Papers by Masoume Pourmohamadrezatajrishi
Archives of Rehabilitation, 2024
Objective Adolescents with visual impairments have less opportunity to adapt emotionally to the e... more Objective Adolescents with visual impairments have less opportunity to adapt emotionally to the environment and, as a result, experience more social and academic problems. One of the most critical needs of adolescence is maintaining emotional balance while confronting the stressful factors of puberty and environmental expectations. As visual impairment adversely influences adolescents' emotional maturity, helping teenagers adapt to challenging conditions is one of the main goals of a social and educational system. The purpose of the present study was to determine the effect of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) on the emotional maturity of female adolescents with visual impairment. Materials & Methods The current quasi-experimental study employed a pre-test and post-test and a follow-up design with a control group. A total of 82 females aged 14 to 18 from an educational community special for visually impaired individuals were assessed using the emotional maturity scale (EMS) in the academic year 2020-2021. Among the 33 volunteers who scored 180 and above in the EMS, 28 individuals were selected according to the inclusion criteria and matched based on their age and educational level via convenience sampling. All participants were randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups (14 individuals each). The experimental group attended 10 therapeutic sessions and received acceptance and commitment group therapy for two months (twice a week, 60 minutes per session). However, the control group only participated in the educational community's make-up empowering programs (including lessons curriculum plans and music training). All participants completed the EMS after the last intervention session and then 8 weeks later as a follow-up. The data were analyzed using the Shapiro-Wilk test, Levene test, M. Box test, multivariate analysis of covariance, and dependent t-test by SPSS software, version 22. Results The results of the Shapiro-Wilk test, Levene test, and M. Box test confirmed the normality of the distribution of scores, the homogeneity of variances, and the homogeneity of line slope, respectively. The results of multivariate analysis of covariance indicated that attendance of the experimental group in the acceptance and commitment group therapy sessions has led to a significant increase (P<0.05) in emotional maturity scores and its components: emotional stability, emotional progression, social adjustment, personality integration, and independence. Also, the ACT program changed the experimental group's emotional maturity and components as follows: 90%, 69%, 59%, 55%, 92%, and 68% for emotional stability, emotional progression, social adjustment, personality integration, and independence, respectively. In addition, the results of the dependent t-test to compare the emotional
Archives of Rehabilitation, Jan 10, 2015
توانبخشی, Oct 1, 2022
Objective Students' academic success is crucial for families, educators, and the community. Speci... more Objective Students' academic success is crucial for families, educators, and the community. Specific learning disorder reduces students' academic performance and makes education difficult. Because of the rising prevalence of learning disorders (especially dyscalculia), it is necessary to pay more attention to dyscalculia, its diagnosis, and assessment to develop new interventions and scientific strategies to reduce symptoms. Negative consequences of math problems in early childhood probably affect the individual and social aspects of life until adulthood. As far as we know, most children with dyscalculia have significant problems in executive functions, so the application of effective educational methods on executive functions will improve cognitive functions and learning. The present study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of a cognitive rehabilitation program on the executive functions of students with dyscalculia. Materials & Methods This research was a quasi-experimental study with a pre-test-post-test design with a control group. The statistical population consisted of all 8 to 12 years old students who were studying in specific schools for learning disorders in the 2020-2021 academic year in Sanandaj City, Iran. Thirty children (17 boys and 13 girls) were selected by convenience method and assessed using the Iranian Key Math Test. Then, 28 students with one standard deviation lower than the mean (≤85 points) were diagnosed as dyscalculic, and their parents signed a written consent form. Students were excluded if they had seizures and epilepsy, or other neurodevelopmental disorders or were absent more than two times from intervention sessions. All students were matched according to gender and age and randomly assigned to the experimental (7 boys and 7 girls) and control groups (8 boys and 6 girls). The executive functions of all students were assessed by the Behavioral Rating Inventory for Executive Functions (BRIEF). The experimental group individually participated in 12 sessions (twice a week; 30 to 45 minutes per session) and was trained by the cognitive rehabilitation program. However, the control group only attended the mainstream curriculum. Again, all students were assessed by the BRIEF in the last session and 5 weeks later in the follow-up. The obtained data were analyzed by using analysis of variance with repeated measures. Results The findings showed that the cognitive rehabilitation program has significantly influenced executive functions and their components (behavior regulation and metacognition) in students with dyscalculia. According to the eta quotient, 42%, 32%, and 43% of the variances of executive functions, behavior regulation, and metacognition of the experimental group, respectively, have been explained by participating in the cognitive rehabilitation program. In addition, the program's effectiveness lasted for a 5-week follow-up later. Conclusion Considering the effectiveness of cognitive rehabilitation programs on executive functions, designing and implementing the same rehabilitative programs not only improves the executive functions of students with dyscalculia but also prevents their problems relating to learning academic skills.
Iranian Rehabilitation Journal, 2022
This study aimed to determine the efficacy of the therapeutic use of play on improving the attent... more This study aimed to determine the efficacy of the therapeutic use of play on improving the attention span of children with Mild Intellectual Disability (MID) in elementary school. Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study with a pre-test-post-test with a control group so that 30 girls with MID were selected from an exceptional school in Tehran City, Iran, via convenience sampling method and assigned to the experimental and control groups. The attention span of all subjects was assessed by the Toulouse-Pieron test and the Cognitive Diagnostic Battery (CDB) before and after the therapeutic sessions. The experimental group participated in 16 therapeutic play sessions (35 minutes for each session) for 8 weeks, but the control group did not. The analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to analyze the data. Results: The Mean±SD age were 9.80±1.32 and 9.73±1.22 for the experimental and control groups, respectively. In addition, the mean attention span in the experimental group varied from 7.60 to 18.78 after the therapeutic sessions. In addition, after the therapeutic sessions, a significant difference (P<0.001) was observed between the experimental and control groups relating to attention span. According to the Eta quotient, 94% of the variation in the attention span of the experimental group is due to participating in the intervention sessions. Discussion: Therapeutic use of play is an effective method to improve the attention span of children with MID. Therefore, the therapeutic use of play can be applied to improve the academic performance of students with MID and reduce negative outcomes due to inattention.
Archives of Rehabilitation, 2022
Objective Students' academic success is crucial for families, educators, and the community. Speci... more Objective Students' academic success is crucial for families, educators, and the community. Specific learning disorder reduces students' academic performance and makes education difficult. Because of the rising prevalence of learning disorders (especially dyscalculia), it is necessary to pay more attention to dyscalculia, its diagnosis, and assessment to develop new interventions and scientific strategies to reduce symptoms. Negative consequences of math problems in early childhood probably affect the individual and social aspects of life until adulthood. As far as we know, most children with dyscalculia have significant problems in executive functions, so the application of effective educational methods on executive functions will improve cognitive functions and learning. The present study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of a cognitive rehabilitation program on the executive functions of students with dyscalculia. Materials & Methods This research was a quasi-experimental study with a pre-test-post-test design with a control group. The statistical population consisted of all 8 to 12 years old students who were studying in specific schools for learning disorders in the 2020-2021 academic year in Sanandaj City, Iran. Thirty children (17 boys and 13 girls) were selected by convenience method and assessed using the Iranian Key Math Test. Then, 28 students with one standard deviation lower than the mean (≤85 points) were diagnosed as dyscalculic, and their parents signed a written consent form. Students were excluded if they had seizures and epilepsy, or other neurodevelopmental disorders or were absent more than two times from intervention sessions. All students were matched according to gender and age and randomly assigned to the experimental (7 boys and 7 girls) and control groups (8 boys and 6 girls). The executive functions of all students were assessed by the Behavioral Rating Inventory for Executive Functions (BRIEF). The experimental group individually participated in 12 sessions (twice a week; 30 to 45 minutes per session) and was trained by the cognitive rehabilitation program. However, the control group only attended the mainstream curriculum. Again, all students were assessed by the BRIEF in the last session and 5 weeks later in the follow-up. The obtained data were analyzed by using analysis of variance with repeated measures. Results The findings showed that the cognitive rehabilitation program has significantly influenced executive functions and their components (behavior regulation and metacognition) in students with dyscalculia. According to the eta quotient, 42%, 32%, and 43% of the variances of executive functions, behavior regulation, and metacognition of the experimental group, respectively, have been explained by participating in the cognitive rehabilitation program. In addition, the program's effectiveness lasted for a 5-week follow-up later. Conclusion Considering the effectiveness of cognitive rehabilitation programs on executive functions, designing and implementing the same rehabilitative programs not only improves the executive functions of students with dyscalculia but also prevents their problems relating to learning academic skills.
For determining the effectiveness of resiliency training on psychological well-being of street ch... more For determining the effectiveness of resiliency training on psychological well-being of street children with externalizing disorders, 197 children (94 females, 103 males aged 12 to 16) from the Society for the Defending of Street and Working Children, answered to Youth Self-Report Scale (YSR). Sixty individuals selected and assigned to experimental and control groups and answered to Ryff’s Psychological Well-Being Scale (PRWB). Experimental group participated in 15 resiliency training sessions. After training, all subjects answered to PRWB. Data were analyzed by multivariate analysis of covariance. Findings showed that Psychological well-being components except autonomy of experimental group were higher than control group (p<0.001). Purpose in life of males were more than females (p=0.005). There were no significant interaction between gender and group. © 2014 Published by RRAMT France Ltd.
ObjecƟ ve The present study was aimed to determine the effecƟ veness of psychological immunizaƟ o... more ObjecƟ ve The present study was aimed to determine the effecƟ veness of psychological immunizaƟ on program on pessimisƟ c aƩ ribuƟ on style in boy students with dyslexia. Materials & Methods In this randomized clinical trial study with pretestand post test design and control group,, thirty boy students with dyslexia were selected randomly from Learning DisabiliƟ es Centers in Isfahan City .They were assigned to experimental and control groups (15 individuals in each group). Their intelligence quoƟ ent and learning ability were measured by Raven Intelligence Progressive Matrices and Learning Test respecƟ vely. Then students answered to Children AƩ ribuƟ onal StyleQuesƟ onnaire (CASQ) before and aŌ er training sessions. Experimental groupparƟ cipated in 10 weekly training sessions (twice a week; each session lasted for minutes) and received psychological immunizaƟ on program. Data were analyzed by independent t-test, analysis of covariance, Shapiro-Wilk, Leven, and repeated measures t...
Objective The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition (DSM-V), has d... more 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.
مجله پژوهش در علوم توانبخشی, 2013
Introduction: Attention deficit - hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common childhood disorder wh... more Introduction: Attention deficit - hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common childhood disorder which should be effectively treated in order to decrease the severity of its symptoms. In the present study, the effects of proprioceptive and vestibular sensory integration were aimed to be determined as a treatment approach for alleviating the symptoms of this disorder. Materials and Methods: In this study a quasi-experimental method with pretest, posttest, and control group was adopted. Participants were thirty-two 6-to-12 year-old students with ADHD studying at the schools of Semnan, Iran. They were randomly selected and assigned to either an experimental (n = 16) or control group (n = 16). The experimental group received a sensory integration intervention program (with an emphasis on Proprioceptive and Vestibular senses) that consisted of 12 sessions, lasting 2 hours each and held two times a week. The Child Symptom Inventory- 4 (CSI-4) was used to evaluate the symptoms of the disorde...
Objective: The aim of the present research was to compare the auditory perception and verbal inte... more Objective: The aim of the present research was to compare the auditory perception and verbal intelligibility in children with cochlear implant, hearing aids and normal hearing. Method: 60 children aged 5-7 years were divided to three groups and each group contained 20 children. The first and second groups were selected ordinarily from children with cochlear implant and hearing aids by convenient sampling method, while that third group was selected randomly from children with normal hearing. All participants answered to Categories of Auditory Performance (CAP) and Speech Intelligibility Rating (SIR). Results: The results revealed that mean scores of CAP and SIR in normal hearing children were significantly higher than the mean scores of children in other groups (P<0.0005). In addition, the mean scores of CAP in children with cochlear implant were significantly more than the mean scores of children with hearing aids (P<0.002); also, the mean scores of SIR in children with cochle...
Journal of Rehabilitation, 2016
Objective Communication deficiency is one of the diagnostic criteria for autism, which leads to d... more Objective Communication deficiency is one of the diagnostic criteria for autism, which leads to difficulty in learning speech and linguistic skills. Nowadays, it is common to use play therapy for supporting children with autism. Play therapy is an active approach that helps a child to reveal his conscious and unconscious feelings through playing. The present study aimed to determine the effectiveness of group play therapy on the communication skills of children with high functioning autism. Materials & Methods The present research was an experimental study, including a pretest and posttest design with a control group. Twelve 5-8 years old boys with high functioning autism were selected purposively from the Autism Charity Foundation in Tehran in 2013. All subjects were included according to get a diagnose of high functioning autism, literacy of parents to complete the questionnaire, lack of sensory disorders such as visual or auditory disorders, lack of physical or motor disorders such as cerebral palsy, not attending to the same play therapy intervention program simultaneously. All subjects were assigned randomly to the experimental and control groups (6 children in each group). The experimental group participated in 20 sessions (three times a week; 45 to 60 minutes for each session) and received group play therapy along with the routine program (mental and physical occupational therapy, and speech therapy). However, the control group received only the routine program. The communication skills of all the children were evaluated using the Gilliam Autism Rating Scale (GARS) before, at 20 th session, and 2 months after the intervention. The collected data from two situations (pre-test, post-test) were analyzed by analysis of covariance. Repeated measure test was used to determine the lasting effect of group play therapy on the communication of boys after two months follow-up. Results The findings of the analysis of covariance showed that the group play therapy significantly influenced the communication of male children with high functioning autism. In addition, it was found that the effects of the group play therapy lasted significantly on the communication skills of the children even at two months follow-up (P<0.001). Conclusion It is concluded that the group play therapy can help the children to understand and communicate well. This therapy can be used as a complementary training and therapeutic method for children with high functioning autism to help improve their communication deficiencies.
Journal of Clinical Psycology, Jul 15, 2013
The aim of present study was to determine the effectiveness of conceptual map training method on ... more The aim of present study was to determine the effectiveness of conceptual map training method on the achievement of social-economic skill course in male students with intellectual disability. This study was semi-experimental and 34 male students with intellectual disability who were educating in 3rd grade at pre-professional level in high school selected randomly from Talash Exceptional Center in Tabriz City. Their academic achievement in social-economic skill course were assessed by teacher-made and performance tests. Subjects were assigned in control and experimental groups randomly and equally. Experimental group participated in 8 sessions and were trained by conceptual map method for one month (8 sessions; 2 sessions weekly). At the end of eightieth session and one month later, subjects answered to teacher-made and performance tests again. Data were analyzed by analysis of covariance. Results: Findings showed that the conceptual map training method had positive effect on achievement of social-economic skill in students (p<0.01). But, its effectiveness wasn't persistent after one month in follow-up test. Regarding to positive effects of conceptual map training method on meaningful learning, it seems as an effective method for intellectually disabled male students who require deep learning to understand the content of their lessons.
Objective: The present study aimed to determine the effectiveness of attribution retraining group... more Objective: The present study aimed to determine the effectiveness of attribution retraining group program on anxiety of students with learning disabilities. In this semi-experimental study pre-test and post-test design with control group was used. Two learning disorders centers were selected on purpose and conveniently in Tehran City in 2012-13 academic years. Thirty six students (9 girls and 27 boys who were educating in 2nd to 6th grade in elementary school) with learning disabilities selected in convenience. One center was considered as experimental group and the other one as control group randomly (each group consisted of 18 individuals). Experimental group was divided into three subgroups (each consisted of 6 individuals), and were participated in 11 intervention sessions (each lasts for 45 minutes; twice a week) and received attribution retraining program, but control group received no training. Spence Children Anxiety Scale (SCAS) was completed before and after the intervention by all subjects. Data were analyzed by independent t-test and analysis of covariance. The results of analysis of covariance showed that attribution retraining intervention did not influence the anxiety. There is no significant difference between the anxiety of experimental and control group (P=0.34). It was concluded that attribution retraining group program can not probably reduce anxiety symptoms of students with learning disabilities.
The development of social skills, especially skills in relating to peers, is an important capacit... more The development of social skills, especially skills in relating to peers, is an important capacity that provides the foundations for lifelong success. Some children with disabilities need to learn social skills more directly. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of social skills training on socialization skills development in children with Down syndrome. This study was a semi-experimental conducted on thirty-seven student with Down syndrome,8-12 years old with IQ 55 -75.Subjects were divided randomly in two groups (n=18) and control group (n=19).Initially, each of the subjects was assessed by the list of social skills, and then social skill training was performed for 60 minutes, two times weekly, for two months in intervention group, and the socialization skills was evaluated after intervention and 2 months later in the two groups. Results: A significant (p<0/05) improvement in socialization skills was occurred. Follow-up study also showed, improvement of socialization skills were maintained 2 months after the end of training in intervention group (p<0/05). It's seems that training of social skills can improve the socialization skills of children with Down's syndrome.
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Papers by Masoume Pourmohamadrezatajrishi