Nazli ilchizadeh; Mohammadtagi Agdasi; Zahra Fathirezaie
Abstract
Introduction: Executive functions control, direct, and coordinate cognitive processes. This research aimed to compare the electrical activity of different brain regions during implicit and explicit learning of a motor skill in teenage girls with cold executive functions.Methods: The research method was ...
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Introduction: Executive functions control, direct, and coordinate cognitive processes. This research aimed to compare the electrical activity of different brain regions during implicit and explicit learning of a motor skill in teenage girls with cold executive functions.Methods: The research method was quasi-experimental, with a pre-test and post-test design. Twenty girls aged 12 to 14 years were selected purposefully based on their scores on CogLab tests and assigned to two Explicit Learning and Implicit Learning groups. In the pre-test phase, participants performed 15 dart throws while brain waves were recorded using an EEG device. Then, both groups participated in 60-minute training sessions for five consecutive days, based on different instructional approaches. After completing the training, a retention and a transfer test were conducted on the sixth day. The results were analyzed using MATLAB, SPSS, and Excel software at a significance level of 0.05.Results: The results showed that the neural response in the form of brain wave activity across five brain regions—DLPFC, OFC, CF, Frontal, and All Frontal—was significant in the explicit learning group but not significant in the implicit learning group.Conclusion: Based on the present results, it can be said that the explicit learning method causes positive changes at the level of the cerebral cortex, whereas implicit learning requires long-term strengthening. Therefore, explicit learning can be an effective short-term intervention to modulate brain activity and facilitate motor skill learning in individuals with cold executive functions.
Maryam Mousavi Sardashti; Sedigheh Rezaei Dehnavi
Abstract
Introduction: Individuals with borderline intellectual functioning (BIF) include those whose IQ is in the range of 70 to 85, lower than normal individuals and higher than those diagnosed with mental retardation. Research has shown that individuals with BIF often exhibit weaknesses in their executive ...
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Introduction: Individuals with borderline intellectual functioning (BIF) include those whose IQ is in the range of 70 to 85, lower than normal individuals and higher than those diagnosed with mental retardation. Research has shown that individuals with BIF often exhibit weaknesses in their executive functions. Executive functions are the highest level of the cognitive and metacognitive functions of the brain, which form the basis of children's social, academic, and cognitive development. This study aimed to investigate the effect of perceptual-motor training on executive functions of children with BIF.Methods: This study was quasi-experimental with a pre-test, post-test, and a control group design. Thirty students diagnosed with BIF were selected through purposive sampling and were assigned into two experimental (n=15) and control (n=15) groups. The experimental group was trained and performed perceptual-motor training for ten weeks, two 45-minute sessions per week. The data collection instrument was the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF, 2000). The data was analyzed using one-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) in SPSS version 26.Results: The findings showed that perceptual-motor training leads to the improvement of executive functions, including inhibition, attention, emotional control, initiation, working memory, planning, organization, and control (P<0.01) of children with BIF.Conclusion: To enhance the executive functions of children with BIF, educational programs that include perceptual-motor training are recommended.
Amineh Eslamizad; ZAHRA Entezari khorasani
Abstract
Background: Identifying the theoretical frameworks and intervention components in socio-economically deprived communities to improve their performance in various aspects of development, can be effective. Therefore, there is a need to review more recent literature that reports the effectiveness of interventions ...
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Background: Identifying the theoretical frameworks and intervention components in socio-economically deprived communities to improve their performance in various aspects of development, can be effective. Therefore, there is a need to review more recent literature that reports the effectiveness of interventions for people living in a socio-economically deprived society. This study aimed to investigate the effect of teaching games for understanding approach on fundamental motor skills and executive functions in economically deprived children.Methods: This quasi-experimental research was an applied one in terms of purpose with a pre-test and post-test design. For this purpose, thirty 7 to 9-year-old children from the economically deprived areas of Kahnouj City were randomly assigned into two groups including the non-linear approach (the teaching games for understanding) and the linear approach. The research participants were trained for eight weeks. Before and after the eight weeks of training, the test of gross motor development-2 and the executive functions questionnaire scores were recorded.Results: The results of this research showed that the teaching games for understanding approach compared to the linear approach has a greater effect on the subscales of fundamental motor skills and executive functions of economically deprived children (P≤0.05).Conclusion: Engaging in cognitive activities in the teaching games for understanding approach improves fundamental motor skills and executive functions.
Zahra Fathirezaie; Elham Khodadadeh; Seyed Hojjat Zamani Sani
Abstract
Introduction: Research evidence indicates that the environment is an important factor in improving children's development. However, little research has been done in the rural children population regarding the effect of motor affordances on cognitive abilities. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate ...
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Introduction: Research evidence indicates that the environment is an important factor in improving children's development. However, little research has been done in the rural children population regarding the effect of motor affordances on cognitive abilities. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between the developmental environment affordances of rural children and their executive functions enhancement.Methods: The present research was an ex-post facto correlational study, which was conducted as field research with applied research purposes. The statistical population of this study was 8 to 10-year-old primary school children (Mean age = 9.10) of East Azerbaijan province from which 93 children were selected through random cluster sampling method as the study samples to participate in the study. To measure the motor development affordances in the home environment, the AGMDQ-1, and to measure the executive functions, BRIEF test were used.Results: Based on the results of the multiple linear regression test, a positive significant relationship was observed between motor affordances and inhibition (P=0.042) and between motor affordances and initiation (P=0.008) in 8 to 10-year-old children. Also based on the results, no significant relationship was observed between motor development affordances including stimulants, home environment and active toys, and other components of executive functions (P>0.05).Conclusion: Based on the results of the present research, children's living environment is an important factor in predicting the components of their executive functions. Accordingly, it is suggested that to improve executive functions during childhood, children should be in richer environments (in terms of the presence of affordances such as active toys).
