مجله مطالعات ناتوانی
سال چهارم شماره 3 (پاییز 1393)

The aim of the present research was to investigate and compare the effects of different altered auditory feedback conditions including delayed auditory feedback (DAF) and frequency altered feedback (FAF) on stuttering frequency by means of percentage of syllables stuttered (SS%) in persons who stuttered during monologue speech production. Methods & Material: Twenty-two 17-44 year-old persons who stuttered participated in this study. Each one produced 14 monologue speech samples. On the whole، a total of 308 samples under 6 different altered auditory feedback conditions and a control one were produced. The research was done in 2 sessions using the Fluency Coach Software. On average، the altered auditory feedback decreased stuttering by 54% and 52% in session one and two، respectively. All 6 altered auditory feedback conditions reduced stuttering frequency in comparison with the control condition. However، this reduction was only significant in 65 ms delay (p=0. 001)، 75 ms delay (p<0. 001)، 65 ms delay minus 0. 5 octave (p=0. 012) and 75 ms delay plus 0. 5 octave (p=0. 014). The participants’ responses to altered auditory feedback were not equal and varied in the two sessions. Altered auditory feedback reduces stuttering frequency in monologue speech production، but not all combinations have a significant effect on reducing stuttering. The rate of utilization of this method varies across different persons.

Nowadays more people reach old age as life expectancy increases. Among the main causes of disease among the elderly are risky behavior such as smoking, lack of exercise and unhealthy eating habits. Hence, many lifestyle-related diseases are preventable. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between lifestyle and health among the elderly in Tehran.Methods & Materials: A cross-sectional descriptive - analytical study was conducted. Forty elderly people visiting Tehran’s parks were selected through convenience sampling. A researcher-made questionnaire was used to collect data. The validity and reliability of the tool had been evaluated before the study and the results were acceptable. Descriptive-analytical statistical methods were used to analyze data. The mean age of the participants was 69.12 years. Nine (27.3%) of them were female and the rest were male. 72.7% were married. 54.5% were illiterate or had primary education, 18.2% had secondary to high school education, and 27.3% had an educational level higher than high school. The mean hours of sleep at night was 7.76 (±1.35). 21 individuals (65.6%) were non-smokers, 15 (21.9%) were smokers, and 4 (12.5%) smoked the water-pipe. According to the final nutritional status score, 27 individuals (81.8%) had good dietary habits, and 6 (18.2%) had dangerous eating habits. Of these 69.7% were well aware of their health status, 6.1% were moderately aware and 24.3% were ill-informed about their health status. The physical fitness status of 81.8% of them was very good. 26 individuals (78.7%) had included one to three exercise programs in their daily activities. data analysis results did not show any significant relationship between the elderly health status and their education, hours of night sleep, cigarette smoking -its duration or numbers (p>0.05). However, the health status was significantly associated with physical fitness (p=0.003) and the number of exercise programs (p=0.002). The health status of more than half the subjects was very good. Among the aspects related to lifestyle, including education, sleep habits, smoking habits, exercise and fitness, only the last two showed significant associations with health status. Our results are in line with those of similar studies, confirming the importance of promoting physical fitness and exercise programs in the elderly with the aim of improving their health status.

The goal of this study was to investigate the relationship between strength and muscle tone with upper limb function in hemiplegic children. In this cross-sectional (descriptive-analytical) study thirty-seven 5-10 year-old hemiplegic children with cerebral palsy were selected through convenient sampling. They were selected from those attending the clinics affiliated with the ‘University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences’ of Tehran. The participants’ hand function skills were evaluated by the ‘Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency’, the level of spasticity was evaluated by the Ashworth Scale and strength was evaluated by the Vigorimeter. All data were analyzed with SPSS 16. Data analysis showed significant associations between strength and dexterity (p=0.000), bilateral coordination (p=0.024), upper motor coordination (p=0.000) and visual-motor coordination (p=0.045), and between wrist muscle tone and dexterity (p=0.01), bilateral coordination (p=0.035), upper limb coordination (p=0.013) and visual-motor coordination (p=0.032), as well as between elbow muscle tone and dexterity (p=0.004), and visual-motor coordination (p=0.017). However, there was no signification association between the shoulder muscle tone and upper motor function (p≤0.05). There was a positive relationship between muscle strength and upper motor function of hemiplegic children. And there was a negative relationship between wrist spasticity and upper motor function.

The aim of the current study was to translate and cross-culturally adapt the Swedish Occupational Fatigue Inventory (SOFI) into Persian and to evaluate its face and convergent validity.Method & Material: A methodological study was performed according to standard IQOLA protocols, including the following steps: translating the SOFI questionnaire, evaluating the quality of the translation, back-translation and comparison of the English version with the Persian version by the original developer. The translated version was completed by 200 nurses. The Persian version of the Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS) questionnaire was used to evaluate the convergent validity. Spearman’s correlation was used to evaluate the correlation between the items. On the whole, the translations of the sentences were easy. The quality of the translation including the ‘clarity of translation, common language use, conceptual equivalence, and overall translation quality’ of the items was good. Face validity of the questionnaire was acceptable and did not lead to multiple changes in the questionnaire. Spearman’s correlation coefficient showed a high correlation between the total SOFI score and total (Persian) MFIS score (r=0.71 and p<0.01). The Persian version of the SOFI has acceptable face and convergent validity and is ready for further evaluation of its reliability.

We aimed to determine the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral educational programs for body image in children with cancer.Methods & Materials: A Quasi-Experimental study of pretest-posttest design was conducted. The statistical sample consisted of seven 10-15 year-old children hospitalized in Mofid Children's Hospital and Tehran's Shohada Hospital. Convenience sampling was used to select the subjects. The Body Image Concern Inventory (BICI) was used to collect data. Dependent t-test was used to analyze data. In our study the ‘t’ value was not significant. Hence, we concluded that cognitive-behavioral educational programs for body image were not effective in children with cancer. In this study we investigated the effect of educational cognitive-behavioral programs for body image. However, our data indicated that educational cognitive-behavioral programs for body image were not effective in children with cancer. It seems that our results were due to limitations and problems at the time of implementation of the study. Moreover, the raw data indicated that this method was effective on some children. Probably, this discrepancy resulted from social and familial circumstances and other issues.

We aimed to determine the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral educational programs for body image in children with cancer.Methods & Materials: A Quasi-Experimental study of pretest-posttest design was conducted. The statistical sample consisted of seven 10-15 year-old children hospitalized in Mofid Children's Hospital and Tehran's Shohada Hospital. Convenience sampling was used to select the subjects. The Body Image Concern Inventory (BICI) was used to collect data. Dependent t-test was used to analyze data. In our study the ‘t’ value was not significant. Hence, we concluded that cognitive-behavioral educational programs for body image were not effective in children with cancer. In this study we investigated the effect of educational cognitive-behavioral programs for body image. However, our data indicated that educational cognitive-behavioral programs for body image were not effective in children with cancer. It seems that our results were due to limitations and problems at the time of implementation of the study. Moreover, the raw data indicated that this method was effective on some children. Probably, this discrepancy resulted from social and familial circumstances and other issues.

The purpose of the present research was to examine the effectiveness of social skills training on self-esteem and self-concept in dyslexic students.Methods & Materials: The statistical population consisted of all dyslexic students in 3rd and 4th grade in Rasht, from among which a sample of 24 students were selected through convenience sampling. They were then equally assigned to two (control and experiment) groups. This was a quasi-experimental study with a pre-test/post-test design and control group. To collect data, ‘Karami-Nouri & Moradi’s dyslexia scale (2008), Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (1974), Cooper-Smith’s self-concept scale (1967) and Beck’s self-esteem scale (1987) were used. The social skills training program was conducted for the experimental group in eight sessions in a period of two months. Analysis of covariance showed that social skills training significantly affected all the dimensions of self-esteem and all the dimensions of self-concept (P<0.001), expect for the moral component. These results have clinical implications for the prevention and improvement of self-esteem and self-concept among dyslexic students.

To investigate the effectiveness of visual-perceptual exercises and its impact on improving student's attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).Methods & Materials: A case study was conducted. Two students with ADHD attending ‘Navid Asr Center’ were selected through purposive sampling. The participants were 9 and 11 years old and their mean IQ was 100. Their ADHD was determined by their poor André Rey test outcomes. Upon administering the visual-perceptual exercises, the selective attention and concentration (d2) test was performed after the sixth and twelfth sessions again. At the end of the study the baseline d2 was drawn to evaluate the study results. The visual-perceptual exercises somewhat improved the children's overall efficiency score. Their errors lessened and their precision moderately increased. Moreover, their concentration considerably improved. If performed in the form of games, these exercises can improve perceptual and visual function in these children. Comparison of the mean values, charts and percentages showed that the application of visual-perceptual exercises improved the overall efficiency score, concentration, precision and attention in ADHD students.

The goal of this project was to study the possibility of improving intelligibility of speech without relying on auditory feedback and upon relying on other senses like kinesthetic, visual and tactile senses. Methodes & Materials: Intelligibility of a prelingually deaf adult was measured in the intended contexts of /x/ sound and /xa/ syllable before and after treatment. For assessment of intelligibility before and after treatment ‘Item Identification’ and ‘Rating Scale’ methods were used. The intervention was carried out through 10 one-hour sessions, held thrice a week. Based on three native Farsi Speakers’ judgments, the intelligibility of the /x/ sound and the /xa/ syllable improved from unintelligible to intelligible before and after the intervention. Based on the rating scale, the average improvement rate in both items was estimated at 86.67%. The treatment provided increased the intelligibility of speech in the aforementioned contexts. We may, therefore, conclude that intelligibility can improve without relying on the auditory sense and upon relying on other senses.