Construction of an Arabic computerized battery for cognitive rehabilitation of children with specific learning disabilities

Abstract

PurposeThe aim of this study was to design an Arabic computerized battery of cognitive skills for training children with specific learning disabilities (SLD).Subjects and methodsNineteen students from fourth grade primary schools in Assiut, Egypt, who were previously diagnosed with SLD, agreed to participate in the rehabilitation program. The study passed through four stages: first stage, detailed analysis of the cognitive profile of students with SLD (n=19), using a previously constructed diagnostic cognitive skill battery, to identify deficits in their cognitive skills; second stage, construction of an Arabic computerized battery for cognitive training of students with SLD; third stage, implementation of the constructed training program for the students, each tailored according to his/her previously diagnosed cognitive skill deficit/deficits; and fourth stage, post-training re-evaluation of academic achievement and cognitive skills’ performance.ResultsStudents with SLD have a wide range of cognitive skill deficits, which are more frequent in auditory cognitive skills (68.4%) than in visual cognitive skills (64.1%), particularly in phonological awareness and auditory sequential memory (78.9%). Following implementation of the training program, there was a statistically significant increase (P<0.001) in the mean scores of total auditory and visual cognitive skills, as well as in academic achievement (P<0.001) of the study group.ConclusionRemediation-oriented diagnosis of cognitive skills, when tailored according to previously diagnosed cognitive deficits, leads to the improvement in learning abilities and academic achievement of students with SLD.

Designing Family-based Cognitive Rehabilitation and Evaluation of Its Effectiveness on Working Memory, Sustained Attention, Inhibition, and Social Skills of Children With Intellectual Disability

“…The first assumption: cognitive family-based rehabilitation (sustained attention, working memory, and inhibition) has effects on the executive functions of male children between 10 and 14 years old. Given the multi-variable covariance, it seems that there is a significant difference between the two groups that is consistent with some studies (5)(6)(7)(8), but it is non-consistent with previous studies [15][16][17][18][19][20][21].…”

“…Children with ID have difficulty in controlling their impulses, organizing, prioritizing, and coordinating the information they receive because of weakness in underlying mechanisms [14]. Previous studies evaluated the effects of inhibition training in ID and reported that such intervention has significant effects [15][16][17][18][19][20][21].…”