Feuerstein Instrumental Enrichment Research Articles

Feuerstein Instrumental Enrichment Program for People With Schizophrenia After the First Episode of Psychosis: Protocol for an Open-Label Intervention Study.

Schizophrenia is a disorder associated with neurocognitive deficits that adversely affect daily functioning and impose an economic burden. Cognitive rehabilitation interventions, particularly during the early phases of illness, have been shown to improve cognition, functionality, and quality of life. The Feuerstein Instrumental Enrichment (FIE) program, based on the Mediated Learning Experience and the Structural Cognitive Modifiability theory, has been applied in various disorders, but its applicability in schizophrenia has not yet been clarified. This study aims to investigate the effects of the FIE program on the functionality of patients with first-episode schizophrenia. In total, 17 patients will be recruited for an open-label intervention consisting of twice-weekly sessions for 10 weeks. The primary outcome measure will be changes in the Goal Achievement Scale score. Maze task performance from the Measurement and Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia (MATRICS) battery will serve as a secondary outcome measure. At the same time, changes in Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale scores and other MATRICS domains will be analyzed as exploratory outcomes. Assessments will be administered before and after the intervention, with a follow-up period of 6 months. This trial was preregistered in The Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials (RBR-4gzhy4s). By February 2024, 11 participants were enrolled in the training. Recruitment is expected to be completed by May 2024. Data analysis will be conducted between May and September 2024. The results are expected to be published in January 2025. This study may establish a protocol for the FIE program that uses mediation techniques for individuals in the early stages of schizophrenia. The results will add to the knowledge about strategies to promote cognitive skills and functional impairment in daily life. DERR1-10.2196/57031.

POTENTIAL IMPACT OF FEUERSTEIN INSTRUMENTAL ENRICHMENT ON SELF-CONCEPT OF LEARNERS WITH BEHAVIOURAL PROBLEMS

The article was prepared within preparatory phase of research on impact of Feuerstein Instrumental Enrichment (FIE) on self-concept of learners with behavioural problems. Its goal is to reveal the current state in research field concerning this topic in the Czech Republic. The programme FIE has been used in the Czech Republic since 1999, mostly for learners with special educational needs. The theoretical and research sources mostly describe the impact of FIE on the development and change of cognitive structures, the development of the art of learning and thinking (metacognition). Moreover, as one of the secondary objectives is also mentioned the restoration of a positive self-concept of the learners, precisely in compliance with the criteria of the mediated learning experience, e.g. by increasing the sense of competence of the learners and by learning to regulate their own behaviour. Thus, it influences the formation of healthy self-concept, self-confidence and self-acceptance of individuals participating in FIE. Generally stated, people who have a negative self-concept and/or low self-confidence are more likely to exhibit problem behaviour, whether in the family, school or wider social environment. In the Czech provenance, we found three studies that primarily address the impact of FIE on learners with behavioural problems - first on learners with serious behavioural problems living in residential educational institutions, second on learners with ADHD and third on children with problem behaviour. We managed to find four studies that partially aim to determine the level of self-concept/confidence/self-esteem/self-acceptance of FIE attendees. Five studies then report on the effect of FIO on self-concept/self-confidence/self-esteem/self-acceptance and six other studies present the impact of FIO on behaviour change of attendees (mentioned mostly as a side effect because the studies primarily did not address these aims).

A Quasi-Experimental Study on the Effectiveness of Early Interventional Techniques on Self-Esteem

Background: specific learning disability (SLD) as it is known is an aberration in the underpinning psychological process that exhibits itself in the flawed ability to think, listen, talk, read, and write. It can also be connected to spelling difficulties, mathematical derivations, and calculations. It tends to be related to cognitive impairments or brain injuries spurred by neurological disarray, aphasia, or additional problems.Aim: this specific review aims to summarise interventional techniques, stability of individual self-esteem, other societal-related skills, academic skills, and others among children with SLD. It is necessary to determine which interventional strategies can be implemented to assist kids with SLD issues identified in schools or academic centres to enhance their self-esteem, social skills and academic achievements.Methods: the articles were searched in databases like PubMed, Web of Science, Psyc INFO, and CINAHL with Boolean like “specific learning disabilities children” AND “intervention” OR “Self-esteem”, “Social skills” AND “Academic achievements”.Results: in the empirical studies, five objects were identified as appropriate for the research. Many types of interventions have been used to assess appreciation or liking for self-esteem, social skills, and vital academic skills among children of SLD.Children who underwent an experimental program receiving the Feuerstein Instrumental Enrichment Program reflected an increase in some of the cognitive functions. The student’s ability to execute data processing approaches during their academic activities hasimproved when the ability to recall, perceive, schedule, and executive intervention system is combined with other quadrant paradigms. Significant advancement was noticed in self-esteem, social skills and academic excellence. All these were possible due to a positive approach to the intervention. Conclusions: in the evaluation review, the researcher highlights how children with SLD perform better and that the positive psychological interventions examined have entirely eradicated all of their adverse effects. In this regard, there is a requirement to provide inclusive education for kids with Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD) and for persevering with SLD-related experimentation procedures

Changes in Brain Volume Resulting from Cognitive Intervention by Means of the Feuerstein Instrumental Enrichment Program in Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI): A Pilot Study.

There is increasing interest in identifying biological and imaging markers for the early detection of neurocognitive decline. In addition, non-pharmacological strategies, including physical exercise and cognitive interventions, may be beneficial for those developing cognitive impairment. The Feuerstein Instrumental Enrichment (FIE) Program is a cognitive intervention based on structural cognitive modifiability and the mediated learning experience (MLE) and aims to promote problem-solving strategies and metacognitive abilities. The FIE program uses a variety of instruments to enhance the cognitive capacity of the individual as a result of mediation. A specific version of the FIE program was developed for the cognitive enhancement of older adults, focusing on strengthening orientation skills, categorization skills, deductive reasoning, and memory. We performed a prospective interventional pilot observational study on older subjects with MCI who participated in 30 mediated FIE sessions (two sessions weekly for 15 weeks). Of the 23 subjects who completed the study, there was a significant improvement in memory on the NeuroTrax cognitive assessment battery. Complete sets of anatomical MRI data for voxel-based morphometry, taken at the beginning and the end of the study, were obtained from 16 participants (mean age 83.5 years). Voxel-based morphometry showed an interesting and unexpected increase in grey matter (GM) in the anterolateral occipital border and the middle cingulate cortex. These initial findings of our pilot study support the design of randomized trials to evaluate the effect of cognitive training using the FIE program on brain volumes and cognitive function.

Can an Educational Activity Program Based on Feuerstein’s Program and Gardner’s Theory Increase Excellence and Creativity in Math in Omani Students?

Excellence and creativity in mathematics are necessary requirements for the twenty-first century, and some countries have gone to build and develop new curricula for excellence and creativity. We prepared an activity program in mathematics based on Feuerstein's instrumental enrichment program and Gardner's multiple intelligences theory to increase excellence and creativity in mathematics for Omani students.We hypothesized that the success of previous programs based on the same foundations would generalize to Omani students. Inan experiment,the experimental group received a special training and the control group did not. We then checked whether the pretest-posttest gain was larger for the experimental group than for the control group. The study sample was comprised of an experimental group of n= 35 8th-grade girl students of class nr. 8/1 in Aesha bent Abu Bakr school in Salalah, Oman, and a control group of n= 36 of 8th-grade girl students of class nr. 8/3 in the same school.The differences in pretest-posttest gains were analyzed using t-tests, significance levels, correlations, and effect sizes.There were large and significant experimental effects in favor of the experimental group, showing these educational outcomes can be generalized to Oman.We note various limitations of the study and give various recommendations.

Evaluation of the Feuerstein Instrumental Enrichment (FIE) program among Israeli-Arab students

ABSTRACT The Feuerstein Instrumental Enrichment (FIE) Program is a process-oriented program based on Structural Cognitive Modifiability and Mediated Learning Experience (SCM-MLE) theory. It is aimed at promoting learning how to learn, development of deficient cognitive functions, problem-solving strategies and metacognitive abilities. The FIE program was developed mainly for students coming from low socioeconomic backgrounds with low academic achievements. The FIE was implemented for one year in three Grade 4 classes (n = 73) in an Israeli-Arab school. Two comparison classes from the same school in Grade 4 (n = 58) learned the regular content-oriented curriculum for the same period. All students were administered the Raven’s Colored Progressive Matrices, Numerical Progression Test, and the B8-B12 Set Variation measures before the intervention. Students’ grades in English, Arabic, and Mathematics were recorded before and after the intervention. The findings showed that the students receiving the FIE significantly improved their grades from pre- to post-intervention compared with the comparison group, and that students who started the year with lower cognitive scores benefited from the program more than the students with higher scores. The findings indicating a far-transfer effects are discussed in relation to the SCM-MLE theory and previous research.

The Effect of the Feuerstein Project on the Cognitive and Functional State of Community-Dwelling Individuals Aged 65 Years and Older with Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Pilot Study

Background: The rate of elderly individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) has increased over recent decades. The Feuerstein Instrumental Enrichment (FIE) program for the elderly has been shown to be effective in various age groups but is has never been tested as a treatment for MCI in elderly patients. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of the FIE on the cognitive and functional state of elderly patients with MCI. Methods: This was an interventional pilot study in community-dwelling patients aged ≥65 years diagnosed with MCI in the previous year. The protocol included 30 twice-weekly 90-min sessions with a full neurocognitive evaluation prior to the intervention (v1), at its conclusion (v2), and half a year later (v3). Results: Nine of the 15 recruited participants completed the study. The mean age was 76.2 years. Compared to v1 and v2, the only significant improvements found at v3 were in the “visual perception” subtest of the NeuroTrax test and the total score of the MOCA test (p = 0.048 and 0.028, respectively). The effect size was >0.7 (r = 0.7), indicating a moderate-to-high clinical significance. The results of the qualitative questionnaire were consistent with the positive effect of the group on the fostering of social ties, the motivation to learn, the cognitive contribution, and the development of a sense of self-efficacy. Conclusion: The study findings support the conclusion that an intervention with a focus on cognitive exercising can promote a feeling of self-efficacy and preserve some cognitive skills.

Implementation of Feuerstein Instrumental Enrichment Program in a Primary School in New Zealand

The Feuerstein Instrumental Enrichment (FIE) program was implemented in a primary school in New Zealand for 10 years old students with average educational ability. Targeted goals were to examine if the FIE program helped students to be less impulsive, plan well, and better in solving problems. The program started with 17 students for the first two school terms and from this group 8 students continued with two more school terms (one year). Results of this field study suggest that the 8 students who continued the FIE program made good gains in the targeted goals. This is only an exploratory project with a small sample of students and not a formal research study.

Is Feuerstein's Instrumental Enrichment (FIE) a good method for social inclusion of poor Slovak children in school? A study focused on social and educational levels

The Feuerstein's Instrumental Enrichment (FIE) method, as an instrument of social inclusion of children from a socially disadvantaged environment in classroom, is yet to be analyzed in the Slovak Republic and the Czech Republic. The study objective was to separate qualitative predispositions for effectiveness of inclusion from the FIE method in two areas – social and educational. The methods of the study (conducted in 2015–2016) included a combination of questionnaire investigation and observation during direct work with eight children (seven girls and one boy) who came from a socially disadvantaged environment in the district of Partizánske (Slovakia). The greatest progress in the children at the educational level was found in the increase of their activity and participation in classes. The most significant contribution in the personality-socialization sphere was an increase of children's personal interest, resulting from their intra-factorial motivation for group school activities. The influence of the method on marks and assessment of the pupils was not proved. The conclusions of the study emphasize the need for an interdisciplinary province of special pedagogues (educational, personality areas) and social-healthcare workers (socialization sphere), which are totally absent in the legislation and practice in the Slovak Republic.

Research on the Usefulness of Feuerstein Method in Educating the Sociability of Children aged Between 3 and 7 (Preschool Children)

The Feuerstein method is classified as a cognitive intervention method that does not neglect the socio-emotional development of those involved. The 14 tools or instruments that are part of the Method have their own teaching didactics and can be used both individually and in a group, in a classroom or in a psychologist's office. Our research aims at highlighting the importance of family and school in the socialization of children aged between 3 and 7 years, as well as the usefulness of the Feuerstein Instrumental Enrichment Program in improving the educational and emotional deficiencies of children and the optimization of their social skills education.

The Feuerstein approach in New Zealand : Building on the past, for the future.


 
 
 
 The Feuerstein approach to the teaching of thinking is highly regarded internationally as an effective programme for vulnerable learners and learners with special educational needs. This paper describes this approach.
 The need for this approach in New Zealand is discussed, including children’s rights to it, and the New Zealand National Curriculum requirements. This is followed by an analysis of how the approach meets international criteria for an effective programme for the teaching of thinking.
 The author’s early New Zealand research on the Feuerstein Instrumental Enrichment programme, to build a strong evidence-base for future use of the approach, is described in some detail, and her current New Zealand research project on best-practice with the inclusive and more whole-school integrated use of the Instrumental Enrichment programme is touched upon.
 Finally, some guidelines are outlined for the effective use of the Feuerstein approach in New Zealand now and in the future.
 
 
 

The Role of Feuerstein's Instrumental Enrichment Program in the Cognitive Development of Children with Mental Deficiencies

The significance in developing the knowledge and skills of children with risk for growth is not limited to children with special needs, but also refers to the socially and culturally disadvantaged children, regardless of their level of progress (low, medium or high). Certain disabilities of children are not only innate cognitive characteristics, but also other contextual reasons such as: lack of experience in a specific learning context, previous knowledge deficit, lack of appropriate language and transferable strategies operation, all of them due to the lack of appropriate mediation. It all started from the idea that applying the Instrumental Enrichment Program will achieve significant changes in neuropsychological development of children with mental disabilities, developing their cognitive functions and inner motivation, managing to improve their ability to deal with real life problems.

Investigating the classroom discourse of mediation in a Feuerstein instrumental enrichment programme

In this research project, we investigate the discourse and interactions of a teacher and his elementary‐aged students in a cognitive education programme, based upon the work of Reuven Feuerstein. Feuerstein has developed a learning theory that links cognitive skill development to culturally grounded mediated learning. He argues that the development of foundational thinking skills – organisation and management of information, effective orientation to problem sets and metacognitive skills – underlie all complex learning and is a direct outgrowth of mediating interactions between a learner and a more competent guide. Feuerstein theorises specific qualities to learning interactions for all mediated learning experiences (MLE). In order to investigate the discursive realisation of MLEs in a Feuerstein Instrumental Enrichment (FIE) programme, data were gathered on a series of lessons with an FIE‐trained teacher and three fourth and fifth grade academically underachieving students of Central American heritage in an elementary classroom in the United States.

Exploring the impact of Feuerstein’s Instrumental Enrichment Programme on the cognitive development of prospective mathematics educators

In this article the researchers report on the findings obtained from a sequential explanatory mixed method study through testing and narratives in order to determine the extent to which 24 prospective Mathematics educators at a South African university enrolled for a BEd-degree possess cognitive skills, and to establish the potential of the Feuerstein Instrumental Enrichment programme (FIE) to develop and improve the cognitive skills of the said prospective educators. Results indicated that there is a need for improving the cognitive skills of the prospective Mathematics educators and that the FIE programme possesses the latent potential to improve and develop cognitive skills.The significance of this research lies in the contribution it makes in particular to equip lecturers involved in educator training with knowledge regarding the merits of the Feuerstein FIE programme for improving cognitive performance.Keywords: Cognitive skills; cognitive development; intervention; mediation; cognitive development; Instrumental EnrichmentDisciplines: Mathematics teaching; Cognitive development; Teacher education

Learning to Think, Thinking to Learn: A Comparative Analysis of Three Approaches to Instruction

The authors analyze two major approaches currently extant in curriculum and instruction in classroom application and propose a third approach. The analysis is based on a consideration of the contribution of cognitive development in the currently adopted approaches and their necessity in responding to the demands of modern technology and social change. A rationale is presented for emphasizing structural cognitive teaching as a separate and distinct curricular intervention. The Feuerstein Instrumental Enrichment (FIE) program is posed as an example of such intervention. The process of “bridging” that is an integral part of the FIE program is proposed as an effective vehicle for the development and transfer of thought processes acquired and their application to diverse content and learning situations.

Effects of the instrumental enrichment and CoRT thinkink skills programmes on the creativity of pre-service teachers

This study assessed the effectiveness of Feuerstein's Instrumental Enrichment and de Bono's CoRT thinking skill programmes in enhancing the creative thinking and attitudes of pre-service teachers in a disadvantaged South African community. Four groups of students (n = 20 each) were randomly constituted and taught, respectively, Instrumental Enrichment, CoRT, a combination of the two, and their usual studies (that is, a control group). Results on the measures of creative thinking were inconsistent and non-significant. However, after intervention, the experimental groups were all more open to autonomy and divergence among their pupils than the control group. Further, unlike the others, the Instrumental Enrichment group displayed a consistent tendency to improve following the intervention on the measures of creative attitudes. Implications of these results for teacher education and further research are discussed.

Cognitive modifiability of children with developmental disabilities: A multicentre study using Feuerstein's Instrumental Enrichment—Basic program

The study aimed at exploring the effectiveness of cognitive intervention with the new “Instrumental Enrichment Basic” program (IE-basic), based on Feuerstein's theory of structural cognitive modifiability that contends that a child's cognitive functioning can be significantly modified through mediated learning intervention. The IE-basic progam is aimed at enhancing domain-general cognitive functioning in a number of areas (systematic perception, self-regulation abilities, conceptual vocabulary, planning, decoding emotions and social relations) as well as transferring learnt principles to daily life domains. Participants were children with DCD, CP, intellectual impairment of genetic origin, autistic spectrum disorder, ADHD or other learning disorders, with a mental age of 5–7 years, from Canada, Chile, Belgium, Italy and Israel. Children in the experimental groups ( N = 104) received 27–90 h of the program during 30–45 weeks; the comparison groups ( N = 72) received general occupational and sensory–motor therapy. Analysis of the pre- to post-test gain scores demonstrated significant ( p < 0.05) advantage of experimental over comparison groups in three WISC-R subtests (“Similarities”, “Picture Completion”, “Picture Arrangement”) and Raven Coloured Matrices. Effect sizes ranged from 0.3 to 0.52. Results suggest that it is possible to improve cognitive functioning of children with developmental disability. No advantage was found for children with specific aetiology. Greater cognitive gains were demonstrated by children who received the program in an educational context where all teachers were committed to the principles of mediated learning.

Long-Awaited Update. Review of Creating and Enhancing Cognitive Modifiability: The Feuerstein Instrumental Enrichment Program

Long-Awaited Update. Review of Creating and Enhancing Cognitive Modifiability: The Feuerstein Instrumental Enrichment Program

Usefulness of cognitive intervention programmes for socio‐emotional and behaviour problems in children with learning disabilities

Behavioural and emotional problems occur more frequently in children with learning problems than in a cross‐section of the general population, both at home and at school. While behaviour problems reportedly are a key obstructive factor impeding inclusive education, children with both behavioural and learning disabilities carry a high risk of social exclusion and school dropout when they are in mainstream environments. Meta‐analyses indicated only a moderate impact of social skills training. To see what kind of intervention programme would be effective in modifying cognitive as well as socio‐emotional behaviour and at the same time focusing on contextual interaction and intervention, a pilot study has been carried out in Belgium with 11–13‐year‐old students with learning disability and behaviour problems in special schools. A total of 24 children in the experimental group were matched against a control group of 24. Children in the experimental group, after having received 14 lessons of FIE (Feuerstein's Instrumental Enrichment Programme), showed a marked increase in some cognitive functions (hypothetical thinking, perception and understanding of humour) but not in others. A significant effect on socio‐emotional behaviour could not be shown quantitatively, but was evident from qualitative interviewing. The mediating attitude of the teachers was a key influencing factor in producing lasting changes. Programmes such as FIE, provided they address children as well as teachers in a comprehensive way, focusing on cognitive as well as socio‐emotional behavioural changes, may become powerful instruments to help children as well as teachers in a highly differentiated inclusive school environment.

Cognitive Learning in Younger and Older Immigrant Students

Feuerstein's Instrumental Enrichment (IE) program has been widely used for teaching learning strategies to socially disadvantaged, learning disabled and educationally deprived minority children. The present study focused on the question of mastery of IE tasks by new immigrant children from Ethiopia. The level of spontaneous correct solutions of IE tasks was evaluated. The IE task performance of the new immigrant students was compared to that of the veteran Israelis. The difference in performance between younger and older immigrant students is discussed and educational implications are drawn.