problem solving

Executive functions and problem-solving skills play a key role in the academic performance of students with specific learning disorders. Previous studies have shown that interventions based on phonological awareness and cognitive-behavioral methods such as Neimannics can help improve these abilities. However, a systematic comparison of the effectiveness of these two types of interventions among this specific group of students has not yet been conducted.

The aim of the present study was to compare the effectiveness of phonological awareness-based intervention and Neimannics on executive functions and problem-solving skills in students with specific learning disorders.

The current study employed a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design with a control group and a two-month follow-up. The statistical population included all students with specific learning disorders in Tehran in 2023. A total of 60 participants were selected using purposive sampling and randomly assigned to three groups: 20 in the first experimental group (phonological awareness-based intervention), 20 in the second experimental group (Neimannics-based intervention), and 20 in the control group. Data collection tools consisted of the Children and Adolescents' Deficits in Executive Functioning Questionnaire (Barclay, 2012) and the Problem-Solving Inventory (Cassidy & Long, 1996). The first experimental group received 13 one-hour sessions of phonological awareness-based intervention, while the second experimental group participated in 12 one-hour sessions of Neimannics-based intervention. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was used to analyze the data using SPSS version 27.

The results indicated a significant difference between the impact of phonological awareness-based intervention and Neimannics intervention on executive functions and constructive problem-solving strategies, as well as non-constructive or incompatible problem-solving strategies (p< 0.05). The Neimannics intervention showed greater effectiveness on the aforementioned variables compared to the phonological awareness-based intervention (p< 0.05).

Using these methods as therapeutic strategies can contribute to improving the academic performance of these students. Future research is recommended to investigate the long-term effects of these interventions and explore the potential benefits of combining them.

The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of problem-solving skills training on reducing rejection sensitivity and improving social competence in female students with learning disabilities. This study employed a randomized controlled trial with a pretest-posttest-follow-up design. The statistical population included sixth-grade female students with learning disabilities in Yazd during the 2023–2024 academic year. A total of 30 participants were selected through purposive sampling and randomly assigned to an experimental and a control group (15 per group). The experimental group received ten 90-minute sessions of problem-solving training based on D’Zurilla’s model. Data were collected using the Children's Rejection Sensitivity Questionnaire and the Social Competence Rating Scale. Data analysis was conducted using repeated measures ANOVA and Bonferroni post-hoc test in SPSS-27. The results revealed that problem-solving training had a significant effect on reducing rejection sensitivity (F=28.14, p<.001, η²=.51) and enhancing social competence (F=31.02, p<.001, η²=.54). Bonferroni post-hoc analysis showed significant differences between pretest and posttest, and pretest and follow-up scores in the experimental group (p<.001). However, there was no significant difference between posttest and follow-up scores, indicating the intervention's long-term stability. Problem-solving skills training can serve as an effective intervention to reduce rejection sensitivity and improve social competence among students with learning disabilities, thereby promoting their psychological and social well-being.

The present study aimed to compare the effectiveness of mindfulness training and cognitive-behavioral games on problem-solving in elementary school students.

This study employed a quasi-experimental research design, utilizing a pretest-posttest-follow-up design (three groups) with two experimental groups and one control group for data collection. The statistical population included all elementary school students in the second stage (grades 4 to 6) in District 7 of Tehran during the 2022-2023 academic year. From this population, 45 students were selected through convenience sampling and randomly assigned to two experimental groups (15 students each) and one control group (15 students). The mindfulness experimental group received 12 sessions of 90 minutes each, while the cognitive-behavioral games experimental group also received 12 sessions of 90 minutes each. The instrument used in this study was the Problem-Solving Inventory (Heppner & Petersen, 1987). Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 24 software in both descriptive and inferential sections (repeated measures analysis of variance).

The findings indicated that both interventions used in this study significantly improved problem-solving in elementary school students. However, the improvement in problem-solving was greater in the cognitive-behavioral games group compared to the mindfulness training group (p < 0.01).

These findings highlight the importance of mindfulness in the learning and problem-solving processes during elementary school years and can serve as a basis for designing effective educational programs for students.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of teaching methods of trauma resolution (compassion and problem solving) on courage of midwifery students. The present research method is quasi-experimental. The plan used in this research is the pre-test and post-test plan with the control group. The statistical population of the present study includes all midwifery students of Zabol University of Medical Sciences. Among these students, 40 students were selected by random sampling in two groups of 20 people, test and control. In this research, the data collection tool is Gambrill and Ritchie's assertiveness questionnaire (1975). Descriptive and inferential statistics such as univariate covariance test with SPSS 20 software were used to analyze the data. The results showed that the effect of teaching methods of trauma resolution (compassion and problem solving) has a positive and significant effect on the courage of midwifery students. By teaching methods of trauma resolution (compassion and problem solving), we can increase the courage of midwifery students.

This research aimed to determine the mediating role of academic self-efficacy in the relationship between self-directed learning and constructive problem-solving ability among students. The method of this study was descriptive-correlational using the structural equation modeling method. The research population consisted of all the students at the University of Guilan in 2023. A sample of 220 students was selected from this population using a convenient sampling method. The research instruments included the Self-Directed Learning Readiness Questionnaire (SDLRQ) by Fisher and Colleagues (2001), the College Academic Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (CASEQ) by Owen and Framan (1988), and the Problem-Solving Strategies Questionnaire (PSSQ) by Cassidy and Long (1996). Structural equation analysis was used to analyze the data. The results showed that the proposed model has a good fit and explained 63% of the variance of constructive problem-solving. The results showed that self-directed learning on constructive problem solving (β=0.65) and academic self-efficacy (0.61 β) had a direct and significant effect (P<0.05); Also, academic self-efficacy had a significant direct effect on constructive problem solving (β=0.21) (P<0.05). The results of the bootstrap test showed that academic self-efficacy played a mediating role between self-directed learning and constructive problem-solving (β=0.13) (P<0.05). All in all, it can be concluded that self-directed learning has a direct effect on students' constructive problem-solving through the mediation of academic self-efficacy.

The objective of this study is to identify the cognitive neuroscience components related to problem-solving in individuals with different cultural backgrounds.

 This study followed a qualitative approach, utilizing semi-structured interviews. The sample consisted of 22 participants from Tehran, with diverse cultural backgrounds. Data were collected through individual interviews and analyzed using Nvivo software. The data analysis followed a thematic analysis approach and continued until theoretical saturation was achieved.

The results revealed that cognitive components such as problem-solving strategies, creative thinking, problem analysis, and learning from past experiences directly impacted the quality of problem-solving. Additionally, information processing and decision-making were identified as key cognitive neuroscience components. Cultural differences also played a significant role in the selection of strategies and information processing. Participants from collectivist cultural backgrounds tended to prefer group-based methods, while individuals from individualist backgrounds favored independent strategies.

This study demonstrates that both cognitive neuroscience components and cultural differences simultaneously influence the problem-solving process. Understanding these components can enhance problem-solving methods at both individual and group levels and can be valuable in the design of educational and multicultural counseling programs.

The aim of this study is to identify behavioral and cognitive patterns related to enhancing problem-solving skills in elementary school children. This qualitative study used thematic analysis. Fourteen elementary school children from Tehran were purposively selected. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, and analysis was performed using Nvivo software and thematic analysis. The study focused on identifying behavioral and cognitive patterns affecting children's problem-solving processes. The findings indicated that cognitive skills such as logical and critical thinking, social skills like collaboration and group interaction, and self-regulation skills were key factors in enhancing problem-solving abilities in children. Moreover, social interactions and self-control skills significantly improved children's ability to solve complex problems. The results of this study suggest that strengthening cognitive and social skills in elementary school children can significantly help them in solving complex problems and improving their academic performance. These findings can assist educators in designing more effective educational programs focused on problem-solving.

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between boredom, working memory, and problem-solving with food craving in overweight individuals.

This fundamental and correlational study was conducted through a survey method. The statistical population included adults aged 17 to 70 years with a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or higher. Data collection tools included the Food Cravings Questionnaire-Trait (FCQ-T), the Multidimensional State Boredom Scale (MSBS), the Heppner Problem-Solving Inventory (PSI), and the Daneman and Carpenter Working Memory Test. Data were analyzed using the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test, Pearson correlation, and stepwise regression analysis.

Results indicated a positive and significant correlation between boredom and food craving, and a negative and significant correlation between working memory, problem-solving, and food craving. Working memory alone predicted 15% of the variance in food craving. With the addition of boredom and problem-solving, the explained variance increased to 21%. Furthermore, including age and gender in the model raised the explained variance to 32%.

The findings suggest that working memory, problem-solving skills, and boredom significantly predict food craving, and age and gender further enhance these predictive relationships. These results can inform psychological interventions aimed at controlling food cravings among overweight individuals.

Problem-solving is a goal-directed cognitive process that involves evaluating a problem and generating solutions to achieve desired outcomes. This skill is influenced by optimal timing regulation and self-control. The present study aimed to examine the role of total time, delay time, task difficulty, reaction time, and self-control in the speed-accuracy trade-off.
The sample consisted of 54 female students aged 10 to 11 years, with no history of illness, who were selected through convenience sampling from non-profit schools in Mashhad during the 2022–2023 academic year. The Tower of London task was used to assess accuracy in problem-solving, delay time, total time, and task difficulty, while the Flanker task was employed to measure self-control and reaction time. Multiple regression and mediation analyses were conducted in SPSS-26 to predict the influence of these variables on problem-solving accuracy.
The results indicated that total time (β = -0.769), delay time (β = 0.574), task difficulty (β = 0.388), and reaction time (β = -0.160) significantly predicted problem-solving accuracy. Specifically, an increase in total time led to decreased accuracy, whereas a longer delay before initiating problem-solving improved accuracy. Although the moderating role of self-control in the relationship between delay time, total time, and accuracy was not significant (p > 0.05), stepwise regression revealed that self-control was a significant predictor of accuracy (β = 0.157).
Thus, timing plays a crucial role in problem-solving accuracy. Allocating sufficient time for cognitive processing before responding can enhance performance, whereas prolonged problem-solving may reduce accuracy due to increased cognitive load or inefficient strategies. However, task difficulty and the nature of the task are also key factors in this relationship. The non-significant moderating effect of self-control may be attributed to its broader connections with other cognitive dimensions in participants.

The aim of this study was effectiveness of problem solving training on depression and anxiety of adolescent students during the Corona virus era. This research was a quasi experimental type with a pretest-posttest design and followup with a control group. 30 teenage students were selected by purposive sampling method and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups (15). The problem solving training program was implemented in 10 one-hour sessions on the experimental group for measured using to Depression Questionnaire (Beck, Steer & Brown 1996) and Anxiety Questionnaire (Beck, Spstein, Brown & Steer, 1988). The data was analyzed through the method of Mixed ANOVA and it showed that there was a significant difference in the mean scores of the participants in depression and anxiety in the posttest compared to the pretest. There was no significant change between the posttest and follow-up scores in the depression and anxiety of the students in the experimental group, which indicated the significant persistence of the changes in the follow-up phase. Results showed necessity of using the problem solving training program for teenagers in order to cope effectively in critical situations.

The present study aimed to examine the relationship between metacognitive strategies and problem solving with the role of mediating creative mindsets and divergent thinking in undergraduate students at Lorestan University. The method this research is basic in terms of its purpose and descriptive-correlational in terms of the method of collecting structural equation modeling data. The statistical population in the research included all students of Lorestan University in the academic year 2022-2023 in the number of 4439 of which 375 people were cluster randomly as a sample. In this research, problem solving inventory parker's (1997), cognition and metacognition strategies questionnaire of McInroy and Dawson (2004), creative mindset scale Karwowski (2014) and learning style inventory Kolb (1985) questionnaire were used to collected information. Data analysis use of SPSS-26 software and structural equation modeling in AMOS-24. The results show that a significant direct positive effect of metacognitive strategies on problem solving among students. Also, creative mindsets and divergent thinking the has a significant direct effect on the problem solving among students. Additionally, metacognitive strategies has a significant indirect effect on problem solving through creative mindsets (β=0.483) and metacognitive strategies has a significant indirect effect on problem solving through divergent thinking (β=0.054). The results show that creative mindsets and divergent thinking have a mediating positive and significant effect the relationship between metacognitive strategies and problem solving.

Mathematical disorder is one of the common learning disabilities among students, where, despite having normal intelligence and physical health, students do not perform well in mathematical calculations. The aim of the present study was to compare the effectiveness of neuropsychological intervention with and without electrical brain stimulation on the executive functions and problem-solving abilities of students with mathematical learning disabilities. The research design was a factorial experimental design of the pretest-posttest type with a control group. The statistical population of the study included all male students aged 9 to 12 in the city of Tabriz during the academic year 2021-2022. The sample consisted of 60 students with mathematical learning disabilities (15 in each group), selected through convenience sampling based on entry criteria and diagnostic interviews for learning disabilities based on DSM-5. The research tools included the Kimmat Mathematical Test, Mathematical Problem Solving Test, and Barkley Executive Function Deficits Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS-24 software and multivariate covariance analysis, univariate analysis, and Bonferroni pairwise comparison tests. The results showed that there was a significant difference between the mean scores of the experimental groups (neuropsychological intervention with and without electrical brain stimulation) and the control group (p < 0.001). Bonferroni pairwise comparisons indicated that the scores of the interactive group were significantly higher than those of the other groups (p < 0.001). Mathematics plays an important role in the education and daily lives of individuals, and neuropsychological interventions with electrical brain stimulation are one of the essential tools for enhancing mathematical problem-solving skills and executive functions.

Overcoming problems and solving them, and maintaining mental and physical health in life, is very important. By improving cognitive abilities and increasing the processing speed of the mind, it is possible to improve the quality and health of life throughout life. The main goal of this research is to investigate the effect of transcranial direct current electrical stimulation (tDCS) on cognitive flexibility, problem solving and brain processing speed in students. This research was conducted as a semi-experimental design with a pre-test and post-test and a one-month follow-up phase. In this research, 30 people were selected as a sample using the purposeful sampling method and they were randomly divided into two experimental and control groups. The tDCS test group was subjected to electrical stimulation during two weeks and in 10 sessions, with a current intensity of 2 milliamps and for 20 minutes. At first, after finishing the stimulation program, and also one month later, tests of cognitive flexibility, problem solving and brain processing speed were taken from both groups and the results were analyzed using covariance test with repeated measurements. Based on the obtained results, it was observed that the difference between the groups is significant and indicates a positive and significant effect of intracranial direct current stimulation on cognitive flexibility, problem solving and brain processing speed. Also, according to the one-month follow-up phase, the mentioned effects are stable.

The aim was to investigate the effectiveness of interactive augmented reality technology on creativity and problem solving of sixth grade students. The current research method was a semi-experimental type and a pre-test-post-test design with a control group. The statistical population of this research included all the male students of the 6th grade of the elementary school in the 1st district of Karaj in the academic year 2022-2023. Available sampling method was used to select the statistical sample. In this way, 70 people were selected from among them and randomly replaced in two experimental (35 people) and control (35 people) groups. Data collection tools included creative thinking questionnaire and Heppner problem solving questionnaire. The experimental group was trained for 8 sessions of 45 minutes (2 sessions per week) with the augmented reality-based training protocol for the science lesson. The group was trained in the traditional and common way. After the end of the sessions in the experimental and control groups, the creativity and problem-solving questionnaire test was again implemented as a post-test on both groups and after collecting the data was analyzed. Descriptive and inferential statistics from SPSS statistical software were used for data analysis. The result of the research showed that interactive augmented reality is effective on the creativity of secondary school students. Also, the result of the research showed that interactive augmented reality is effective on problem solving ability and its sub-components, including scales of confidence in solving problems,

The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of working memory training on improving problem-solving, cognitive inhibition, attitudes toward mathematics, and mathematics anxiety in students with mathematical learning disorders.
 
The research employed a quasi-experimental design with pre-test, post-test, and follow-up phases. The statistical population included all male and female students with mathematical disabilities who had been referred to elementary school learning disability centers in Isfahan City during the 2021-2022 academic year. From this population, 30 students were selected through purposive sampling and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group received working memory training during 14 sessions, each lasting 60 minutes. Before and after training, participants completed a researcher-made problem-solving questionnaire, the John Ridley Stroop Test (1935), Ikon’s Attitude Towards Mathematics Scale (1971), and the Chiu and Henry Mathematics Anxiety Scale (1990).
 
The results of the mixed-design analysis of variance showed that working memory training significantly increased problem-solving skills, reduced cognitive inhibition, improved attitudes toward mathematics, and reduced mathematics anxiety (p < 0.01).
 
Working memory training effectively improves the cognitive and affective abilities of students with mathematical learning disorders.

This research was conducted with the aim of predicting academic self-efficacy based on problem solving skills and perception of school atmosphere in female students of the first secondary level.

The research was descriptive-cross-sectional and correlational. All female students studying in the first secondary level of public schools in Isfahan city in 2022 formed the statistical population of this research, which were selected by multi-stage cluster random sampling method, numbering 150. Research tools included academic self-efficacy questionnaire, problem solving questionnaire and school atmosphere perception questionnaire. Pearson's correlation test and linear regression analysis were used to analyze the data.

The results showed that there was a positive and significant relationship between problem solving and academic self-efficacy, and 18% of the variance related to academic self-efficacy was explained by confidence in problem solving, self-confidence and personal control. Also, there is a positive and significant relationship between the variables of school climate perception and academic self-efficacy, and 17% of the variance related to academic self-efficacy is explained by student-student relationships, student-staff relationships, educational emphasis, and shared values and beliefs. Became.

From these results, it can be concluded that by focusing educational methods on solving problems and perception of school atmosphere, it is possible to provide the possibility of growth and improvement of students' academic self-efficacy.

The objective of the present study was to develop a problem-solving training package based on dialectical behavior therapy specifically for traumatized children. The research environment included all texts related to childhood trauma and dialectical behavior therapy. The method of selecting participants was purposive sampling from the aforementioned texts based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. The number of mothers was determined according to the principle of saturation. The data collection method involved line-by-line analysis of texts. The data obtained from the review of texts were analyzed using content analysis. Two dimensions were extracted from the content analysis of dialectical behavior therapy, which were: 1) psychopathology with three main concepts (emotional vulnerability, invalidating environment, and emotional dysregulation) and 2) therapeutic interventions consisting of two dimensions (individual interventions and group skills training). Three main dimensions were extracted from the content analysis of trauma, which included: 1) types of traumatic events, 2) factors influencing trauma experience, and 3) trauma manifestations. The results of the analysis led to the development of the training package using Yusefi and Golparvar’s (2023) dialectical behavior therapy therapeutic components, and trauma manifestations from childhood trauma were incorporated into the training sessions in such a way that trauma manifestations were addressed through problem-solving methods with the help of dialectical behavior therapy strategies. The package was then validated by university professors. The calculation of the agreement coefficient indicated that this training package has content validity and can be used for improving traumatized children.