«Cognitus & Moi»: A Computer-Based Cognitive Remediation Program for Children with Intellectual Disability

Abstract

Attentional, visuospatial, and social cognition deficits have a negative impact on children’s adaptative and social competences and, as a result, on their ability to achieve a normal functioning and behavior. Until now and despite the frequency of those deficits, there is a lack of children’s specific cognitive remediation tools specifically dedicated to attentional and visuospatial areas. The «Cognitus & Moi» program involves a variety of exercises in a paper and/or pencil (n = 30) or a computerized format (n = 29) and a strategy coaching approach. Each module of «Cognitus & Moi» targets a single impaired cognitive area, within the limits of cognitive domains’ overlapping. The little cartoon character named Cognitus, who illustrates the program, is supposed to be very friendly and kind toward children. Cognitus will accompany them throughout the program for an effective and positive reinforcement. The main goal of «Cognitus & Moi» is to adjust to children’s difficulties in daily life. Moreover, since the cognitive remediation benefit is complex to apply in daily life, the program is based on a metacognitive strategy. After a complete neuropsychological assessment and a psychoeducational session (with the child and the parents), 16 1-h-sessions of cognitive remediation with the therapist are proposed. Each session is composed of three parts: (1) computerized tasks focusing on specific attentional or visuospatial components (20 min). The attentional module targets hearing, visual, and divided attention. A double attention task is also proposed. The visuospatial module targets eye tracking and gaze direction, spatial orientation, visuospatial memory and construction, and mental imagery; (2) pen and paper tasks focusing on the same processes (20 min) and a facial emotion recognition task; (3) a proposal of a home-based task (during 20 min). Weekly, specific attentional and visuospatial home tasks are proposed to the child and analyzed with the parents and the therapist. Indeed, home exercises are useful to promote the transfer of strategies to daily life and their subsequent automation. The heterogeneity of cognitive deficits in intellectual deficiency necessitates an individualized cognitive remediation therapy. In this regard, «Cognitus & Moi» seems to be a promising tool.

Overview of Social Cognitive Dysfunctions in Rare Developmental Syndromes With Psychiatric Phenotype

“…“Cognitus & Moi” is a cognitive remediation program with SCT, designed for 5- to 13-year-old children with developmental disorders. The program is specifically focused on attentional, visuospatial functions and emotion recognition ( 134 ). It involves a variety of exercises in a paper and/or pencil ( n = 30) or a computerized format ( n = 29) and a strategy coaching approach.…”

Autism spectrum disorder associated with 49,XYYYY: case report and review of the literature

“…In our experience, attentional and social cognition deficits have a negative impact on adaptative and social competences and, as a result, on the ability to achieve a normal functioning. The improvement of attentional and social cognitive deficits thanks to a specific cognitive remediation program could have a positive impact on the behavior [ 28 ]. This approach would complete the reeducation methods already available.…”

Computer-based cognitive remediation program for the treatment of behavioral problems in children with intellectual disability: the «COGNITUS & MOI» study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

“…The «COGNITUS & MOI» program is a cognitive remediation tool, specifically for children, and is dedicated to attentional and visuospatial functions. A precise description of the program has been previously published [ 25 ]. Briefly, it is based on the following four main principles: targeting daily life difficulties with concrete objectives; adjusting activities to the individual child’s cognitive profile and rate of progression; encouraging the use and transfer of strategies while facing cognitive difficulties; and a coaching approach leading to an interactive process between the therapist, child and his or her parents.…”

“…Our group recently developed the «COGNITUS & MOI» program, a cognitive remediation tool designed to train the attentional and visuospatial skills of 5–13 year-old children. COGNITUS is a friendly cartoon character that accompanies the child throughout various activities in paper-and-pencil, computerized, and at-home formats [ 25 ]. The «COGNITUS & MOI» program could be of particular interest concerning challenging behaviors in children with ID for several reasons.…”