Showing 24 results for Ahmadi
Farhoud Saeed Ershadi, Mohammad Kianfar, Monireh Ahmadi Bani,
Volume 0, Issue 0 (Accepted article 2024)
Abstract
Abstract
Objective: A major problem faced by cerebral palsy children is spasticity. Spasticity is characterized by difficulty controlling, functioning, and coordinating movement of the body. Furthermore, it affects the quality of sleep of children. Orthosis plays a significant role in rehabilitation treatment for this condition, according to all treatments used. Orthosis, which have orthokinetic and neurologic properties, are used to reduce and control spasticity and hypertonicity by affecting muscle activity. The present study aims to evaluate the orthosis design for its efficacy in improving sleep quality and reducing spasticity.
Methods: It was a quasi-experimental study. Patients entered the study were diagnosed as having spastic cerebral palsy. 12 Children ages 3 to 13 years with GMFcs 2 or 3 and modified Ashworth scores (1+ or 2) whose previous treatment has been conventional were identified from three occupational therapy clinics. Based on the type of KAFO used, participants were divided into two groups: TR-KAFO and conventional KAFO. The children were followed up for four weeks. At admission, spasticity was assessed with the modified Tardieu Scale and sleep quality was assessed with the Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children (SDSC).
Results: Spasticity decreased and sleep quality scores improved in the group of patients who used tone reducing KAFO. The mean score of children's sleep disorder scale in TR-KAFO and normal KAFO groups was 45.67±6.377 and 53.17±5.037, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05).
Discussion: Study results indicate that spasticity was significantly reduced in the group using an orthosis that was capable of reducing tone. In addition, the data of the present study provided evidence that a tone-reducing orthosis for a night period improved sleep quality in children with spastic cerebral palsy.
Mokhtar Arazpour, Fatemeh Zare Zadeh, Monireh Ahmadi Bani,
Volume 10, Issue 3 (October 2012)
Abstract
Objectives: Patients suffering from mild to moderate knee osteoarthritis may be treated with unloader knee orthoses or laterally wedged insoles. The aim of this study was to identify and compare the effects of two orthoses in these patients.
Methods: 56 patients with medial compartment knee OA were evaluated when wearing an unloader knee orthosis and insoles with a 6° lateral wedge which were randomly assigned. Testing was performed at baseline and after 6 months of use with the two types of orthoses. The KOOS score was used to assess outcomes in this study. A paired T test was used for comparing base line and the 6th month post interventions KOOS sub scale score. An independent T test was used for analyzing the efficacy between the two orthoses.
Results: Each of the interventions improved all parameters compared to the baseline condition (P=0.000). However, in comparing the effect between these orthoses, we did not find significant differences in activities of daily living (P=0.871), or sports and recreational activities (P=0.351). The pain and symptoms (P=0.000) were, however, significantly different between the two interventions.
Discussion: The unloader knee orthoses were more effective than lateral wedge insoles in reducing pain and symptoms.
Zahra Ahmadizadeh, Afsaneh Abr-Lahij , Aliakbar Pahlevanian,
Volume 11, Issue 1 (Special Issue: Occupational Therapy, December 2013 2013)
Abstract
Objectives: Researchers have focused their attention on balance in the elderly because there is a significant correlation between balance and fall. Therefore, it is very important to identify the factors that can affect elderly balance. The aim of this study was to investigate relation between sustained attention and balance in elderly.
Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted in 2013 in Semnan city. Convenience sampling was used to enroll 50 old people according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. Sustained attention was measured by continued performance test and static and dynamic balance was evaluated by biodex system. Data was analyzed using SPSS 16 software. Having a normal distribution via Kolmogorov smirnov test, the relationship between each characteristic was assessed through using Pearson correlation coefficient and independent t-test.
Results: The participants’ mean(±SD) age was 65.48±4.36 years, static balance with eyes open 3.64±2.69, eyes closed 4.10±2.47, dynamic balance with eyes open 4.55±2, eyes closed 6.65±1.98 and omission error was 2.56±4.11. Among the four balance indexes and Sustained attention, Pearson correlation was only significant in dynamic balance with eyes closed and sustained attention.
Discussion: Considering the significant correlation between sustained attention and dynamic balance with eyes closed, it can be said that this correlation will become significant by increasing the difficulty level of the balance task.
Ali Asghar Arastoo, Shahla Zahednejad, Azra Ahmadi, Masuod Nikbakht,
Volume 11, Issue 2 (April 2013)
Abstract
Objectives: To compare the effectiveness of two treatment methods of ‘combination pharmacological treatment and treadmill training’ and ‘pharmacological treatment’ on management of multiple sclerosis (MS) female patients.
Methods: In this quasi experimental and interventional study a sample of 20 MS patients (mean age: 36.75 years) with Expanded Disability Status Scale scores (EDSS) 1.0 to 4.0 were randomly assigned to a ‘pharmacologic treatment’ (Ph) group and a combination group of ‘pharmacologic treatment& treadmill training’ (PhTT). All these individuals used the drugs of choice ‘Rebif’ and ‘Avonex’. The intervention consisted of 8-weeks (24 sessions) of treadmill training (30 minutes each), at 40-75% of age-predicted maximum heart rate for the PhTT group. The Ph group followed their own routine treatment program. Balance, speed and endurance of walking, quality of life and fatigue were measured by Berg Balance Score, 10 meter timed walk test, 2 minute walk test, and Fatigue Severity Scale (FFS). Data were analyzed by paired t test and one way ANOVA.
Results: Comparison of results indicated that pre and post intervention led to significant improvements in the balance score (P=0.001), 10m walk time (P=0.001), walking endurance (P=0.007), and FFS (P=0.04) in the PhTT group. In contrast, no significant changes were observed in the Ph group’s balance score, 10m timed walk and fatigue, while there was a significant decrease in the 2min walking distance (P=0.015) in this group.
Discussion: These results suggest that treadmill training in combination with pharmacological treatment improve balance and walking capacity and level of fatigue in women with mild to moderate MS.
Elahe Hojati Abed, Hooshang Mirzaie, Ahmad Aahmadi,
Volume 12, Issue 3 (September 2014)
Abstract
Objectives: Present study is designed to investigate the effect of stress management training by using cognitive behavioral method on stress of mothers of children with Oppositional Defiant Disorder.
Methods: The study was done in a quasi-experiment designed as pre-post-test with control group. The participants were 20 mothers of oppositional defiant disorder children, ages from 4 to7 years old. They were randomized to experimental (n=10) and control (n=10) groups. The experimental group trained stress management program with method of cognitive-behavioral during 10 sessions, once a week. During this period, the control group did not receive any intervention. Both groups were assessed by Parental Stress Index in pretest and posttest. Data were analyzed by analysis of covariance.
Results: Findings indicated that a significant difference between the mean of stress of two groups in posttest in both child and parent domains and the stress scores were significantly decreased in experimental group after intervention.
Discussion: Regarding to the positive effects of stress management by using cognitive-behavioral method can be suggested as an effective method for mothers with Oppositional Defiant Disorder children to reduce their stress and control their child’ behavior.
Zahra Ahmadizadeh, Maryam Mokhlesin,
Volume 12, Issue 4 (December 2014)
Abstract
Objectives: The high number of cerebral palsy, the severe disability of this disorder, depression in disabilities, and long lasting effects of the child`s disability on the family especially mothers are the common issues. The purpose of this study was investigating the level of depression in mothers with cerebral palsy children and its related factors.
Methods: This caused comparative study was carried out in Tehran, in 2011. Two groups of mothers with 4 to 12 years old healthy and cerebral palsy children were randomly selected to participate in this study. Beck questionnaire was used to evaluate mothers’ depression level. The relationship between variables was investigated by independent T-test and Pearson’s correlation.
Results: Sixty mothers with cerebral palsy children and sixty mothers with normal children as control group were participated in the study. Mean and standard deviation of age were 33.79±6.02 in mothers and 7.11±2.71 in children. Depression of mothers with cerebral palsy child was significantly higher than control group and there was a significant correlation between depression of mothers with cerebral palsy children, and increasing caring time, dependency in activity of daily living and children`s gross and fine movements ability.
Discussion: Although depression was higher in mothers with cerebral palsy children, the depression level of these mothers was affected by some factors related to the child issue. In order to decrease undesirable effects of having a cerebral palsy child, it is necessary to emphasize on children`s abilities to achieve maximum evolution potential and provide physical and mental protections for their mothers.
Firoozeh Sajedi, Mahbobeh Ahmadi, Roshanak Vameghi, Alireza Akbarzadeh, Mohammad Ali Mazaheri,
Volume 13, Issue 3 (September 2015)
Abstract
Development is a dynamic and continuous phenomenon that is under the influence of various factors forming a complicated multidimensional system together. Any impairment in these factors can lead to impaired development in children, which is one of the most common problems in children. Therefore, this study provides a brief overview of these factors and the way they affect early childhood development. A brief review was performed in databases including Google scholar, PUBMED, Proquest, SID, Magiran, Iranmedex, Irandoc with following keywords: child development, income, occupation, education, employment, boy, girl, gender, sex, social class, Race and Ethnicity. All of article was reviewed then categorized based on WHO model. Among the papers reviewed, most of the studies were about employment, education, and income and most of them investigated these risk factors in terms of socioeconomic status. Structural factors of social determinants of health had a close relationship with each other, and they had affected development through each other. Given that, only few studies on structural factors, except for socioeconomic factors, have been conducted and little attention has been paid to the way these factors affect child development, further studies in this area are required to propose a model in order to better understand the interaction between these factors.
Majid Farhadian, Ali Asghar Jame Bozorgi, Mahmoud Ahmadi Fakhreh, Zahra Morovati, Fatholah Qafarizadeh,
Volume 13, Issue 4 (December 2015)
Abstract
Objectives: Stroke is one of the most common neurological disease and it is the main cause of physical and mental disability and staying in house. Gait difficulties have high incidence in patients with stroke. So the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of gait retraining on balance, activities of daily living, quality of life and depressionin stroke patients.
Methods: This study was a clinical trial without control group. Sampling was performed by convenience sampling method and 18 patients participated. After recording demographic data, Berg Balance Scale, Barthel Index, SF36 questionnaire and Beck Depression Inventory-II used in pre-test and post-test to assess balance, activities of daily living, quality of life and depression, respectively .Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient and paired T-test.
Results: The results showed statistically significant correlation in pre-test and difference between mean score of the all instruments before and after the intervention.
Discussion: According to high prevalence of gait difficulties in stroke patients, it seems interventions in this area is necessary. Statistical results showed that the gait retraining intervention may have a positive effect on improving balance, activities of daily living, quality of life and depression of these patients. According to lack of information in this area, further research is needed.
Fatemeh Behnia, Mehdi Rassafiani, Sara Nakhai, Maryam Mohammadpour, Mina Ahmadi Kahjoogh,
Volume 15, Issue 1 (March 2017 2017)
Abstract
Objectives: Studies around the world have shown that having a child with disability impacts a mother’s time use. The purpose of this study was to compare the time use of mothers of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) with mothers of typically developing children.
Methods: Eighty-four Iranian mothers (42 with ASD children and 42 with typically developing children) completed the Mothers’ Time Use Questionnaire (MTUQ).
Results: Mothers of ASD children spent more time doing childcare activities (P<0.001), but no significant differences were found in time spent in self-care, rest/sleep, leisure, household chores, job or social participation activities. Furthermore, quality and enjoyment of daily activities were significantly lower in mothers of children with ASD compared to mothers of typically developing children.
Discussion: Mothers of ASD children are more prone to having an imbalanced life. Hence, there is a need for occupational therapists to work in partnership with mothers to support their occupational engagement and life satisfaction.
Mohammad Lalehgani Dezaki, Gholamreza Ghaedamini Harouni, Sina Ahmadi, Meroe Vameghi, Homeira Sajjadi, Mansoore Ghafari,
Volume 16, Issue 4 (December 2018)
Abstract
Objectives: Disability occurs as a sudden and unexpected incident, and coping with it depends on the conditions and lifestyle, the remaining abilities, cooperation of other family members, and the role of rehabilitation team. Rehabilitation work includes medical, professional and social rehabilitation teams. The family is also defined as an essential member of the social rehabilitation team. The present study aimed to assess the quality of life of mothers of children with intellectual disabilities, as an important member of the social rehabilitation team.
Methods: In this analytical and descriptive study, statistical population consisted of all Mothers of Mentally Retarded Children (MMRC) (educable, trainable and isolated), and Mothers of Children with Normal Intelligence (MCNI) in Shahr-e-Kord City, Iran. Total sample size was considered to be 306. For gathering data, the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey instrument, validated in Iran, and for analyzing the data 1-way ANOVA, linear regression and discriminant analysis were used.
Results: In terms of all quality of life dimensions and total score, there was a significant difference between the two groups (P<0.001) and MCNI group scored higher compared to MMRC group. The greatest difference between the two groups was related to physical function (effect size=40.7%), and the least was related to limitations in usual role activities because of emotional problems (effect size=30.9%).
Discussion: Mothers are an important mediator in providing rehabilitation services (secondary or tertiary prevention) to their children. Once their roles are neglected in the rehabilitation team work, the secondary and tertiary prevention activities for the disabled child will not be effective, and in the near future, mothers will be among the most vulnerable groups requiring rehabilitation services. Therefore, during the provision of secondary and tertiary prevention services for children, mothers’ health status should also be monitored for the purpose of primary prevention.
Peyman Zamani, Ebtesam Hozeily, Neda Tahmasebi, Akram Ahmadi, Negin Moradi,
Volume 16, Issue 4 (December 2018)
Abstract
Objectives: Learning disabilities can cause serious communication and socio-emotional disorders in students. Teachers, as specialists who are in direct contact with students on a daily basis, have an important role in identifying and referring students suspected of these disabilities. Therefore, this study investigated the role of primary school teachers’ awareness and attitude about the signs and symptoms of learning disabilities on the referral of students of Ahvaz City, Iran to speech therapy centers.
Methods: This case-control study was conducted on 165 elementary school teachers in Ahvaz in 2016-2017. The teacher’s awareness questionnaire was used to determine the teachers’ awareness level. A logistic regression test was used to explore the role of teachers’ attributes on the referral of students to speech therapies.
Results: The mean total score of teachers’ awareness about students’ learning disabilities was significantly different in the case and control groups (P<0.05). Teachers’ awareness scores had a direct and significant relationship with working experience (P<0.05) and participation in educational workshops (P<0.05). However, there was no significant relationship between the teachers’ awareness score with age and gender (P>0.05).
Discussion: Teaching experience, educational level, history of participation in educational workshops and the teachers’ awareness of learning disabilities are critical factors in referring students to speech therapy centers. It is recommended that teachers participate in workshops at regular intervals to update their knowledge on this topic.
Sahar Johari, Mina Ahmadi Kahjoogh, Fatemeh Sanei, Naser Havaei, Mostafa Daemi,
Volume 17, Issue 1 (March 2019)
Abstract
Objectives: The present study examined the effect of home-based handling training of mothers on the improvement of gross motor function of children with Cerebral Palsy (CP).
Methods: In this randomized control trial, 42 children with CP (5-12 years old) were randomly assigned into the intervention and control groups. Data were collected using the Gross Motor Function Classification System and Gross Motor Function Measure.
Results: Gross motor function suggested significant improvement in the intervention group, in comparison with the control group (P<0.01).
Discussion: Handling training of mothers could be advised as a complementary and helpful intervention for gross motor function improvement in children with CP.
Hossein Soufi Ahmadi, Afsoon Hassani Mehraban, Malek Amini, Maryam Sheikhi,
Volume 17, Issue 1 (March 2019)
Abstract
Objectives: Stroke is one of the main causes of disability and mortality worldwide. Most survivors experience impairments in their upper limb motor function.
Methods: This experimental study was performed as a clinical trial on 30 chronic stroke patients who experienced stroke from 6 to 96 months ago. Patients were non-randomly divided into the intervention (Virtual Reality besides conventional occupational therapy) and control (conventional occupational therapy) groups. Each treatment session lasted for one hour which was divided into conducting conventional occupational therapy techniques and Virtual Reality (VR) for the intervention group, and routine techniques for the control group. The intervention effectiveness was evaluated by the Fugl-Meyer Upper Extremity Scale, Stroke Impact Scale, Chedoke Arm and Hand Activity Inventory, Motricity Index, Modified Ashworth Scale and goniometer. Results were analyzed by SPSS and one-sample Kolmogorov-Smirnov, Shapiro-Wilk test, Independent Samples t-test and Mann Whitney U test were applied to assess the normality of data and to detect significant differences between study variables.
Results: The results suggested that investigated parameters such as upper limb motor function, muscle tone and the range of motion were significantly different in the intervention group, compared to control group; however, there was no significant changes in none of the group’s daily living activities.
Discussion: VR-based computer games in combination with routine occupational therapy interventions could improve upper extremities functional impairments in chronic stroke patients. However, it seems the mechanisms behind the effectiveness of video games and their impact on brain cortex as well as upper limbs function need to be further investigated.
Akbar Darouie, Mamak Joulaie, Farzaneh Zamiri Abdollahi, Amy McConkey Robbins, Somayeh Zarepour, Tayebeh Ahmadi,
Volume 17, Issue 1 (March 2019)
Abstract
Objectives: Infant-Toddler Meaningful Auditory Integration Scale (IT-MAIS) is a useful tool for the quantitative evaluation of auditory behaviors in different situations. The present study aimed to develop the Persian version of IT-MAIS.
Methods: There was 4 main steps in the translation and validation of the scale, as follows: forward translation, synthesis, backward translation, and expert committee discussion. Then, the final Persian version of the scale was analyzed in terms of reliability and validity. The scale was studied on the parents of 17 hearing impaired and 17 normal hearing children.
Results: There was a significant difference in the mean score of scale between hearing impaired and normal hearing children (P≤0.001). The internal consistency of the items was satisfactory. The Cronbach’s alpha for the overall score was 0.93.
Discussion: This study suggested that IT-MAIS-F can be a reliable and valid tool for the evaluation of the auditory function of children. However, the sample size of the study was small. Thus, studies with larger sample sizes are recommended. In addition, test-retest reliability of the scale was not studied.
Saeed Yarahmadi, Fatemeh Zarei, Afsaneh Sadooghiasl, Sookyung Jeong,
Volume 18, Issue 2 (June 2020)
Abstract
Objectives: The internet is known as an essential part of individuals’ daily life. The present descriptive research aimed to determine the prevalence rate of Internet Addiction (IA) and its related factors in Iran.
Methods: In total, 1046 internet users were recruited by a convenience sampling approach. The required data were collected by an online questionnaire, including a sociodemographic data scale and the Persian version of the Internet Addiction test. The obtained data were analyzed using SPSS.
Results: The current study findings indicated that the prevalence rate of IA was equal to 57.6%.The highest prevalence rate belonged to the research participants aged ≤35 years (67.5%), followed by females (61.5%), married subjects (66.7%), the holders of MSc and PhD. degrees (65.8%), and those employed in public sectors (68.5%). The highest prevalence of IA was detected among the study participants who spent one hour daily on the internet (94.7%); however, the lowest prevalence of the IA was observed among those who spent >10 hours daily on the internet (16.4%). Moreover, there was no dramatic difference between the internet access source and the IA among the research participants (P˃0.05). There was a significant relationship between all determined variables and the level of IA (P˂0.05).
Discussion: The prevalence of IA was increasing in the studied population. Health educators are recommended to emphasize improving society’s awareness of IA. They are also suggested to develop educational preventive measures on increasing media health literacy approaches.
Hananeh Ardalan, Talieh Zarifian, Akram Ahmadi, Mona Ebarahimipour,
Volume 18, Issue 3 (September 2020)
Abstract
Objectives: Different treatment approaches have been introduced for children with Speech Sound Disorders (SSD). Minimal pair intervention, Metaphon therapy, and parents and children together approach as linguistically-based approaches are routinely utilized in this population and both of them shared minimal pairs as a common component. The purpose of the current study was to develop and investigate the validity of the material for this treatment approach for Persian-speaking children.
Methods: To develop the minimal pairs’ package, 10 phonological processes were selected based on the literature. Several minimal pairs were generated for each phonological process and their content validity was determined by the content validity ratio. In the next step, the appropriate pictures were selected. In the final step, the package was administrated to 45 monolingual Persian-speaking children.
Results: Based on the experts’ opinions, 293 minimal pairs out of 303 pairs, obtained appropriate content validity values (content validity ratio >0.62) and 10 minimal pairs were excluded at this step. Finally, 256 minimal pairs remained after the administration of the package on the subjects.
Discussion: Based on the results of the current project, it seems that the Persian photo minimal pairs’ package is a valid material for use in related speech treatment in children with SSD.
Faezeh Ghorbani, Mojtaba Kamyab, Fatemeh Azadinia, Amir Ahmadi,
Volume 18, Issue 4 (December 2020)
Abstract
Objectives: Changes in the Range of Motion (ROM) are essential criteria in determining the severity of spinal disorders and could be effective in predicting pain progression. Instruments to measure the ROM are costly and unavailable in most therapy settings. While there is a tendency in therapists to use their smartphones instead, there is no report to measure the suitability of smartphones to be employed for this purpose. The current study aimed to compare the inter- and intra-rater reliability and concurrent validity of a Cervical Range of Motion (CROM) device (as a gold standard), a digital inclinometer, and smartphones in measuring the CROM in asymptomatic adults.
Methods: Twenty-four healthy subjects (11 women, 13 men) aged 22 to 45 years were recruited for this study. Neck movements were assessed per study subject using CROM device, dual digital inclinometer, as well as IOS (for iPhone), and Android applications. Despite the popularity of using smartphone applications, there was no study comparing such applications.
Results: The dual inclinometer and iPhone clinometer and compass applications presented acceptable absolute and relative reliability (ICC=0.662-0.913) and (ICC=0.753-0.887), respectively for neck movements in all planes. The reliability of the Android clinometer application in the sagittal and frontal planes was also acceptable (ICC=0.76-0.937); however, the Android compass application used in the horizontal plane indicated the least intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC: 0.202-0.433) in this area.
Discussion: All the tested tools differed from the gold standard depending on the direction of movement, confirmed i.e. approved by the Bland-Altman. The dual digital inclinometer presented moderate to high agreement to the CROM device for all motions, except for rotation. The iPhone applications had high to a very high agreement, and the Android application revealed poor to a moderate agreement. These discrepancies should be considered in employing smartphones for diagnosing a cervical disorder and determining a therapeutic plan. However, as phone applications indicated desirable reproducibility, these tools could be used for the follow-up and monitoring of changes in the CROM.
Mehdi Dehghan, Payam Seyedkalateh, Zahra Akbarian-Rad, Mohsen Haghshenas Mojaveri, Soraya Khafri, Akram Ahmadi,
Volume 20, Issue 1 (March 2022)
Abstract
Objectives: Most preterm infants experience oral feeding disorder. Sucking is the most appropriate way for oral feeding, but it may be immature in preterm infants. Regarding the increased risk of feeding problems in preterm infants, investigating and monitoring their sucking patterns to present appropriate and timely intervention is recommended
The current research aimed to report the design of an instrument for measuring the suction pressure in preterm infants through a pilot study. We also checked the validity and reliability of the instrument.
Methods: A pilot study was conducted to measure the validity and reliability of this instrument. First, the instrument was developed, and in the next step, discriminant validity, test-retest reliability, and comparison in terms of sex were investigated by measuring the suction pressure of 20 full-term and 15 preterm infants. The Mann-Whitney U test and Wilcoxon test were used to establish the discriminant validity, comparison in terms of sex, and test-retest reliability in SPSS v. 23 software.
Results: Two groups showed a significant difference in the suction pressure (P<0.001) to support the discriminant validity of the instrument. We obtained satisfactory values for the test-retest reliability in two groups (r=0.97, P<0.001). Boys and girls did not significantly differ between full-term (P=0.9) and preterm infants groups (P=0.5).
Discussion: Performing the pilot study on 35 infants through an infant sucker tester proved the instrument’s discriminant validity and test-retest reliability. However, conducting the studies with a larger sample size is essential to make this instrument available commercially.
Mohammad Reza Mohammadi, Seyyed Salman Alavi, Hossein Gharaati Sotoudeh, Ali Khaleghi, Nastaran Ahmadi, Zahra Hooshyari, Soroush Mohammadi Kalhori,
Volume 20, Issue 2 (June 2022)
Abstract
Objectives: Our objective is to measure the prevalence of bipolar mood disorder (BMD) in Iranian children and adolescents and its comorbidity with psychiatric disorders. Also, the main purpose of this study is to characterize the main risk factors for BMD in children and adolescents.
Methods: This is an analytical cross-sectional study. In a community-based study, we sampled 1000 children and adolescents from the age of 6 to 18 years in each province via the multistage cluster sampling method. The total valid sample size reached 29 812 cases. The instructed clinical psychologists completed the Persian version of the kiddie schedule for affective disorders and schizophrenia present and lifetime version (K-SADS-PL). Furthermore, the demographic data were obtained. To analyze the data, descriptive statistics, multinomial, and multiple logistic regressions were utilized to evaluate the relationships.
Results: The total prevalence rates for BMD were 0.29%; it was 0.26% in males and 0.29% in females. BMD rates were larger in children and adolescents whose mothers had an occupation. Also, after controlling the effective variables (sex and age), location (rural or urban), the father’s education, and the psychiatric hospitalization of the mother or the father, none predicted BMD significantly. Moreover, patients with comorbidities showed a superior prevalence compared to those without comorbidities, ranging from 1.96% for posttraumatic stress disorder to 39.22% for the oppositional defiant disorder.
Conclusion: BMD was more prevalent among women. The gender or the father’s education level was not the risk factor for BMD symptoms. Several factors, such as maternal education and maternal job were also important for the prevalence of BMD symptoms.
Tayebeh Pirnazar, Masoumeh Pourmohamadreza-Tajrishi, Ali Zadeh Mohammadi, Milad Haidarian, Ahmad Ahmadi,
Volume 20, Issue 3 (September 2022)
Abstract
Objectives: This study aimed to determine the efficacy of the therapeutic use of play on improving the attention span of children with Mild Intellectual Disability (MID) in elementary school.
Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study with a pre-test-post-test with a control group so that 30 girls with MID were selected from an exceptional school in Tehran City, Iran, via convenience sampling method and assigned to the experimental and control groups. The attention span of all subjects was assessed by the Toulouse-Pieron test and the Cognitive Diagnostic Battery (CDB) before and after the therapeutic sessions. The experimental group participated in 16 therapeutic play sessions (35 minutes for each session) for 8 weeks, but the control group did not. The analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to analyze the data.
Results: The mean±SD age were 9.80±1.32 and 9.73±1.22 for the experimental and control groups, respectively. In addition, the mean attention span in the experimental group varied from 7.60 to 18.78 after the therapeutic sessions. In addition, after the therapeutic sessions, a significant difference (P<0.001) was observed between the experimental and control groups relating to attention span. According to the Eta quotient, 94% of the variation in the attention span of the experimental group is due to participating in the intervention sessions.
Discussion: Therapeutic use of play is an effective method to improve the attention span of children with MID. Therefore, the therapeutic use of play can be applied to improve the academic performance of students with MID and reduce negative outcomes due to inattention.
