Efficacy of Occupational Performance Coaching with and without Four Quadrant Model of Facilitated Learning for mothers of children with specific learning disorder: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: In addition to academic problems, children with a specific learning disability (SLD) encounter problems with participation in activities outside school. Purpose: To investigate the efficacy of Occupational Performance Coaching (OPC) with and without Four Quadrant Model of Facilitated Learning (4QM) in the mothers of children with SLD. Method: A single-blinded, parallel-group randomized clinical trial will be carried out. Mothers of children with SLD will constitute the participants and be allocated to experimental (OPC+4QM) and control (OPC alone) groups. Key issues: Children's occupational performance and satisfaction, participation in activities outside school, goals attainment, executive function, and academic achievement along with self-efficacy of mothers will be measured in baseline, post-intervention, and one-month follow-up stages. Implications: An OPC intervention protocol may improve children's participation in activities outside school and may help clarify whether 4QM promotes maternal empowerment and better results for children with SLD. Trial registration: Clinical Trials, IRCT20140416017301N9. (https://en.irct.ir/trial/55842).

Effect of Occupation Performance Coaching with Four-Quadrant Model of Facilitated Learning on Children with Specific Learning Disorder.

Background: Children with a specific learning disability (SLD) have deficits in everyday occupations along with executive function in addition to academic issues. Objective: The present study is aimed at investigating the effectiveness of Occupational Performance Coaching (OPC) and the Four-Quadrant Model of Facilitated Learning (4QM) interventions on the participation in occupational performance and executive function skills in children with SLD. Method: This study was a single-case experimental design (multiple baselines) in which six children with SLD were randomly assigned to three groups. In the baseline phase, three groups of children underwent repeated executive function assessments using the Stroop Color and Word Test (SCWT) and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) in the multiple baselines. In the intervention phase, all six mothers of children with SLD individually received OPC and 4QM interventions once a week for 14 sessions of 60 minutes and during this period, children were evaluated six more times for executive function skills according to SCWT and WCST. In addition, The Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) and Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) at the beginning and the end of the baseline phase and the end of the intervention phase were completed by mothers of children with SLD. Results: More than 50% PND of the SCWT and WCST in the visual analysis graph's information along with significant changes in COPM scores and large effect size of BRIEF subscales (Cohen's d ≥ 0.8) in pre- and postintervention showed the effectiveness of OPC and 4QM on the participation in occupational performance and executive function skills in children with SLD. Conclusion: The results of the study support the effectiveness of OPC and 4QM interventions on children with SLD. However, research with more participants and experimental methods can provide further evidence.

The effect of online cognitive behavioral therapy on depressive symptoms in recovered patients with COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 virus is on the rise globally, and people with the disease experience a variety of physical and mental problems. According to studies, depression can be a complication of the virus. So far, limited measures have been taken to prevent and treat emotional-psychological complications of COVID-19. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of online cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) on depressive symptoms in recovered patients with COVID-19. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was conducted in a quasi-experimental design. A sample of 150 recovered patients with COVID-19 who referred to Imam Reza Hospital in Tabriz city, were selected by random sampling method. The patients' emotional-psychological status was assessed by the Beck Depression Inventory, and they entered the treatment process according to the inclusion criteria. As a therapeutic intervention, a scientific and valid approach called CBT was implemented, which two occupational therapists performed in eight treatment sessions in the context of a social communication application. Paired sample t-test was used to analyze the time sequence of quantitative data due to its normality. RESULTS: After the last session of the intervention, the effect of this therapeutic approach on reducing the depressive symptoms of patients was evaluated. According to the findings, the Beck score of the participants decreased significantly after the intervention (MD = -45/9, P < 0/001). CONCLUSION: Therefore, in order to promote the recovery of patients with COVID-19 and help health authorities to develop preventive measures and effective treatment of emotional-psychological problems caused by this virus, it is recommended to use the online CBT approach.

Development and psychometric evaluation of performance-based upper extremity motor control test (PB-UE-MCT) for people with cerebral palsy / Desenvolvimento e avaliação psicométrica do Teste de Controle Motor das Extremidades Superiores com Base no Desempenho (PB-UE-MCT) para pessoas com paralisia cerebral

Abstract Introduction Upper extremity disorders limits the performance in the activities of daily living, especially, in bilateral (two-handed) activities. Objective This study was designed to develop a performance-based upper extremity motor control test (PB-UE-MCT) and to measure its psychometric properties (including, convergent validity, intrarater reliability, and interrater reliability) for people with cerebral palsy (CP). Method The PB-UE-MCT was developed in three phases, including planning, construction, and psychometric evaluation. The participants included 50 people with CP with an age range of 6 to 18 years. To measure internal consistency, Cronbach's alpha was run (n=50). Intrarater and interrater reliability was measured for 25 participants. To assess convergent validity, the correlations of the PB-UE-MCT with the Manual Ability Classification System (MACS) and with the Selective Control Upper Extremity Scale (SCUES) were calculated. Results The values obtained for Cronbach's alpha (.90 to .96) indicated the excellent internal consistency of the PB-UE-MCT. The ICC values for intrarater reliability and interrater reliability were between .84 and .99 and between .89 and .99, respectively. The correlation coefficients obtained for the items of the PB-UE-MCT and those of the MACS were between .51 and .73. The correlation coefficients of the items of the PB-UE-MCT with those of the SCUES were in the range of .67 to .98, which proves the PB-UE-MCT's good to excellent levels of convergent validity. Conclusion The results confirm that the PB-UE-MCT is a valid and reliable tool for evaluating the upper extremity performance of people with CP through task analysis.

Resumo Introdução Distúrbios dos membros superiores limitam o desempenho nas atividades da vida diária, especialmente em atividades bilaterais (com as duas mãos). Objetivo Desenvolver um teste de controle motor de membros superiores baseado em desempenho (PB-UE-MCT) para avaliar pessoas com paralisia cerebral espástica. Método O PB-UE-MCT inclui planejamento, construção e avaliação psicométrica. Os participantes incluíram 50 pessoas com paralisia cerebral entre 6 e 18 anos. Para medir a consistência interna, o alfa de Cronbach foi executado (n = 50). A confiabilidade intra-examinador foi medida para 25 participantes que realizaram o teste duas vezes com um intervalo de duas semanas. Para confiabilidade entre avaliadores, dois examinadores administraram separadamente o teste a 25 participantes. Para avaliar a validade convergente, foram calculadas as correlações do PB-UE-MCT com o Manual Ability Classification System (MACS) e com a Selective Control Upper Extremity Scale (SCUES). Resultados Os valores obtidos para o alfa de Cronbach (0,90 a 0,96) indicaram a excelente consistência interna do PB-UE-MCT. Os valores de ICC para confiabilidade intraexaminador e confiabilidade interexaminador estavam entre 0,84 e 0,99 e entre 0,89 e 0,99, respectivamente. Os coeficientes de correlação obtidos para os itens do PB-UE-MCT e do MACS ficaram entre 0,51 e 0,73. Os coeficientes de correlação dos itens do PB-UE-MCT com os das SCUES situaram-se na faixa de 0,67 a 0,98, o que comprova os níveis de validade convergente bons a excelentes do PB-UE-MCT. Conclusão O PB-UE-MCT é uma ferramenta válida e confiável para avaliar o desempenho dos membros superiores de pessoas com paralisia cerebral durante a realização de tarefas.

Study of the effectiveness of comprehensive, timely, and family-oriented interventions in reducing the symptoms of autism in children.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The onset of rehabilitation interventions in children with autism spectrum disorder below 5 years old has been associated with the reduction of autism symptoms in all developmental domains. The present study aimed to illustrate the importance of early family-oriented interventions in the reduction of the problems and symptoms of children with autism spectrum disorder. METHODOLOGY: This study was a pretest-posttest clinical trial without a control group. Fifty patients were selected using a convenience sampling method, of which forty patients were male and 10 females with a mean age of 3.2 ± 1.4. The efficacy assessment was evaluated using the Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC) and the Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC) as pretest and posttest. Data were analyzed by independent T-test using SPSS software. RESULTS: The difference between pretest and posttest was significant in all aspects of the ATEC test (communication, health, sensory and cognitive awareness, socialization) at the level of P < 0.001. Moreover, the difference between pretest and posttest was significant at P < 0.001 for the aspects of speech, social and communication, and general performance, and at P < 0.002 for the sensory processing. CONCLUSION: Timely interventions under 6 years old with an emphasis on family-oriented and growth aspects over one year can help autistic children in the aspects of speech, social and communication, sensory processing, and sensory and cognitive awareness.

Impairment of perceptual closure in autism for vertex- but not edge-defined object images.

One of the characteristics of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is atypical sensory processing and perceptual integration. Here, we used an object naming task to test the significance of deletion of vertices versus extended contours (edges) in naming fragmented line drawings of natural objects in typically developing and ASD children. The basic components of a fragmented image in perceptual closure need to be integrated to make a coherent visual perception. When vertices were missing and only edges were visible, typically developing and ASD subjects performed similarly. But typically developing children performed significantly better than ASD children when only vertex information was visible. These results indicate impairment of binding vertices but not edges to form a holistic representation of an object in children with ASD.