Effectiveness of Cognitive Rehabilitation on Dictation Errors of Students with Dysgraphia

Abstract

Introduction: Dysgraphia in dictation is considered to be a common learning disability. Usual treatments for dysgraphia have been shown to be unsuccessful. In this study we investigated the effectiveness of cognitive rehabilitation on dictation errors. Materials and Methods: The design of the present study was a single-subject design with multiple baselines. Six male students of second elementary school of Tabriz, Iran with normal intelligence and dysgraphia were selected by the convenient sampling method. They did not have clinical problems in any subscales of the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). Using Sound smart software, cognitive assignments of brain and cognitive sciences of Cambridge University, and paper and pencil assignments performed thirty training sessions. A researcher based test was used to evaluate dictation errors. Statistical analysis methods included effect size calculation, improvement percent, and visual inspection of graphs. Results: In visual skill errors, mean of baseline-treatment effect size was 1.03 (moderate effect size), and mean of baseline-follow up effect size was 2.26 (high effect size) for 6 subjects. Furthermore, in auditory skill errors, mean of baseline-treatment effect size was 0.92 (moderate effect size), and mean of baseline- follow up effect size was 2.15 (high effect size) for 6 subjects. The improvement percent of these errors at follow up-baseline phase was greater than intervention-baseline phase. Conclusion: It would suggest that by considering the individual differences, the cognitive rehabilitation program can be used as a new and appealing method for children along with other common methods of treatment for dysgraphia.