The effect of computer-based cognitive rehabilitation on the cognitive regulation of emotion and understanding of emotion in students with specific learning disabilities

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of computer-based cognitive rehabilitation on cognitive regulation of emotion and emotion understanding in children with specific learning disorders. This research was conducted in a semi-experimental way (pre-test - post-test with a control and follow-up group). The statistical population of this study consisted of all the students with specific learning disorders (10-12 years old), who had been referred to the learning disorders center in Ardabil between the first of October and the middle of November 2017 (123 people). 30 of them were selected through purposive sampling (selection of volunteer students to participate in the research) (16 boys and 14 girls) and the emotional regulation questionnaires of Garnefsky et al. in identifying emotions and difficulty in describing emotions) were completed in three stages. The students of the experimental group completed the tasks of the cognitive rehabilitation package in 12 sessions of 45 minutes in a period of four weeks. The results of the covariance analysis of the data showed that the cognitive rehabilitation package based on a computer has an effect on improving rumination, positive refocusing, refocusing on planning, positive reappraisal, and acceptance of cognitive regulation of emotions in children with specific learning disorders, as well as understanding their emotions. The significance and comparison of the post-test results with the one-month follow-up test indicate the stability of this effect. Therefore, since these students are facing problems in cognitive regulation and emotional understanding, such interventions can solve their problems in this field.