Archives of Rehabilitation (Journal of Rehabilitation)
Year:2017 | Volume:18 | Issue:1|Papers Count:10

Objective: Several studies have reported that bilingualism may affect cognitive processes. Second language acquisition takes place in a variety of ways. However, considering the fact that language training courses provided by institutes are expanding at a blistering pace, the effects of foreign language learning through the medium of language schools deserves a separate line of investigation in the realm of research pertaining to bilingualism. This study aimed at probing the effect of language learning on children by comparing the switching and creativity levels of those who undertook advanced English classes and others who did not.Methods & Materials: A cross-sectional, causal-comparative study was conducted. The population of this research included all monolingual and bilingual children in the age group of 13-15 years in Isfahan in the year 2015. Sixty-four children pursuing advanced levels of English (level RECE and REACH from the center of Iranian language and equivalent levels in other schools) were part of the intervention group, and 51 monolingual children of the same age group were selected as participants in the control group. The purposive sampling method was used. In order to evaluate and measure children's creativity in the monolingual and bilingual groups, the Torrance creativity questionnaire was used. The classic Stroop test D-KEFS CW was used to measure the ability of switching of monolingual and bilingual children. The data obtained was analyzed by way of descriptive statistics and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), using SPSS software (version 22).Results: The results showed that there is a significant difference between children belonging to bilingual and monolingual groups in terms of switching (P<0.05). Bilingual children acted better in switching assignments than their monolingual counterparts. Also, there was a significant difference between the two groups with regard to the scores of fluency, flexibility, and elaboration (P<0.001), which are components of creativity. There was no significant difference between children in the two groups in terms of originality (P>0.01).Conclusion: In accordance with the results of the study, it can be concluded that learning English through educational institutions, and at an advanced level, significantly increases the switching capability in children as well as their scores across the three components of creativity (fluency, flexibility, and elaboration). Therefore, the role of second language acquisition should be highlighted because of its contribution to children's creativity and ability to switch. In general, better performances of children are attributed to the capability of switching languages, specific cognitive mechanisms used in the two systems of languages, their familiarity with a new culture and customs while learning a new language, the intensive training sessions as well as the special atmosphere prevailing in the classes.

Objective: The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition (DSM-V), has defined behavioral disorders (i.e. oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder, and disruptive behavior disorder) as conditions involving problems in the self-control of emotions and behaviors. The underlying causes of behavioral disorders can vary greatly across disorders and among individuals within a given diagnostic category. The behavioral disorders vary from aggression or sudden arousal to depressive actions. It contains various extreme, chronic, and deviant behaviors. Such disorders lead to individual or social problems and require educational and therapeutic intervention. Such problems in children can increase their vulnerability to psycho-social confusions in adolescence and adulthood. The present study was aimed to determine the effects of emotion management training to mothers on the behavioral problems of their boy offspring. It also measured the efficacy of the program from the parents’ perspectives.Methods & Materials: The present study was semi-experimental, having a pretest and a posttest design with a control group. An elementary masculine school was selected in convenience from the statistical population in Kermanshah City. All of the students (96 individuals) who studied at the elementary school were evaluated by the Rutter (1967) Children’s Behavior Questionnaire for parents. Thirty students who acquired high score (13 points and higher) in the questionnaire were diagnosed as having behavioral problems. An explanatory session regarding the purpose of the study was held for their mothers. The mothers were randomly assigned to an experimental and a control group in equal numbers (each group=15 individuals). The experimental group attended 9 training sessions for two months (once a week; per session lasts for 60 minutes (and received emotions management program, but the control group did not attend any such session. Again, all the students were evaluated through the Rutter Children’s Behavior Questionnaire for parents after the 9th session. Data were collected through the questionnaire before and after the training sessions. Multivariate analysis of covariance was used by SPSS (version 20) for analyzing the data.Results: The findings showed that there was a significant reduction in the scores of components of behavioral problems as follows: aggression and hyperactivity (P<0.01), anxiety and depression (P<0.002), social maladjustment (P<0.05), and antisocial behaviors (P<0.001). There was also a significant reduction in the total score of behavioral problems (P<0.001) of the offspring after mothers’ participation in emotion management training sessions. But, the score of attention shortage increased after the training sessions in the experimental group although this variation was not significant (P<0.01). It can be stated that according to Eta square, 66% of the variation in the total score of behavioral problems in offspring was due to mothers’ participation in the emotion management training program. We also found that 24%, 33%, 15%, 38%, and 11% of variations in components such as aggression and hyperactivity, anxiety and depression, social maladjustment, and antisocial behaviors, respectively, can be explained by the mothers’ participation in training sessions.Conclusion: We conclude that the training intervention (especially, emotion management training) for mothers who have male offspring with behavioral problems is beneficial not only for strengthening the parents to manage their emotions effectively but also for reducing behavioral problems in their offspring.

Objective: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is the most common psychiatric disorders among children referred to treatment centers that caused problems in their personal and social lives. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the prevalence of behavioral problems in children with ADHD.Methods & Materials: This descriptive-analytical study included 278 children (aged 7-11 years) with ADHD who were referred to the Children's Medical Center and Clinic of Psychiatry, Atiyeh during 30-03-2012 to 20-04-2012. The behavioral problems of children who were diagnosed with ADHD by psychiatrists were assessed using Child Symptom Inventory (CSI-4). SPSS19 was used to describe and analyze data.Results: Based on the results, most visitors were boys, and AD in the girls and combined ADHD in the boys had the highest frequency. No significant relationship was found between gender and type of disorder. Most of the children reported only one behavioral disorder such as confrontational behavior, specific phobia, generalized anxiety disorder, separation anxiety and dysthymia.Conclusion: The prevalence of inventory disorders in the three types of ADHD varied according to age and sex. Statistically significant differences were observed between the three types of ADHD, confrontational disorder (4000.0), and anxiety (0.02).

Objective: According to a report published by the World Health Organization in 2011, 15% of the world's population is disabled, which sums up to more than a billion people. People with disabilities comprise the largest group of people in Asia. Communities can facilitate the participation of people with disabilities in society by creating an atmosphere that is appropriate for them, an activity which involves the urban modification of the environment. Therefore, this study aimed at determining the attitude of managers and staff with respect to urban modification for people afflicted with disabilities in the municipality of Tehran city.Methods & Materials: A cross-sectional, descriptive - analytic study that was conducted by cross - sectional method, that was used with the help of a valid and reliable questionnaire "Assessment of attitude of managers and staffs in about urban modification for people with disabilities". The study population comprised all managers and staffs who were working with urban modification in the municipality of Tehran City. Questionnaires were distributed among 16 managers and experts working in the modification staff of the municipality of Tehran. A total of 162 people working in one of the deputies, were selected by census to participate in the study. This study measured attitude of mangers and staffs were working in the municipality of Tehran, towards urban modification for people with disabilities in Tehran city. The Levene test was used to determine for the equality of variances. To calculate whether there is a statistically significant difference between the means of the two groups, the independent t-test was used carried out. For a comparison between two groups and ANOVA was also used to compare between the groups. Data analyzed by using The findings were evaluated using Software SPSS22.Results: The findings showed that the attitude of 17 (6.9%) mangers and staffs regarding urban modification for people with disabilities was at the intermediate level. The attitude of 112 persons (9.62%) was at high levels and that of 49 persons (27.5%) was at a very good level. The average score of attitudes of manager and staffs who were familiar with disabilities was higher than those who were unfamiliar with disabilities. In addition, the average attitude score of women was better than that of men. The mean score of the attitude of people aged 55 years and older, having a Master's degree and above, and those having 12-17 years of work experience was higher than others. No significant difference was found between the groups with respect to gender (P=0.37) and responsibility (P=0.37). However, there was a significant difference between the two groups with respect to familiarity with disabilities (P=0.01) and education (P=0.001).Conclusion: This study showed that there is a significant difference in the attitude of managers and staff of municipality regarding urban modification. Recruiting people with higher educational qualifications and awareness or familiarity with the phenomenon of disability could help in the process of urban modification in the community. It is recommended to utilize the findings of this study to formulate urban modification programs across communities for the benefit of the disabled.

Objective: Neck muscles provide more than 80% of the mechanical stability of the cervical spine. Deep neck flexor muscles including Longus Colli (LC) and longus capitis (LCA) play an important role in maintaining the cervical spine stability. Patients with chronic neck pain suffer from weakness and atrophy of neck flexor muscles. Ultrasonography measurement of muscle dimensions provides the ability to objectively assess muscle atrophy or hypertrophy. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability of measurement of the cross-sectional area of LC and LCA muscles in five stages of craniocervical flexion (CCF) test utilizing ultrasonography.Methods & Materials: A total of 10 individuals including 5 patients suffering from chronic nonspecific neck pain and 5 healthy controls voluntarily participated in this study. The cross-sectional areas of LC and LCA muscles were measured at the level of thyroid cartilage during five stages while the subjects performed CCF test using a real-time ultrasound device. Two images were taken on the same day with an hour interval to assess the within-day reliability, and another image taken a week later to determine between-day reliability. SPSS was used to analyze data.Results: The ICC for within-day and between-day reliability in healthy individuals and patients were 0.91, 0.88 and 0.90, 0.86, respectively. The average standard error of measurement with the minimum of 0.03 and the maximum of 0.05 was obtained.Conclusion: Ultrasonography is a reliable method to measure the cross-sectional area of LC and LCA muscles both in healthy individuals and patients with chronic neck pain during five stages of the CCF test.

Objective: Structural deformities can impair different body functions, and kyphosis is one of the most common postural deformities. It seems that kyphosis induces unfavorable effects on the respiratory system. Impairment of pulmonary function, in turn, affects spirometer indices significantly. Some previous studies have indicated a positive influence of corrective structural exercise on kyphosis. Recently, respiratory muscle exercises were considered as one of the treatment methods of pulmonary disease. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the influence of structural corrective and respiratory exercises, for a period of six weeks, on cardiorespiratory indices of male children, afflicted with kyphosis.Methods & Materials: The study population included male students in the age group of 10-12 years in the city of Bandar Abbas. After obtaining signed consent forms from their parents, 34 boys with kyphosis were selected using the convenience sampling method. The extent of kyphosis among the participants was measured using flexicurve. Only kyphosis cases with an angle of 40 or more were selected, assimilated, and divided into three groups. The first group underwent structural corrective exercises (n=10), the second group partook in respiratory muscle exercises (n=12), and the third group was the control group (n=12) in accordance with kyphosis level. Respiratory indices including inspiratory reserve volume (IRV), expiratory reserve volume (ERV), maximal voluntary ventilation (MVV), forced vital capacity (FVC), and forced expiratory volume in 1st second (FEV1) were measured using the spirometer, and maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) was measured using a 20 m shuttle test before and 24 hours after the last session of exercise/training. Exercise/training was undertaken for six weeks, with three sessions per week and progressively. The findings were evaluated using SPSS software version 21. After confirming the normality of the findings with the help of the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test, analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to statistically compare post-experiment variables of the three groups by controlling the possible influence of pre-experiment variables.Results: The results of the study indicated that IRV (P=0.001), ERV (P=0.001), FVC (P=0.001), and MVV (P=0.001) increased significantly in the respiratory exercise group compared with the control. Similarly, IRV (P=0.001), ERV (P=0.001), FVC (P=0.007), and MVV (P=0.001) also increased significantly in the respiratory exercise group compared with the structural corrective exercise group. But, there was no significant difference in FEV1 (P=0.126), VO2max (P=0.490), and kyphosis degree (P=0.380) between the study groups.Conclusion: According to our findings, it can be concluded that there is an improvement in cardiopulmonary function indices following respiratory exercises. Keeping in mind the ease with which they can be performed and the fact they do not require special devices, it can be firmly stated that respiratory muscle exercises are more efficient than other corrective exercises during a brief intervention period (six weeks). With regard to the approved influence of structural corrective exercise in kyphosis in previous studies and its relatively inadequate influence in the present study, it seems that corrective exercises need a comparatively longer duration (probably 12 weeks) to prove effective. A limitation of this study was the lack of controlling false habits in daily physical activities and postures that could have had an influence on kyphosis. Its evaluation is recommended for future studies.

Objective: Human behavior is a function of one’s existence and interaction between body and mind. Disability is the inability to perform all or part of the normal activities of individual or social life due to congenital defects, or physical or mental faculties being subject to accidents. Mental disability rehabilitation approach consists of three categories of services: mental, emotional, and physical. Physical or motor disabilities are divided into four categories: physical, visceral, sensory and aging. The concept of disability is omnipresent in every society and culture. Its form may vary between temporary or permanent, total or partial, and fixed or variable. Side effects of disability on individuals are different according to their attitude. Their views about themselves, disability, and familial and social attitudes leads to various complications in the lives of persons with disabilities. It has been proved that endangering the physical health provides psychological reactions in people. Many physical disabilities are associated with mental health problems. Mental health problems in people with health problems are very common. For example, chronic diseases, create physical conditions and limiting long-term negative consequences for the disabled person. Quasi-physical as well as psychological problems have serious implications with respect to diseases. Psychosomatic diseases, for instance, cause different kinds of disabilities. In addition to the development of the machines, the marriage and many other issues may be associated with increased physical disability and mental illness. The importance of physical disabilities due to mental health problems that are associated with health problems treated, including psychiatric problems that disabled people face; social is the low and high social phobia. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment group therapy based on social adjustment and social phobia among physically-disabled person.Methods & Materials: The study population consisted of all individuals belonging to a disability welfare organization in Qom. The sample included 30 males (15 in the control group and 15 in the experimental group) who were selected by random sampling method. In this quasi-experimental study, the participants in the experimental group underwent a 2-month intervention of eight 120-minute sessions. The research design was pretest-posttest with a control group. Data were collected from the questionnaires of Conover, social adjustment, Weisman, and social phobia. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) model was used for analyzing.Results: Our results showed that the acceptance and commitment group therapy increased satisfaction as far as social adjustment was concerned (P<0.001). Significant effect on the subscales of fear (P<0.001), avoidance (P<0.001), physiology (P<0.001), and the total social phobia score (P<0.001) was also observed.Conclusion: The acceptance and commitment group therapy increased social adjustment and decreased social phobia among physically-disabled persons.

Objective: One of the phenomena that have been observed among survivors of childhood cancers like leukemia is the late side effects of the applied treatments, such as chemotherapy, on executive cognitive functions. These problems lead to various complaints such as experiencing dullness while performing activities, encountering difficulties in conducting various tasks simultaneously, and having no interest in laying out plans. These issues will endanger and negate the advantage of any increase in survival rate. Therefore, the aim of this clinical trial is to evaluate the efficiency of using a series of cognitive rehabilitation exercises in improving executive functions on the level of hope in adolescents who survived leukemia.Methods & Materials: This research is a quasi-experimental study with pretest, posttest, and follow-up stages. The study population consisted of all the adolescents between the ages of 12 to 18 years, who survived leukemia, in Tehran city. Purposive sampling method was used. Based on the medical records and inclusion and exclusion criteria, 30 patients, who had been referred to the section of blood diseases at the Mofid hospital in the year 2013, were selected and accidentally classified into intervention (15) and wait list (15) groups. The participants of the intervention group received treatment offered as part of the cognitive rehabilitation program over a period of 12 sessions. The research data was collected using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale, Achenbach Behavior Scale, and the Miller Hope Test. These data were analyzed with the help of descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (multivariate analysis of covariance).Results: The mean treatment duration was found to be 23.27 months in the intervention group and 27.00 months in the waiting list group. The mean treatment completion time of the intervention group is obtained as 25.60, and in the waiting list group as 30.67. The findings of the Miller hope questionnaire revealed that executive functions witnessed a significant positive effect due to cognitive rehabilitation, in adolescents who survived leukemia (P<0.05). This effect remained stable, as shown in a follow-up of one month after the intervention (P<0.05).Conclusion: The results of this study have shown that the effect of cognitive rehabilitation on executive functions reaps significant dividends with regard to the promotion of hope in adolescents who survived leukemia and have been under the chemotherapy. The promotion of hope in participants belonging to the intervention group was more than in the participants of the wait list group. Given the fact that, today, one of the main goals of treatment of chronic diseases such as cancer is to enhance the quality of mental health of the surviving patients, the use of inexpensive and accessible programs like cognitive rehabilitation would be very effective. Consequently, healthcare professionals could attempt to reduce the side effects caused by chemotherapy and radiation, in addition to improving the cognitive issues of affected individuals, by placing emphasis on hope among the concerned patients. Therefore, it is recommended to conduct further research by considering the results of this work in order to develop effective cognitive rehabilitation interventions, thereby, enhancing the coping strategies, quality of life, and mental health of patients who are afflicted with cancer and those who survived cancer. Cognitive rehabilitation services should also be considered for post-treatment follow-up projects.