The effectiveness of computer-based cognitive rehabilitation on flexibility and cognitive deficits in students with specific learning disorders

Objective: The purpose of the present study was the effectiveness of computerized cognitive rehabilitation on flexibility and cognitive impairment in students with specific learning disorders.

Methods: The current research method is experimental and its design is pre-test and post-test with control group. The statistical population of this research is 120 primary school students with specific learning disabilities admitted to the learning disorders center of Khalkhal city in 1402, of which 30 were selected to refer to treatment centers. The participants are selected from the population using targeted sampling and randomly replaced in two experimental (15 people) and control (15 people) groups. The diagnosis of learning disorder was made according to the psychiatrist's opinion and the clinical interview by the psychologist. Respondents responded to Broadbent et al.'s (1982) cognitive impairment questionnaire and Dennis and Vanderwaal's (2010) cognitive flexibility questionnaire. The data were analyzed using univariate covariance test.

Results: The results showed that computerized cognitive rehabilitation is effective in increasing cognitive flexibility and reducing cognitive impairment of students with specific learning disorders. According to the results, the variable role of computerized cognitive rehabilitation in increasing cognitive flexibility and reducing cognitive impairment of students with specific learning disorders was confirmed.

Conclusion: This finding can be used to find out the positive effects of cognitive rehabilitation in increasing cognitive flexibility and reducing cognitive impairment.