Enhancing Mathematical Problem-Solving Competence: A Single-Case Study on Response Prompting Intervention for Students with Borderline Intellectual Functioning

Background: Individuals with mild intellectual disability (MID; IQ 50–70) or borderline intellectual functioning (BIF; IQ 70–85) are at an elevated risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), with PTSD symptoms possibly associated with behavioural problems. It is important to test the effectiveness of trauma-focused treatments, such as eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, for adults with MID–BIF, PTSD, and severe behavioural problems. Objective: To determine the safety and effectiveness of brief intensive EMDR therapy carried out by a team of rotating therapists in adults with MID-BIF, PTSD, and severe behavioural problems. Methods: Using a randomised non-concurrent multiple baseline between-subjects design, 11 adults with MID-BIF, PTSD, and severe behavioural problems received a maximum of 16 intensive EMDR sessions twice daily for a maximum of two weeks from six different EMDR therapists. Primary outcome measurements included severity of PTSD symptoms, PTSD diagnostic status, and adverse events. Secondary outcome measurements included the frequency and severity of behavioural problems, presence of adaptive behaviour, and the use of involuntary care. Outcome measurements were assessed at baseline, during the intervention and post-intervention phases, and at the follow-up phases, and subject to randomisation tests for statistical significance. Results: Intensive EMDR therapy carried out by a team of rotating therapists resulted in significant decreases in PTSD symptoms (M difference = 15.84, p < .001) with nine of 11 participants no longer meeting the PTSD diagnostic criteria immediately following treatment and at the 9-week follow-up. Randomisation tests revealed no significant changes in adaptive behaviour, frequency, and severity of behavioural problems. Additionally, no decrease in the use of involuntary care measures was observed. One participant dropped out; no adverse events were observed. Conclusions: Brief intensive EMDR therapy for individuals with MID-BIF and severe behavioural problems, conducted by a team of rotating therapists, can be done safely and effectively to reduce PTSD symptoms.

Individuals with mild intellectual disabilities or borderline intellectual functioning are at increased risk to develop a substance use disorder—however, effective treatment programs adapted to this target group are scarce. This study evaluated the effectiveness of Take it Personal!+ in individuals with mild intellectual disabilities or borderline intellectual functioning and substance use disorder. Take it Personal!+ is a personalized treatment based on motivational interviewing and cognitive-behavioral therapy supported by an mHealth application. Data were collected in a nonconcurrent multiple baseline single-case experimental design across individuals with four phases (i.e., baseline, treatment, posttreatment, and follow-up). Twelve participants were randomly allocated to baseline lengths varying between 7 and 11 days. Substance use quantity was assessed during baseline, treatment, and posttreatment with a daily survey using a mobile application. Visual analysis was supported with statistical analysis of the daily surveys by calculating three effect size measures in 10 participants (two participants were excluded from this analysis due to a compliance rate below 50%). Secondary, substance use severity was assessed with standardized questionnaires at baseline, posttreatment, and follow-up and analyzed by calculating the Reliable Change Index. Based on visual analysis of the daily surveys, 10 out of 12 participants showed a decrease in mean substance use quantity from baseline to treatment and, if posttreatment data were available, to posttreatment. Statistical analysis showed an effect of Take it Personal!+ in terms of a decrease in daily substance use in 8 of 10 participants from baseline to treatment and if posttreatment data were available, also to posttreatment. In addition, data of the standardized questionnaires showed a decrease in substance use severity in 8 of 12 participants. These results support the effectiveness of Take it Personal!+ in decreasing substance use in individuals with mild intellectual disabilities or borderline intellectual functioning.

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of reading interventions using mobile graphic organizers on the reading comprehension of students with borderline intellectual functioning. The participants were three first-year male middle school students living in Seoul, and a multiple baseline design across subjects was used. The graphic organizer application utilized in this study was Xmind. When teaching the five steps of using graphic organizers to students, the instructional procedure followed teaching strategies including the introduction and demonstration phase, teacher-led practice phase, and independent performance The results of the study indicated that reading interventions using graphic organizers were effective in improving the reading comprehension of students with borderline intellectual functioning, and the effects were maintained even after the intervention ended. Furthermore, the mobile-based reading intervention had a positive effects on the reading attitudes of these students. Lastly, the limitations of the study were discussed, and based on these limitations, suggestions were made for expanding interventions using mobile graphic organizers and conducting follow-up studies with various text structure types.

Background Little is known about the efficacy of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in people with mild intellectual disability or borderline intellectual functioning (MID-BIF). Aims To explore the safety, feasibility, and efficacy of EMDR therapy in adults with MID-BIF, PTSD, and comorbid mental health and psycho-social problems. Methods and procedures Data were collected from nine participants using a non-concurrent multiple baseline design. PTSD symptoms, level of daily life impairment, and possible adverse effect were measured weekly during baseline, treatment, post-treatment, and at three-month follow-up. Depressive symptoms, general psychopathology, and mental health problems were assessed once in every phase. Outcomes and results Participants displayed a significant reduction of PTSD symptoms, and the majority of participants no longer met criteria for DSM-5 PTSD diagnosis after therapy. EMDR therapy appeared to be safe, as no adverse events were reported during the study time frame. Further, participants showed a decrease in depressive symptoms as well as less severe general psychopathology and mental health problems following therapy. Conclusion EMDR therapy was found to be safe, feasible, and (potentially) efficacious in decreasing PTSD symptoms, loss of PTSD diagnoses, reduction of level of daily life impairment, and general psychopathology for adults with MID-BIF, suffering from both severe mental health and psycho-social problems.

EMDR therapy for PTSD symptoms in patients with mild intellectual disability or borderline intellectual functioning and comorbid psychotic disorder: A case series

Second-order motor planning of grasping movements is usually measured using tasks that focus on the relative (dis)comfort of end posture of the arm and hand regardless of the objective outcome of performance. This may underestimate the ability for forward planning in young children. In the current study, we aimed to examine the developmental mechanisms of motor planning in children using a task that necessitates second-order motor planning for its successful completion. We tested 311 children (aged 5–12 years) who were instructed to grasp and rotate a hexagonal knob over 60°, 120°, 180°, or 240°. The 180° and 240° rotation conditions necessitated adjustment of the preferred start grip for successful task completion. We examined successful or unsuccessful task completion, reaction time (RT), and movement time (MT) as a function of task demands (i.e., rotation angle) and age. Results showed that most children of all ages were able to successfully complete the task in the 180° rotation condition. In the most demanding 240° rotation condition, many children had difficulty in completing the task, but successful task completion increased with age. Time course analysis showed increased RT and MT with increasing task demands. Furthermore, whereas RT decreased with age for each rotation angle, MT remained stable with the exception of an increase in MT for the most demanding rotation condition. Together, these results exemplify that children aged 5–12 years are indeed able to engage in forward planning. With development, second-order motor planning proficiency increases, especially for more demanding movements, and the process becomes more efficient.

Increasing Emotion regulation skills with dialectical behavior therapy skills training: A single-case study on an elementary school student with borderline intellectual functioning

Purpose. The main purpose of the study is to identify the interconnection between the risks of failure of axle boxes of freight cars and the success of performing a complex task of maintenance and repair. To do this, one should identify the sequence of calculating the values of successful completion of the complex task of maintenance and repair of freight cars, make practical calculations using the example of car repair companies of Prydniprovska Railway regional branch and identify the dependencies of failure risks of the freight cars and the process of successful completion of the task. Methodology. The paper constructs the interconnections of the probabilities of performing and not performing a complex task of maintenance and repair of freight cars. In addition, the calculation sequence of static probability estimates of successful performing and not performing of the set task, static estimates of the average deviation time and the main time of successful performing, as well as its intensity is presented. Findings. The obtained statistical data of the effective implementation of the complex task of maintenance and repair of freight cars at Prydniprovska Railway regional branch and the results of their empirical distribution throughout a period of 90 days, showed that the sample average is 24.1078 cars, the sample variance is 3.28 cars, the value of the standard deviation is 1.81 cars, and the coefficient of variation is 0.075 cars. The influence of diagnostics on the failure risks of axle boxes of freight cars during operation after fulfilling the task of maintenance and repair is also established. Originality. Based on statistical processing of experimental data, for the first time an empirical distribution of statistical data of successful completion of a complex task of maintenance and repair of freight cars was performed, which allows calculating the reliability indicators of axle boxes after maintenance and repair of freight cars. For the first time, the dependence of axle boxes diagnostics on the risk of failure of performing the task of maintenance and repair of freight cars is received, which will allow reducing the risk of failure if the task is successfully completed. Practical value. The use of diagnostics of axle boxes of freight cars during maintenance and repair can reduce the risk of failure by 2… 4.5 times.

The article selects the online Chinese teachers volunteers’ comprehensive class video as the research object, through literature research, classroom observation, recording writing, corpus analysis and comparison of different teachers in class to discuss the category of class discourse markers, and found the problems when teachers use discourse markers in the online classroom, put forward the corresponding teaching advice and specification requirements. This paper takes the discourse markers of Chinese teachers in online teaching classrooms as the research object, and comprehensively analyzes the use of Chinese and English discourse markers by teachers in the classroom. The full text has four chapters: chapter 1 explains the reasons, research significance and literature review; chapter 2 defines and classifies the discourse markers in classroom language; chapter 3 addresses the problems of Chinese teachers in classroom discourse markers, and finally, chapter 4 summarizes the full text. The main conclusions of the whole article are: (1) the two Chinese teacher volunteers have the problems of single discourse marker style and redundant discourse marker in the use of discourse markers in the classroom. (2) Teachers should give due attention to discourse markers in the preparation before class and in the process of classroom teaching, and strengthen the self-monitoring awareness of the use of discourse markers in teaching.

BackgroundThe prevalence of substance use disorder (SUD) in people with Mild Intellectual Disabilities or Borderline Intellectual Functioning (MID-BIF) is high. However, an effective personalized treatment for people with MID-BIF and SUD is lacking. This paper describes the study protocol of the effectiveness study of Take it Personal!+, a personalized treatment for people with MID-BIF and SUD. MethodsThe effectiveness of Take it Personal!+ in decreasing substance use will be assessed in a non-concurrent multiple baseline across individuals design comprising ten participants with MID-BIF and SUD. The participants with MID-BIF and SUD will be randomly allocated to one of the five baseline lengths (7–11 days). Substance use, will be assessed during baseline, intervention, and post-treatment phase using a daily diary method. DiscussionIf this study shows that Take it Personal!+ is effective in decreasing substance use, the gap in treatment for people with MID-BIF and SUD will be filled. Trial registrationThe study is registered in the Netherlands Trial Register (Trial NL4935, registered July 2, 2019).

Introduction. The article considers the problem of vision of the significance of priority national tasks in the field of education by the heads of general education organizations and class teachers. The current social situation of development of the younger generation and the state order determine the need to update education through the achievement of priority national tasks in the field of education. In this regard, approaches to class management are being rebuilt. Strengthening class management significantly depends on understanding the significance and acceptance of priority national tasks not only by the class teachers themselves, but also by the heads of general education organizations that provide administration and maintenance of the entire educational system of the school. Methodology. The study is based on the analysis of empirical data obtained using a single online questionnaire for heads of general education organizations and class teachers. The sample of respondents was formed randomly. The study involved 4539 people from 7 regions of the Russian Federation. Results. Processing of information characterizing the sample of respondents, using the Pearson correlation criterion, showed that the age criterion is significantly correlated with the experience of class management (0.574). Teaching experience significantly correlates with the experience of working as a class teacher (0.714). Processing the survey results using the parametric Student t-test showed that the most reliable survey indicators were obtained for the block “Identifying in the activities of the class teacher ways to create a comfortable psychological climate and humanize interpersonal relationships in the classroom” (average for directors – 24.1346; average for class teachers – 23.0018). Conclusions. The results of the study made it possible to obtain new data on the current state of the educational system in terms of class management through a comparison of the vision of approaches to achieving priority national objectives by heads of general education organizations and class teachers, which makes it possible to develop and implement in the practice of a modern school programs for improving the professional competencies of teaching staff performing the functions of class teachers.

Increasing Compliance and Task Completion in a Child with Borderline Intellectual Functioning: An Application of the Behavior Modification Principle

In order to compare different types of readers' perceptions of both their own classroom teacher, and their ‘ideal’ classroom teacher, eight dyslexic, eight retarded and eight normal readers were asked to rank order nine teacher qualities, firstly as they pertained to their actual class teacher and secondly as they would pertain to an ‘ideal’ class teacher. The results can be briefly summarised thus: (i) ‘Within‐group’ comparisons of the results indicated that each group had a similar view of their actual class teacher and also of the sort of attributes that constitute an ‘ideal’ teacher, (ii) ‘Between group’ comparisons revealed that while normal and retarded readers perceived their actual class teacher similarly, the views of dyslexics did not accord with them. Notions of ‘ideal’ teacher qualities were similar between dyslexics and normals, with retarded readers showing no agreement. (iii) Lastly, comparisons of ‘ideal’ and actual teacher ratings within each group demonstrated significant concordance for the normal and retarded groups but not for the dyslexic group. The implications of these results are discussed.

Background: Musicians suffer from upper limb playing-related musculoskeletal disorders that often oblige them to periodic inactivity. Objectives: To assess the effectiveness of motor imagery as a means of practice when the physical piano practice is restricted. Methods: A 17-year-old healthy pianist participated in a single subject case study with a multiple baseline design (ABC design). Performance ability was assessed during a period of the no practice, then a period of performing motor imagery and again during a period of another no practice. Assessments were performed subjectively by a professional piano teacher and objectively by the Synthesia software. Three visual analog scales were used to record stress, fatigue, and general psychological state. The participant’s motor imagery ability was recorded by the use of the Movement Imagery Questionnaire. Results: There was a statistically significant reduction in performance after no practice. There was no change in performance during motor imagery intervention. The pianist’s scores moderately correlated with the general psychological state. The Synthesia scoring presented high correlations with professional piano teacher scoring. Conclusions: Motor imagery seemed to have a positive effect in maintaining the musician’s performance level. Synthesia shows promise as an outcome measure for assessing music performance, although further research is needed.

Introduction: One of the most important factors in mainstreaming practices is the teacher. The role of the created class and psychological guidance, such as ensuring social cohesion between students with special educational needs and their peers, and the active inclusion of families throughout their life, cannot be denied. It is expected that the opinions and expectations regarding the inclusion difficulties and experiences of the classroom and guidance teachers working in primary schools in the province of Istanbul are reached. Method: In the study in which the case study model, which is one of the qualitative research methods, was used; semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven classroom teachers who have inclusion students in their classroom and six psychological counselor/guidance teachers who have inclusion students in their school. By applying content analysis to the data obtained from the interviews, the main themes and sub-themes were formed and the findings were reached. Findings: Research findings show that classroom teachers prepare the individualized education program (IEP) with the help of the guidance teacher. The school administration does not have enough information about the inclusion practice because the classrooms are crowded. Thus the teachers have difficulty in gaining academic skills, as well as finding and adapting appropriate materials for mainstreaming students. Counselors, on the other hand, state that the IEP development unit remains on paper, that all responsibilities related to IEP are assigned to them, and that the school administration does not cooperate on inclusion. In addition, both classroom teachers and guidance teachers stated that the communication and cooperation they established with the institutions where the student received support education was one-sided and they did not receive any feedback regarding the student. The fact that families do not accept their children's inadequacy, and do not have enough information about inclusion, is another finding that makes cooperation difficult for classroom and guidance teachers. Discussion: The findings obtained from the research revealed the necessity of the classroom and guidance teachers to be in cooperation with the school, family and stakeholders who provide support education to the students in the inclusive practice. This cooperation will enable the student's educational process to improve their learning better. It is recommended to conduct experimental studies based on school-family cooperation in similar studies.