The Effectiveness of Executive Function Instruction based on the Anderson's Model on Learning Behaviors and Academic Performance among the Students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Aim and The deficits of executive functions, as higher cognitive functions, are of the main criteria of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The disorder tends to disrupt in behavior learning and academic performance. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of the curriculum of executive functions based on the Anderson’s executive control model on learning behaviors and academic performance among the students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Methods and Materials: This was a semi-experimental study with pre-posttest design with two experimental and control groups. The target population of this research was the total of students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder among all sixth grade elementary schools in district 15 of Tehran City, Iran. 30 students were selected using random sampling, and divided into two groups of experimental and control. The experimental group received ten working sessions of curriculum of executive functions based on the Anderson’s model. The used tools were Conners Teacher Questionnaire, Dortaj Academic Performance Questionnaire, and McDermott Learning Behaviors Scale (LBS). Data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance method.
Findings: The curriculum of executive functions based on the Anderson’s model effectively increased self-efficacy, emotional effects, planning, and lack of control of the outcomes of educational performance (P The curriculum of executive functions based on the Anderson’s executive control model has an impact on improving the learning behaviors and academic performance among the students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.