Effect of Cognitive Rehabilitation on Set-Shifting Attention of Adult with Mild Cognitive Impairment

Abstract

The aim of the study was the effect of Cognitive Rehabilitation on the Set-Shifting Attention Ability of Adult Individuals with Mild Cognitive Impairment. The present study consisted of a quasi-experimental study with pre-test and post-test stages. The statistical population consisted of subjects of more than 55 years of age, referred to a neurology clinic in Tehran/Iran in 2012. Forty patients with mild cognitive impairment were selected by convenience sampling based on the diagnosis of a neurologist and a clinical psychologist (MMSE score lower than 25 and The Wechsler Memory Test). The experimental group (20 patients) attended 12 sessions of a cognitive rehabilitation program. As evaluated, by the Wisconsin Cart Sorting Test (WCST). Data were analyzed using MANCOVA. The findings demonstrated that the mean score of the experimental group was greater than the control group (P<0.05) in terms of their shifting attention. The follow-up test revealed that the experimental group experienced an effective rehabilitation intervention over a six month period. Cognitive rehabilitation can impact on improving Shifting attention in individuals with mild cognitive impairment.