shafagh saei

Children with special needs require extensive medical and rehabilitative interventions, which pose significant challenges for their families. The Family Functioning Questionnaire in Rehabilitation (FFQR) assesses family performance in this context.

This study aimed to evaluate the reliability, validity, and cultural adaptation of the Persian version of the FFQR among Iranian parents of children with special needs.

This observational cross-sectional study focused on psychometric validation and cultural adaptation of the Persian FFQR. Rigorous evaluations of face and content validity, criterion validity, internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and construct validity were conducted. Participants included 250 parents of children aged 3 to 18 with special needs, recruited from rehabilitation facilities in Tehran province.

The translation process, along with assessments of face and content validity, led to adjustments in questionnaire items. The Persian version of the FFQR demonstrated excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.946) and high test-retest reliability (correlation coefficient (ICC) = 0.94). However, criterion validity with the Child Adjustment and Parent Efficacy Scale-developmental disability was not established. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the original factor structure of the FFQR, affirming its cross-cultural applicability. Model fit indices indicated reasonable fit, although the chi-square test suggested an imperfect fit (χ² = 2409.03, df = 1074, P < 0.001).

The Persian FFQR proved to be a reliable and culturally relevant tool for assessing family functioning in rehabilitation of Iranian children with special needs. These findings highlight the importance of employing culturally sensitive measurement tools in research and clinical applications.

 The rising prevalence of mental and psychological issues among immigrants has garnered increased attention due to the significant growth in immigrant populations in recent years. In this context, exploring the connection between psychological health, cognitive flexibility, brain-behavioral systems, and sensory processing in Iranian immigrants in Canada is becoming an essential research goal.

 The aim of this study was to explore the relationships between psychological health, cognitive flexibility, brain-behavioral systems, and sensory processing among Iranian immigrants in Canada.

 A cross-sectional study design was used, gathering data from 400 Iranian students (198 males and 202 females) enrolled at universities in Canada and Iran. We collected participants' demographic details and assessed their psychological health, cognitive flexibility, brain-behavioral systems, and sensory processing through standardized instruments. Psychological health was evaluated using the Beck Anxiety Inventory, cognitive flexibility was measured with the Dennis and Vander Wall Cognitive Flexibility Questionnaire, and sensory processing was appraised via the adolescent/adult sensory profile. The Carver and White behavioral inhibition system (BIS)/behavioral activation system (BAS) scales were utilized to measure brain-behavioral systems. Statistical analyses, including correlation analysis and multivariate regression, were conducted to investigate the relationships among these variables.

 The correlation analysis revealed significant positive associations between anxiety and low registration (r = 0.283, P < 0.001), sensory sensitivity (r = 0.442, P < 0.001), and sensory avoiding (r = 0.307, P < 0.001) in immigrant students. Anxiety also showed nonsignificant negative correlations with the behavioral activation system-drive (r = -0.042, P = 0.551) and behavioral activation system-reward responsiveness (r = -0.090, P = 0.203). The multivariate regression analysis found that low registration (B = 0.177, P = 0.036), sensory sensitivity (B = 0.336, P < 0.001), and cognitive flexibility (B = 0.119, P = 0.025) significantly predicted anxiety levels in immigrant students. An adjusted R-squared value of 0.191 indicated that these variables together explained 19.1% of the variance in anxiety levels.

 This study underscores the significant links between sensory processing patterns, cognitive flexibility, brain-behavioral systems, and anxiety among Iranian immigrant students. These findings highlight the need for interventions focusing on teaching cognitive skills strategies and increasing awareness of sensory needs to help reduce anxiety levels in this population.

Short child occupational profile (SCOPE) screening tool is used to assess different factors of functional abilities and record the progress levels of individuals in occupational therapy interventions. This study aimed to validate a Persian version of the SCOPE test. 

This methodological research was conducted in two stages, including translation and psychometric properties. A total of 182 people aged 3-21 years were recruited using the convenience sampling method for the second stage.

The results of the content validity of the questionnaire were in acceptable ranges. The total intra-class correlation coefficient and total Cronbach's α were 0.97 and 0.93, respectively. The results of the discriminant validity between the normal and disabled groups showed significant differences between the normal and disabled groups in all items of the questionnaire.

The findings demonstrated that the Persian version of the SCOPE questionnaire could be used as a valid and reliable tool.

Passion generally refers to the stimuli that shape a certain pattern of behavior. It can affects all aspects of a person’s life, including education and academic success. The present study aims to assess the predictability of school engagement based on communication skills, self-restraint, perceived parenting style, and sensory processing.

This is a descriptive-analytical study using the structural equation modeling (SEM).The study population consists of all secondary school students in Tehran (district 6). Sampling was done using purposive and convenience sampling methods. Using Cochran’s formula, the minimum sample size was obtained 385. Data collection tools were Baumrind’s parenting styles questionnaire, communication skills test-revised (CSTR), self-restraint scale, adolescent/adult sensory profile, and School Engagement Measure. To evaluate the SEM model, the significance level and path coefficients were investigated using the bootstrap method (re-sampling and sequential) and student’s t-test. 

Of 385 participants, 199 were girls (51.7%) and 186 were boys (48.3%), mostly aged 16 years (47.8%). Their mean age was 17.1±0.84 years. Results showed that the coefficient of determination (R2), Stone-Geisser’s Q2, and path coefficients were positive in all variables. The R2 value was 0.71, indicating that the independent variables together could predict 71% of school engagement.

Communication skills, self-restraint, perceived parenting style, and sensory processing are predictors of school engagement in students. Among these variables, communication skills have the highest effect.

Sensory processing patterns can be related to children's preferences for various activities. Still, our understanding of how different sensory processing patterns are related to children's participation in leisure activities is fairly limited. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the association between sensory processing patterns and children's participation in leisure activities.

In this systematic review, the PRISMA (The Preferred Reporting Items For Systematic Reviews And Meta-Analyses) Guidelines were followed. We searched PubMed, Google Scholar, Springer, ProQuest, Scopus, Cochrane Library, Medline, OT Seeker, SID, and Healio databases using the following keywords: “Participation”, “leisure”, “play”, “sensory processing”, “sensory integration”, “sensorimotor”, “sensory”, and “children”. A total of 5040 articles were found, of which 5027 were eliminated after the review, and finally, 13 articles were included in the study based on the inclusion criteria; 6 of them entered the meta-analysis process. The meta-analysis was performed using CMA software. 

The meta-analysis of 6 studies illustrated a significant correlation between the energy level and desire to participate in leisure activities, the auditory-visual sensitivity and willingness to participate in leisure activities, the sensory processing patterns and the intensity of involvement in leisure activities, the general sensory processing and desire to participate in leisure activities, the sensory processing patterns and desire to participate in informal activities, the olfactory sensitivity and desire to participate in leisure activities, the auditory filtering and desire to participate in leisure activities, the sensory processing patterns and enjoyment of participation in leisure activities, and finally sensory processing patterns and desire to participate in recreational activities. 

The evidence in articles on sensory processing patterns and participation in play and leisure activities is inadequate. The only conclusion drawn from all patterns of sensory processing is the significant relationship between these patterns and the preference to participate in recreational activities (which is just one of the several leisure activities).

 Despite their high effectiveness, rehabilitation therapies can reduce the number of families with children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) visiting clinics due to the number of treatment sessions and the long duration of treatment. The use of technological methods, such as transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) as one of the therapeutic interventions to improve cognitive function in rehabilitation clinics, can help reduce the duration of treatment for these children.

 The present study was carried out to examine the effectiveness of tDCS in behavioral and cognitive aspects of executive functions in children with ASD.

 A pretest and posttest design with follow-up were used in this study. The subjects were children with high-functioning ASD aged 8 - 11 years who were selected by the convenience sampling method from occupational therapy clinics in Tehran, Iran. A total of 20 eligible candidates were included in the study according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. The subjects were randomly divided into two groups (10 subjects in each group). The intervention group received tDCS during 12 sessions of 20 minutes in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex area, with an electrode size of 35 cm2 for 3 weeks (four sessions per week). The control group received common cognitive interventions used in occupational therapy clinics in 12 sessions of 60 minutes (one hour) for 6 weeks (two sessions per week). Follow-up was performed one month after the end of the interventions. The research instruments included the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function and computer-based tests, such as the Tower of London, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, and Stroop test.

 The results demonstrated that tDCS, similar to cognitive rehabilitation, could affect the cognitive functions of the brain, such as executive functions, and several basic cognitive processes, such as inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility, and mental planning.

 The findings recommended using tDCS as a new intervention method to improve the cognitive function of individuals with ASD. This is due to the lasting effect of the results of this intervention as a technological instrument with faster results than other clinical interventions.

COVID‑19 virus is on the rise globally, and people with the disease experience a variety of physical and mental problems. According to studies, depression can be a complication of the virus. So far, limited measures have been taken to prevent and treat emotional–psychological complications of COVID‑19. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of online cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) on depressive symptoms in recovered patients with COVID‑19.

This study was conducted in a quasi‑experimental design. A sample of 150 recovered patients with COVID‑19 who referred to Imam Reza Hospital in Tabriz city, were selected by random sampling method. The patients’ emotional–psychological status was assessed by the Beck Depression Inventory, and they entered the treatment process according to the inclusion criteria. As a therapeutic intervention, a scientific and valid approach called CBT was implemented, which two occupational therapists performed in eight treatment sessions in the context of a social communication application. Paired sample t‑test was used to analyze the time sequence of quantitative data due to its normality.

After the last session of the intervention, the effect of this therapeutic approach on reducing the depressive symptoms of patients was evaluated. According to the findings, the Beck score of the participants decreased significantly after the intervention (MD = ‒45/9, P < 0/001).

Therefore, in order to promote the recovery of patients with COVID‑19 and help health authorities to develop preventive measures and effective treatment of emotional–psychological problems caused by this virus, it is recommended to use the online CBT approach.

The COVID-19 pandemic may have destructive effects on patients’ mental health and quality of life (QoL).

This study aimed to assess the relationship between QoL and coping strategies in hospitalized patients with COVID-19.

This cross sectional descriptive-analytical study was performed at Imam Reza Hospital in Tabriz City for 2 months. Seventy hospitalized patients with COVID-19 were recruited by convenience sampling. The patients completed the adapted version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale Brief Version (WHOQOL-BREF) and the Coping Strategies Questionnaire (CSQ). We indicated a critical value of 60 as the optimal cut-off point to assess perceived QoL. Also, low, moderate, and high coping strategies are dedicated to 0 - 66, 66 - 110, and > 110, respectively. Data were analyzed using the Pearson correlation coefficient in SPSS version 21.

Seventy patients were enrolled, including 35 males and 35 females with a mean age of 39.69 ± 11.31 years. QoL’s social and physical dimensions had the highest and lowest mean scores (65.18 ± 18.99 and 41.40 ± 17.22, respectively). The results showed that 3 out of 5 dimensions had a mean score of < 60. Regarding CSQ, the mean scores of problem- and emotional-oriented coping strategies were 87.27 ± 15.45 and 85.05 ± 12.47, respectively. Most participants had moderate problem- and emotional-oriented coping strategies (85.5% and 92.8%, respectively).

The current study showed that the QoL score was less than 60 in most of the QoL dimensions in COVID-19 patients. Moreover, most of the participants used coping strategies moderately. Therefore, it is recommended to perform further studies to compare the impact of coping strategies on QoL in patients and the control group.