طراحی و اعتباریابی برنامهٔ فرایندمحور برای ارتقای کارکردهای اجرایی «فرایش» برای دانش‌آموزان دارای ناتوانی‌های یادگیری ریاضی

زمینه و هدف: باتوجه به فرضیهٔ نارسا کنش وری اجرایی و نقص مهارتهای حوزهٔ خاص ریاضی به عنوان منشا ناتوانیهای یادگیری ریاضی و نبود برنامه های مداخلاتی کارکردهای اجرایی فرایندمحور تخصصی برای دانشآموزان دارای ناتوانی یادگیری ریاضی، پژوهش حاضر با هدف طراحی و اعتباریابی برنامهٔ فرایندمحور ارتقای کارکردهای اجرایی ویژهٔ این گروه اجرا شد. روشبررسی: نوع مطالعه برای مرحلهٔ اول، مروری و برای مرحلهٔ دوم از نوع نیمه آزمایشی با طرح پیش آزمون-پس آزمون و گمارش تصادفی با یک گروه آزمایشی و یک گروه گواه فعال بود. برنامهٔ مداخلاتی پس از مطالعهٔ الگوهای نظری و پارادایمهای تکلیفی موجود در زمینهٔ کارکردهای اجرایی، برمبنای الگوی نظری دیاموند (2013) در قالب دوازده تکلیف دارای فرمهای موازی در سه مولفهٔ حافظهٔ کاری و بازداری و تغییر آمایه با رویکرد فرایندمحور و با استفاده از مواد عددی و فرایندهای حساب طراحی شد. روایی کیفی و محتوایی برنامه با بهرهگیری از نظرات هشت نفر از متخصصان و با بهکارگیری نسبت روایی محتوایی (cvr) برآورد شد. همچنین اعتبار برنامه برپایهٔ میزان اثربخشی برنامه با استفاده از طرح پژوهشی نیمهآزمایشی با طرح پیشآزمون-پسآزمون و با دو گروه آزمایش و گواه، بر نمونهٔ 30نفری از دانشآموزان دارای ناتوانی یادگیری ریاضی پایهٔ سوم و چهارم دبستان سنجش شد. دادهها با استفاده از روش آماری تحلیل کوواریانس یکراهه (ancova) در نسخهٔ 16 نرم افزار spss در سطح معناداری (0٫05=α) تجزیه و تحلیل شدند. یافته ها: نتایج نشان داد که برنامهٔ فرایش دارای روایی محتوایی مطلوب (0٫75p) و درصد پاسخهای صحیح حافظهٔ کاری را بهطور معنادار افزایش داده است (0٫001>p). نتیجه گیری: برنامهٔ فرایش با رویکرد فرایندمحور جهت آموزش کارکردهای اجرایی و با محتوای تخصصی ریاضی میتواند با تحریک و بهکارگیری بهینهٔ ظرفیت شناختی دانش آموزان دارای ناتوانیهای یادگیری ریاضی با صرف مقدار مشخصی از زمان و کوشش، منجربه بهبود نارساکنشوری اجرایی این گروه شود.

Developing and Validating the Farayesh Process-Based Program to Enhance Executive Functions for Students with Mathematical Learning Disabilities

Background & Objectives: It is hypothesized that there are deficiencies in the Executive Functions (EF) as well as specific–domains of mathematics learning, as the substructure of mathematical learning disabilities. Furthermore, there is a lack of process–based interventional programs, i.e., specially designed to use numerical and arithmetic materials for students with mathematical learning disabilities. Therefore, the present study aimed to design and validate a process–based program for enhancing EF in students with learning disabilities in mathematics, i.e., called Farayesh.Methods: The intervention program was designed after studying EF theoretical models and task paradigms. The Farayesh program was generated based on Diamond’s EF theoretical model (2013) in three components of working memory, inhibition, and switching. The program training approach was process–based, and tasks’ content implements numerical materials and arithmetic processes. The Farayesh was presented in the form of 12 tasks with parallel forms. Four complex span tasks contain categorization span, subtraction span, computation span, and numerical dot–matrix used for working memory component. Four tasks comprise number–word Stroop, number–digit Stroop, size–magnitude Stroop, and stop–signal designed for inhibition component; four tasks are used for switching contain addition–subtraction switching, larger–than–smaller switching (with two rules), number–digit switching, and ones–tens switching. The face and content validity of the program was estimated using the views of 8 experts by the Content Validity Ratio (CVR). For assessing the effects of the program, a quasi–experimental research with a pretest–posttest and an active control group design was used. The research population comprised all third– and fourth–grade students with mathematical learning disabilities in governmental centers for individuals with learning disabilities in Ahvaz City, Iran. In total, 30 students were selected using a purposive sampling method and randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups. The experimental group received 17 sessions of the Farayesh program; however, the control group received their routine schedules. The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children–Fourth Edition (WISC–IV) and IRAN KEY–MATH Test of Mathematics was used for recruiting eligible students. Scores, completion time, and the number of errors of the 12 tasks were considered as the pretest and posttest values to assess working memory, inhibition, and switching. The obtained data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, including Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) in SPSS at the significance level of α=0.05.Results: The obtained data indicated the high reliability and validity of the process–based program of executive function (Farayesh) for students with mathematical learning disabilities. The CVR for all tasks was higher than those of the Lawshe table (CVR>0.75). Thus, the content validity of the program was established. The Farayesh program improved the frequency of correct responses of working memory (p<0.001) and reduced completion time and error in switching (p<0.001) and inhibition tasks (p<0.001) in the experimental group, compared with the controls.Conclusion: The Farayesh program with a process–based approach to teaching core EFs (i.e., working memory, inhibition, & switching) and with a math–specific domain content could be used to stimulate and optimize the pre–existing cognitive capacity of students with mathematical learning disabilities. Implementing this program could improve dysexecutive functions in this group. Additionally, the present study result was consistent with the brain plasticity theory. In other words, it approved that with a sufficient amount of time and effort of cognitive exercises, the inherent capacity of biological, cognitive systems could be eliminated. The Farayesh program could be used as a preventive and therapeutic cost–effective intervention, i.e., especially for children with learning disabilities. The process–based program, Farayesh, used for improving EFs, is recommended for educational, clinical, and therapeutic use in schools and rehabilitation centers due to its high reliability and validity.