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Department of Exceptional Child Psychology, Islamshahr Branch, Islamic Azad University, Islamshahr, Iran. , firozkiyoumarsi@gmail.com
Abstract: (28 Views)
Background: Deficits in visuospatial processing are a common cognitive challenge among students with specific learning disabilities, severely impacting their academic performance. However, few studies have designed an integrated intervention that simultaneously empowers the three core pillars of the educational triangle: the student, the family, and the teacher. A lack of coordination among these three elements limits the effectiveness of interventions.
Aims: The objective of the present study was to develop a three-level (student, family, teacher) educational program and to evaluate its effectiveness on visuospatial processing in students with specific learning disabilities.
Methods: This study was applied in purpose and utilized an exploratory mixed-methods design, with priority given to the qualitative phase from which categories were extracted to develop the intervention program. In the qualitative phase, which aimed to identify the components of the program, thematic analysis was employed. The participants included university psychology professors, specialists, and therapists in the field of exceptional children, from whom 10 were selected via purposive sampling until theoretical saturation was reached. The data collection tool was a semi-structured interview. The quantitative phase employed a quasi-experimental pre-test, post-test, and follow-up design. The statistical population consisted of all students with specific learning disabilities (with an emphasis on mathematics disorder) aged 8 to 10 in Tehran during the 2023-2024 academic year. From this population, 30 participants were selected through purposive sampling. The data collection instrument for all three stages was the Tehran-Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale. Data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA in SPSS-26.
Results: The results of the qualitative phase, obtained through the thematic analysis of interviews, led to the identification of four main themes for the structure of the three-level educational program. These themes were: enhancing attention and concentration, strengthening working memory, improving quantitative reasoning, and enhancing visuospatial processing. In the quantitative section, the results of the repeated measures ANOVA indicated that the educational program based on these themes had a significant and positive effect on improving the visuospatial processing scores of students in the experimental group (p< 0.05). This improvement was evident at the post-test and follow-up stages compared to the pre-test.
Conclusion: The findings indicate that a three-level educational program, designed based on key cognitive components (attention, working memory, quantitative reasoning, and visuospatial processing), is an effective and practical approach for improving visuospatial processing in students with specific learning disabilities. This finding underscores the need to move beyond one-dimensional, student-focused interventions. Therefore, it is recommended that therapists, school counselors, and curriculum designers enhance the sustainability and generalizability of intervention effectiveness by simultaneously involving families and teachers in the therapeutic process.
Aims: The objective of the present study was to develop a three-level (student, family, teacher) educational program and to evaluate its effectiveness on visuospatial processing in students with specific learning disabilities.
Methods: This study was applied in purpose and utilized an exploratory mixed-methods design, with priority given to the qualitative phase from which categories were extracted to develop the intervention program. In the qualitative phase, which aimed to identify the components of the program, thematic analysis was employed. The participants included university psychology professors, specialists, and therapists in the field of exceptional children, from whom 10 were selected via purposive sampling until theoretical saturation was reached. The data collection tool was a semi-structured interview. The quantitative phase employed a quasi-experimental pre-test, post-test, and follow-up design. The statistical population consisted of all students with specific learning disabilities (with an emphasis on mathematics disorder) aged 8 to 10 in Tehran during the 2023-2024 academic year. From this population, 30 participants were selected through purposive sampling. The data collection instrument for all three stages was the Tehran-Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale. Data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA in SPSS-26.
Results: The results of the qualitative phase, obtained through the thematic analysis of interviews, led to the identification of four main themes for the structure of the three-level educational program. These themes were: enhancing attention and concentration, strengthening working memory, improving quantitative reasoning, and enhancing visuospatial processing. In the quantitative section, the results of the repeated measures ANOVA indicated that the educational program based on these themes had a significant and positive effect on improving the visuospatial processing scores of students in the experimental group (p< 0.05). This improvement was evident at the post-test and follow-up stages compared to the pre-test.
Conclusion: The findings indicate that a three-level educational program, designed based on key cognitive components (attention, working memory, quantitative reasoning, and visuospatial processing), is an effective and practical approach for improving visuospatial processing in students with specific learning disabilities. This finding underscores the need to move beyond one-dimensional, student-focused interventions. Therefore, it is recommended that therapists, school counselors, and curriculum designers enhance the sustainability and generalizability of intervention effectiveness by simultaneously involving families and teachers in the therapeutic process.
Keywords: student- family and teacher-centered educational program, visuospatial processing, specific learning disability.
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This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) License. |
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)