of this study, it can be concluded that Paaryaad perceptual-motor exercises, affecting the brain areas involved in the working memory, can improve this type of memory in children with specific learning disorder.

Background and Purpose: Despite having desired cognitive ability, students with learning disorder suffer from social and emotional problems and act weakly in emotional intelligence skills. The family environment can play an essential role in the development of emotional intelligence skills. Family environment can play an essential role in the development of emotional intelligence skill. Therefore, the present study was conducted to investigate the role of family communication patterns in predicting emotional intelligence of students with specific learning disorder. Method: The study was of descriptive correlational design. The participants were 83 students studying at grades 3 to 6 in the learning disorder centers of Shiraz in the academic year of 2016-2017. They were selected through convenience sampling. To collect the data, family communication patterns questionnaire (Koerner & Fitzpatrick, 2002) and Emotional Intelligence Test (Bradberry & Greaves, 2005) were used. Results: The results of Pearson correlation coefficient showed that conversation orientation had a positive correlation with emotional intelligence (p<0. 01), while the conformity orientation was negatively correlated with the emotional intelligence (p <0. 01). Also, results of multiple regression indicated that conversation orientation was a positive significant predictor of emotional intelligence and its subscales (p<0. 001); while, conformity orientation was a negative significant predictor of relationship management and emotional intelligence (p<0. 05). Conclusion: According to the findings of the research, it can be stated that children with specific learning disorder who are encouraged to have free discussion and conversation in the family, can enjoy the desired emotional intelligence. In the contrary, children of families that continuously insist on conformity of beliefs and attitudes will have a weaker relationship management and emotional intelligence.

Background and Purpose: Due to the impaired brain development and muscle hypotonia in the early development period, children with Down syndrome suffer from delay in speech and verbal skills. The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of family-centered psychological interventions on the enhancement of verbal ability in primary school children with Down syndrome. Method: This semi-experimental study was of pretest-posttest control group design. The research population consisted of all 10-11-year-old primary school children with Down syndrome in Tehran in the academic year of 2016-2017. Among them, 30 were selected by purposive sampling and then randomly assigned to either the experimental or the control group. The experimental group received 24 sessions of family-centered interventions within three months, while the control group received no intervention. The research instrument, i. e. the new version of Tehran Stanford – Binet intelligence scale (Afrooz & Kamkary, 2006), was performed for both groups at the pretest and posttest sessions. Data were analyzed by the analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). Results: The findings indicated that family-centered psychological interventions can improve the verbal ability of students with Down syndrome. Also, these interventions can enhance the verbal fluid reasoning, verbal knowledge, verbal quantitative reasoning, verbal visual-special process, and verbal working memory of students with Down syndrome (p<0. 05). Conclusion: Based on the results of this research, family-centered psychological interventions can improve the performance of children with Down syndrome through training the required strategies to the families. Implications of the findings are discussed in the article.

Background and Purpose: Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) is a common childhood disorder that is mainly characterized by argumentative, hostile, and disobedient behavior towards adults. This study was conducted to compare the paranoid thoughts and self-esteem in students with and without ODD. Method: This was a causal-comparative research. The sample was consisted of 40 students with ODD and 40 students without ODD, aged 14-15, studying at the middle schools of Tabriz in 2016-2017, and selected by multi-stage cluster sampling. To collect data, self-esteem index (Eysenck, 1976), and paranoid thought scale (Green, et al., 2008) were used. Data were selected by independent T-test. Results: The results of data analysis showed that children with ODD have lower self-esteem and more paranoid thoughts in comparison to the children without ODD (p<0. 05). Conclusion: Regarding the research results, it seems that ODD can indirectly lead to other problems like lower self-esteem and formation of paranoid thoughts. Implications of the findings are discussed in the article.

Background and Purpose: Students with attention deficiency/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and students with learning disability (LD) have a significant impairment in the working memory and consequently, in updating the information. The present study was conducted to compare the role of information updating in solving mathematical problems by students with ADHD, students with LD, students with the comorbidity of ADHD and LD, and typically developing students. Method: This research was of casual-comparative design. The research population included all students of the 5th grade of primary school studying in the city of Tabriz in the academic year of 2016-2017. A sample of 30 students with ADHD, 30 students with LD, 30 students with ADHD and LD, and 30 normal students were selected by convenience sampling. Then 12 mathematical problems were presented to the sample groups. 6 problems did not need updating information, whereas the other 6 ones needed it. Finally, data were analyzed by multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and least significance difference test. Results: Findings showed that in both type of mathematical problems, normal students and students with ADHD performed significantly better than other groups and that students with LD performed better than students with Comorbidity of ADHD and LD. (p<0. 001). Conclusion: According to results, it can be concluded that impairment in working memory can lead to deficits in solving the problems that need updating information.

Background and Purpose: High risk behaviors, in their comprehensive concept, include a series of behaviors which not only seriously damage the person himself and the individuals important in his life, but also can cause unintentional damages to others. This study was conducted to investigate the role of problem solving skills and self-efficiency in explaining the high risk behaviors of students. Method: It was a corelational study. The research population included all the female students studying at the public secondary schools of District 2 of Rasht in the academic year of 2015-2016. 250 students selected by cluster sampling completed the problem solving scale (Cassidy & Long, 1996), adolescent social self-efficiency scale (Kenly, 1989), and risk-taking scale (Zadeh Mohammadi, Ahmadabadi, & Heidari, 2011). Results: Results of correlation coefficient showed that there is a relationship between problem solving skills and self-efficiency and high risk behaviors (p<0. 0001). Results of regression analysis revealed that problem solving skills and self-efficiency can predict 8 % of high risk behaviors (p<0. 0001). Conclusion: Based on the results of the present research, it can be concluded that increase of problem solving skills and self-efficiency in students can lead them to decrease their high risk behaviors and to use problem solving strategies to solve their problems.

Background and Purpose: Dyslexia is one of the most common forms of learning disorders. Despite having normal IQ, receiving adequate training, and not suffering from audiovisual problems, children with dyslexia are not able to learn reading of words and letters through public school education. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of Davis training method on the reading skills and creativity enhancement in boy students with dyslexia studying at the second and third grades of primary school. Methods: This was an experimental study with pretest-posttest control group design. Research population included all students with dyslexia studying at the primary schools of Kerman in the academic year of 2015-2016. 30 students were selected through convenience sampling and then randomly assigned to either the experimental or the control group (n=15 per group). Raven Colored Progressive Matrices (Rahmani & Abedi, 2004), NAMA Reading Test (Karami Nouri & Moradi, 2008), and Figural Forms A and B of Torrance Creativity Test (2008) were used to collect data. At the beginning, these tests were performed for both groups, then the experimental group underwent fifteen 45-minute sessions of Davis training method. At the end, NAMA Reading Test and Form B of Torrance Creativity Test were performed for both groups. Data were analyzed by analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). Results: Findings revealed that there was a significant difference in the reading skills of the experimental and control groups (p<0. 05). Conclusion: According to the findings of this study, Davis training method improves the reading skills and creativity in the students with dyslexia.

Background and Purpose: Parental reflective functioning is an essential component of parental sensitivity and appropriate behavioral response to the child's signals and messages. This capacity shows that how much a parent can show appropriate reaction to the child's inner states. The purpose of this study was to identify factors of parental reflective functioning in parents of children with separation anxiety disorder. Method: It was a qualitative research with an interpretative phenomenological design. The sample consists of 22 participants (9 males and 13 females) selected from parents of children with separation anxiety disorder in Mashhad in 2018. Participants were selected by purposive sampling. Data were collected by semi-structured interview, and then coded and analyzed by Diekelman’ s method. Results: Results of the interviews analysis led to the extraction of 759 initial codes, 24 concepts, and 7 categories including disability in child recognition, excessive care and protection of the child, fusion with the child, inability to understand the needs of the child, non-response to the child, the coercion of the child to change the behavior and transfer the needs of attachment to the child. Conclusion: While emphasizing the parental factors affecting separation anxiety, the results of this research confirm the effect of parental reflective functioning on children with separation anxiety disorder, which must be noticed in the interventions concerning these children. Particularly, parents of these children must receive training and enhance their capabilities in the field of reflective functioning.

Background and Purpose: Autism spectrum disorder is a complex neurodevelopmental condition that influences different functions of the individual. Several interventional approaches have been used to help this group of individuals. Present study aimed to systemically review the rehabilitation of autism spectrum disorder through assistive technology. Method: Searching the keywords of assistive technology, educational technology, and learning technology in the context of autism spectrum disorder in the specialized national and international research databases of years 1993 to 2017, the information concerning the research objective were collected and then analyzed. Results: Single-case research design has the highest frequency in all types of research (48 %). Most of the 48 research articles selected in the context of improving the cognitive skills and behavioral skills were related to the application of social assistive technology for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (each with a frequency of 11 %). Among the technologies applied, the educational software used for autism spectrum disorder was of the highest frequency (17 %). Centers for exceptional children and combined use of several training settings were the most applied training settings (33% in total). In addition, individualized assessment, family involvement, and ongoing support were studied in 25, 21, and 16 % of the articles, respectively. Results of most researches revealed the positive effectiveness of assistive technology for autism spectrum disorder. Conclusion: The complementary role of assistive technology including video modeling, virtual reality, picture exchange communication system, and humanoid robot for rehabilitation, is the main factor explaining their use for individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Results of different studies indicate that design of assistive technology programs in the arena of developmental disabilities and assessment of their effectiveness on the individuals with autism spectrum disorder in Iran is necessary.