Metacognitive interventions in text production and working memory in students with ADHD

Abstract This study compared the effects of two metacognitive interventions on writing, working memory (WM), and behavioral symptoms of students with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The disorder was clinically diagnosed by a multidisciplinary team according to DSM-IV criteria. The first approach consisted of a combined intervention in text production and WM while the second focused only on WM. Participants were 47 students from the fifth to ninth grades of two public elementary schools in Porto Alegre (Brazil), randomized to one of the two interventions groups. Writing and WM were assessed before, immediately after, and 3 months after the interventions. The results suggest that both interventions contributed to improving behavior and school performance, whereas only the combined intervention increased the overall quality of narrative text, organization of paragraphs, and denouement.

Relação entre variáveis psicossociais familiares e desempenho em leitura/escrita em crianças / Relationship between family psychosocial variables and reading/writing performance in children / Relación entre variables psicosociais familiares y rendimiento de niños en lectura/escritura

Este artigo analisa a relação entre fatores psicossociais familiares e o desempenho em leitura e escrita a partir de um estudo comparativo realizado através de entrevista semiestruturada com 29 familiares de dois grupos de alunos de 2ª série do ensino fundamental. Por meio de avaliação neuropsicológica, os estudantes foram caracterizados em: com dificuldade de leitura e escrita e leitores e escritores competentes. As análises estatísticas evidenciaram associação significativa entre o grupo com dificuldade em leitura e escrita e as variáveis presença de transporte próprio na família, percepção dos familiares de que a criança teve dificuldades para aprender a ler e no desempenho da leitura, maior índice de repetência escolar e história familiar de dificuldade na leitura. Os resultados demonstram a importância da análise de fatores psicossociais familiares para a compreensão da complexidade que envolve o desenvolvimento de habilidades de leitura e escrita em crianças.

In this article we analyze the relationship between family psychosocial factors and the reading and writing performance in children. We conducted a comparative study through a semi-structured interview with 29 families of two groups of second grade students from elementary education. After the neuropsychological assessment, the students were characterized like either having trouble reading and writing or being efficient readers and writers. The statistic analysis highlighted the significant association between the group with troubles in reading and writing and the variables, like the presence of their own family transportation, the family's perception on the child's trouble learning to read, as well as his/her difficulty in reading performance, the children's higher index of repeating the school year and the family's history of difficulties in reading. The results obtained showed the importance of analyzing family psychosocial factors in order to understand the complex process of developing children's reading and writing skills.

Este artículo analiza la relación entre factores psicosociales familiares y el rendimiento en lectura y escritura a partir de estudio comparativo realizado a través de entrevista semi-estructurada con 29 familiares de dos grupos de alumnos de 2o año de enseñanza básica. Por medio de evaluación neuropsicológica, se caracterizó a los estudiantes en: "con dificultad de lectura y escritura" y "lectores y escritores competentes". Los análisis estadísticos mostraron asociación significativa entre el grupo con dificultad en lectura y escritura y las variables presencia de transporte propio en la familia, percepción de los familiares de que el niño tuvo dificultades para aprender a leer y en el rendimiento de la lectura, mayores índices de repetición escolar e historia familiar de dificultad en lectura. Los resultados demuestran la importancia del análisis de factores psicosociales familiares para la comprensión de la complejidad que envuelve el desarrollo de habilidades de lectura y escritura en niños.