فصلنامه سلامت روان کودک
سال نهم شماره 1 (پیاپی 30، بهار 1401)

The function of Art Therapy is the simplification of positive changes like happiness with communicating to a therapist by implementing artistic elements in a safe atmosphere. It is worth mentioning that, one of the illnesses with intense negative effects, particularly on children is cancer; as a result, the goal of this research was to study the effect of expressive art therapy on children with cancer ranging in age from 6-10 years old.

This research was a quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest design. The sample consisted of 30 children with cancer from Isfahan in 2017, selected by convenience sampling method and randomly assigned to the experimental (n=15) and control groups (n=15). The experimental group received color therapy for 15 sessions, while the control group did not receive any. To gather data the children's happiness scale (Morgan, 2014) has been utilized. Data were analyzed by ANCOVA using SPSS-22 software.

The results showed that there was a significant difference between the experimental and the control group in Happy Thought and Happy mood (p<0/05).

We can conclude that art activities that incorporate color and emphasize the release of negative emotions improve the happiness of children with cancer, and this can be recommended as a proper form of treatment for children with cancer.

Parenting is one of the most difficult tasks that adults without any special preparation undertake to perform. Especially if one of the children has an intellectual disability, the parents may face various problems. In this regard, the present study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of family life education in reducing the stress of mothers of children with intellectual disabilities (ID).

The present study is a quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest and a control group design. The sample consisted of 60 mothers of children with intellectual disabilities from exceptional children's schools in Rasht in 2017-2018 who were selected by purposive sampling. After entering the evaluation stage and receiving informed consent, these participants were placed in the experimental (n=30) and control (n=30) groups. Participants completed the Parental Stress Index (PSI; Abidin, 1990) at the beginning as a pre-test stage, and after eight 90-minute group therapy sessions for the experimental groups, in the post-test stages, both groups were re-measured. Data were analyzed by multivariate analysis of covariance in the SPSS-24 software environment.

The results of this study showed that family life education leads to a reduction in reinforcement (38.42), acceptance (28.51), adaptability (18.92), hyperactivity (30.47), sense of competence (17.54), sense of attachment (16.42), feeling of limitation (39.53), feeling of depression (44.49), relationship with a spouse (16.22) and parental health (16.86) in mothers of children with intellectual disability (p <0.01).

The findings of this study showed that increasing the skills of mothers of children with an intellectual disability through the program of behavior modification and familiarity with parenting techniques can significantly reduce the stress of parents of children with intellectual disabilities.

Executive functions have played a key role in early childhood and have been known as one of the predictors of school readiness. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of Chucky & Nelly educational-cognitive game in developing cold and hot executive function skills in preschool children and to compare the two groups in terms of their school readiness skills.

The present study was of a quasi-experimental study design in the form of a pre-test and post-test with a control group. The statistical population of the study included all preschool children in Ahvaz in the academic year of 2019-2020; 204 of which were selected through a multi-stage cluster random sampling and randomly divided into experimental (n=102) and control (n=102) groups. The intervention plan was performed on the experimental group in ten 30-minutes-sessions for 1 month. In order to gather data, the following instruments were used: Cold Executive Function Questionnaires: Go/No-Go Task (Hofman, 1948), Box Task (Kessels & Postma, 2018), and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (Grant & Berg, 1948), Hot Executive Function: 3-items Emotional Flexible Item Selection Task (3-item EM-FIST) (Marcus et al., 2016), and Delay Discounting Test (Nejati et al., 2019), and School Readiness: The Bracken School Readiness Assessment Test: Third Edition (Bracken & Panter, 2009), and Social-Emotional School Readiness Scale (Bustin, 2007).

The results of the analysis of covariance exhibited that Chucky & Nelly game has affected the improvement of cold (working memory, inhibition, and cognitive flexibility) and hot (delayed gratification and affective flexibility) executive function skills (p<0/01) and the results of comparing the mean scores of the two groups in terms of school readiness showed that the experimental group have obtained a higher score (academically from 17.56 to 25.17 and social-emotionally 56.76 to 75.06).

Using group games, especially at preschool age, which is a critical stage in the development of hot and cold executive functions, by stimulating children’s senses through playing with peers and using a real-life situation such as playing in a preschool environment can help children to generalize cognitive developments, at least in other similar situations or tasks, as well as, executive functions that have been known as important predictors of school readiness skills.

Adolescents are more prone to aggressive behavior because of peer pressure and a diversified social environment. Thus, the aim of this study was to develop a psychosocial empowerment package based on the choice theory and investigate its effectiveness in reducing aggression among adolescents in Tehran.

The present study has been designed as a practical study and was performed as a quasi-experimental study with a pretest/posttest and follow-up. A sample of 30 female secondary school students from the 3rd district of Tehran was selected based on the available method. Of these 30 students, 15 were randomly assigned to the experimental group and 15 to the control group during the period 2019-20. The experimental group received 8 sessions of a researcher-made psychosocial empowerment training based on the Choice Theory (Glasser, 1999), while the control group underwent no intervention. The data collection instrument was the Aggression Questionnaire (Buss and Perry, 1992). Data were analyzed using RMANCOVA and RMMANCOVA.

 This study revealed a significant group effect on the aggression variable and components of physical aggression, verbal aggression, anger, and hostility in female high school students (P<0.001). Second, the difference between the two groups for the aggression variable and its components was significant, and in the population as a whole, it was greater than 0.1.

Results suggested that psychosocial empowerment, based on choice theory, had a significant impact on aggression among adolescents and its components; and the favorable effects were sustained over time. Therefore, this package can be used along with other existing therapeutic approaches as a suitable option for reducing aggression in adolescents.

The increasing use of the Internet by students can lead to problems such as addiction and dependence, which can have an adverse effect on their academic and personal achievements. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the effectiveness of self-determination theory (SDT) training and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on sleep quality and academic hope in students with Internet gaming disorder (IGD) with and without comorbidity of Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

The study was designed as a quasi-experimental pre-test-post-test study with a control group and a follow-up phase. The statistical population consisted of all students aged 12 to 14 years with IGD in Khorramabad in 2019 (N=5200); From which 42 children were selected by purposive sampling method and randomly assigned to two experimental groups (n=28) and one control group (n=14).The instruments used included IGD-20 Test (Pontes et al. 2014), the Child Symptom Inventory-4 (CSI-4; Sprafkin & Gadow, 1994), Academic Hope Scale (AHS, Khormaei & Kamari, 2018) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI, Buysse et al, 1989). The intervention groups received 9 two-hour sessions of SDT training (intervention group 1) and ACT (intervention group 2)). Data analysis was performed using analysis of covariance in SPSS26 environment.

The results of data analysis showed that in both groups of SDT training and ACT, there was a significant difference between the two stages of post-test and follow-up in sleep quality and academic hope (p <0.0001); Also, by controlling the effect of pretest, the interaction of two variables of group membership and comorbidity of ADHD group in students' academic hope was significant (p <0.0001).

SDT training and ACT can both benefit students with Internet gaming disorder and have a significant impact on their sleep quality and academic hope.

It is common for mothers of children with special learning disorders to experience stress due to their child's.The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of reality therapy training on cognitive flexibility and differentiation in mothers with children with special learning disorders.

The present study was a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest study with a control group and a follow-up stage. The statistical population of the study consisted of all mothers with children with special learning disorders in Tehran in the academic year 2020-2021. Thirty mothers of children with special learning disorders who were referred to the centers for special learning difficulties were selected by available sampling and divided into two experimental and control groups. The experimental group received 7 sessions of reality therapy. The instruments included the Cognitive Flexibility Questionnaire (Dennis and Vanderwall, 2010) and the Self-Differentiation Questionnaire (Skowron E and Friedlander, 1998). Research data were analyzed by repeated measures analysis of variance.

Reality therapy training was effective on the components of cognitive flexibility (perception of controllability, perception of different options and perception of justification of behavior) (P<0.01), and components of self-differentiation (emotional reactivity, emotional cutoff, I position and fusion with others) (0.01). > P), and these results were maintained in the follow-up period (P<0.01).

By emphasizing the qualitative world of individuals in reality therapy, members are able to develop self-control by changing their mental images in their desired world, resulting in a positive self-image, leading to increased flexibility and differentiation.

Despite interventions designed to reduce symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), no effective treatments have been identified that effectively decrease impulsivity and risk-taking behaviors. In this regard, this study aimed to determine the effectiveness of a mindfulness-based intervention that has recently been introduced to improve impulsivity and risk-taking behaviors in adolescents with ADHD.

The present research was a single-subject experimental study with multiple baselines and follow-up. The study sample consisted of four adolescents with ADHD in the age range of 15 to 18 years who had been randomly selected from a clinical center in Rasht in 2020-2021. To measure the research variables, the Barratt Impulsivity Scale (Patton et al., 1995) and the Iranian Adolescents Risk-taking Scale (Zadeh Mohammadi et al., 2011) were used. The mindfulness and modification treatment (MMT) was implemented in 12 weekly 45-minute sessions, each of which included a 3 to 16-minute mindfulness exercise and a review of previous homework and presentation of new homework. The effect size, reliable change, and percentage of non-overlapping data were used to assess statistical significance; improvement percentage was used to assess clinical significance.

The findings showed that according to three indices of reliable change, effect size, and percentage of non-overlapping data, the effectiveness of this intervention in reducing impulsivity and risk-taking behaviors was statistically significant, but the improvement percentage index could not show its clinical significance.

According to the findings, it can be concluded that MMT by affecting awareness of present experience and strengthening emotion regulation can reduce impulsivity and risk-taking behaviors.

A considerable percentage of families in Iran have children with intellectual disabilities who have various problems, including sleep disorders, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), aggression, self-injury, and personality disorders. This study investigates the effectiveness of positive psychology on caregiver burden and self-criticism in mothers of children with mild intellectual disabilities.

This is a semi-experimental study that includes a pre-test post-test control group design with follow-up. The study population includes all mothers of children with mild intellectual disabilities who were studying in special needs schools in Qaem Shahr province from 2018 to 2019. A total of 30 subjects were selected through purposeful sampling and randomly divided into the control group (n=15) and the experimental group (n=15). Eight 90-minute sessions of intervention were conducted with the experimental group. The control group received no intervention. The data were collected by applying the multidimensional caregiver burden inventory by Novak and Cast (1989), and the levels of self-criticism scale by Tampson and Zarof (2004). Data were analyzed by SPSS 22 using the repeated-measures analyses of variance (ANOVA).

The findings showed that positive psychology was associated with reduced caregiver burden dimensions (P>0.001) (F2.27=25.791) and self-criticism dimensions (P>0.001) (F2.27=29.465) in mothers of children with intellectual disabilities. Except for comparative self-criticism, the consistency of treatment was observed with other variables in the follow-up.

Through the use of positive psychology interventions, the mothers were able to change their attitudes toward multiple issues, including negative emotions, unpleasant emotions, and self-determination, leading to a reduction in caregiver burden and self-criticism.

Learning disabilities affect many aspects of a person's life, including social skills, and most children with poor social skills are depressed and isolated. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a structural pattern of social skills of children with learning disabilities based on attachment styles with the mediating role of academic self-efficacy, behavioral problems, and executive functions.

The present study was an applied research in its objective and a survey-correlational study using structural equations in the method of gathering the data. A sample of 200 students with learning disabilities referred to Bujika Center for the Treatment of Learning Disabilities in Tehran in 2018-2019 was selected by convenience sampling. The Social Skills Rating System-Parents Version (Gresham & Elliott, 1990), the Kinship Center Attachment Questionnaire (Halpern & Kappenberg, 2006), the Academic Self-Efficacy Scale (Jinks & Morgan, 1999), the Children's Behavior Questionnaire (Rutter, 1967), and the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functions (BRIEF; Gioia, Isquit, Guy, Kenworthy, 2000) were used to collect data. Research data were analyzed by structural equation modeling and mediation effect testing in the proposed model using the bootstrap method.

The proposed model was found to fit the data. Results indicated that anxious and avoidant attachment styles and academic self-efficacy predicted social skills negatively and positively, respectively (p<0.05). Furthermore, results showed that academic self-efficacy mediates the relationship between anxious and avoidant attachment styles and social skills. Moreover, the findings indicated that the secure attachment style was indirectly effective on children with learning disabilities social skills due to the mediating role of executive functions, and this was statistically significant (p<0.01).

According to the results of this study, academic self-efficacy, behavioral problems, and executive functions are mediators in the relationship between social skills and attachment styles in children with learning disabilities.

The Raven’s Colored Progressive Matrices test is one of the valid IQ tests that is used to measure general intelligence (general factor). The Children's Colored version of this test is a useful tool for measuring 6 to 11 year old children. The purpose of this study was to determine the psychometric indicators and standardization of this test to assess the intelligence of elementary school students in Rasht.

The present study was a standardization study. In this study, confirmatory factor analysis was used to evaluate the validity of the scale. In order to estimate the parameters, the method of Weighted Least Square Mean and Variance Adjusted (WLSMV) with M-Plus 7.4 software was used. For this purpose, from the statistical population of elementary school students in Rasht who were studying in the academic year 2020-21 (N=48500), a sample of 1643 students were selected via random clustering method from privileged and semi-privileged areas and were tested. Assessment tools included Raven’s 36-item Colored Progressive Matrices (1949) and the non-verbal part of the fifth edition Stanford Binet IQ scale (2011).

Findings of the validity of the test showed a positive and significant correlation between the Children's Raven Colored Progressive Matrices scales and Stanford Binet (P<0.001, r=0.758), which indicates the favorable validity of the Children's Raven Colored Progressive Matrices Scale. Also, in evaluating the reliability of the Children's Raven Colored Progressive Matrices scales by Cronbach's alpha and test-retest in total and by gender, the obtained coefficients in the whole scale and by gender were more than 0.7. Also, using the standard score calculation method (z scores), the IQ equations of students in 6 grades of boys and girls (grades 1 to 6) on the Stanford-Binet IQ scale with an average of 100 and a standard deviation of 15 were obtained.

The Raven’s Colored Progressive Matrices is a good tool for measuring general intelligence. It is necessary to determine local norms for testing the intelligence of Colored Progressive matrices and the appropriateness of non-verbal psychometric tests in order to identify students with learning disabilities.

Changes in the structure and function of the family are among the most interesting topics for psychologists. A number of reasons have led to single-parent families not being nuclear. The transformation of the nuclear family into a single-parent family can impact various aspects of the children's and adolescents’ development. This research aimed to compare executive function, working memory, and academic performance of female students from nuclear and single-parent families.

The research method was a causal-comparative type. The population included all female students in the first and second grades of secondary school in the 2017-2018 school year. Eighty female students (including 40 students from nuclear families and 40 students from single-parent families) were selected through multistage cluster sampling in two stages. The research instrument included the Wisconsin Test Software (Grant & Berg), students’ averages from the previous year, and the Wechsler Memory Scale (form A) (Wechsler). Data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of variance and independent t-tests.

The results showed that female students in nuclear families scored higher than female students in single-parent families in executive functions, working memory and its subscales, and academic performance (P <0.01).

According to the research results, female students from single-parent families have lower executive functions, poorer working memory, and lower academic performance than students from nuclear families due to the absence of a parent in the family, which can contribute to a reduced social support system and lower socioeconomic status. Therefore, these problems can be solved through education and family counseling and the implementation of special rehabilitation programs for this group of students.

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders in childhood that adversely affects the executive functions of people with the disorder. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness and compare pharmacotherapy and neurofeedback in improving executive functions in children with attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder.

This research was a quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest design with two experimental and one control groups. The statistical population included all male children with ADHD in exceptional schools of Rasht city in the second semester of the academic year 2020-2021. The research sample consisted of 36 children in the mentioned community who were selected by convenience sampling method and randomly assigned to three groups (12 in the pharmacotherapy group, 12 in the neurofeedback group and 12 in the control group). Data collection tool of this research included Behaviour Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) (Gioia et al., 2000). Data were analyzed using analysis of covariance in SPSS22.

The results showed that both pharmacotherapy and neurofeedback methods were effective on improving overall executive functions in children with ADHD (p<0.001). However, neurofeedback was more effective than pharmacotherapy on improving overall executive functions and its components in children with ADHD (p <0.001).

As well as the effect of pharmaceutical therapy on brain structures, neurofeedback also uses operant conditioning learning principles to affect brain structures, and functionally, it also improves self-regulation skills, enhances brain function, and ultimately improves executive function in children with attention-deficit / hyperactivity disorder as well as changes and improves brain waves.