Clinical Psychology Studies

Abstract Background and Aim: The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a MindUP-based mindfulness training program informed by complementary medicine on improving the executive functions of elementary school children. Research Methods: This study employed a quasi-experimental design with a control group and pretest–posttest measurements. The statistical population included all 9–12-year-old students of an elementary school in Tehran during the 2023–2024 academic year, selected through cluster random sampling. The sample consisted of 60 students who were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 30) and a control group (n = 30). The experimental group participated in a structured eight-week mindfulness training program comprising fifteen sessions. The intervention content covered four main components: attention focusing, sensory enhancement, mindful attitude, and mindful behavior. Data were collected using the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF-Parent Form) and a set of performance-based executive function tasks, both administered before and after the intervention. The data were analyzed using paired t-tests, analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), and effect size estimation. Results: Findings indicated that mindfulness training led to a significant improvement in cognitive regulation, emotional regulation, and behavioral regulation in the experimental group compared to the control group (p < 0.01). The effect size was particularly large for cognitive regulation indicators. Conclusion: Based on the findings, mindfulness training can be considered an effective, low-cost, and easily implementable approach in educational settings, contributing to the enhancement of executive functions and empowerment of elementary school children.

Abstract Introduction and Objective: The present study aimed to investigate the role of Cognitive abilities in predicting rational decision-making among adolescents, considering the mediating role of emotional intelligence and moral judgment. Rational decision-making, as one of the key processes of cognitive development in adolescence, plays a crucial role in personal, social, and academic adjustment. Given that adolescence is accompanied by extensive biological, cognitive, and emotional changes, identifying underlying factors influencing rational decision-making is of particular importance.
Research Methodology: This study employed a quantitative, correlational design using structural equation modeling (SEM). The statistical population consisted of lower secondary school students in Yazd during the 2024–2025 academic year, from which a sample was selected through cluster random sampling. Research instruments included the General Decision-Making Styles Questionnaire (GDMS), the Cognitive Functions Questionnaire, the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire–Short Form (TEIQue-SF), and the Moral Judgment Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using AMOS-24 software.
Findings: Findings indicated that Cognitive abilities directly predicted rational decision-making (β=0.17, P<0.05). Furthermore, emotional intelligence and moral judgment significantly mediated this relationship (β=0.308, P<0.002). In other words, adolescents with higher Cognitive abilities also demonstrated higher levels of emotional intelligence and moral judgment, which in turn contributed to the enhancement of their rational decision-making.
Conclusion: The results highlight the importance of an integrated approach to cognitive, emotional, and moral processes in understanding adolescent decision-making and may provide a basis for designing educational and counseling interventions aimed at improving adolescents’ decision-making skills.

Abstract Objective: The purpose of this study was to design and determine the effectiveness of educational package of executive functions on improving the levels of theory of Mind in children with high Performance autism spectrum disorder. Method: The research method is semi-experimental with post-test pre-test with control group. The statistical population of the present study was children with autism disorder aged 6 to 12 years in Urmia (274 people) in the academic year of 2019-20 were from the exceptional school for children with autism, out of the target population, Out of the total target population 40 high-performance autism were selected using Gilliam Autism Rating Scale(Gilliam,1995) and randomly assigned to two experimental (20) and control (20) groups, and the Hutchins Mind Theory Questionnaire(Hutchins et al., 2012) was completed by parents of both groups. After performing the pre-test, the experimental group was trained in the executive functions program. The program was designed by researchers and consisted of 24 sessions in which 4 skills (working memory, inhibition, flexibility and attention training) were taught, At this stage, the children in the control group did not receive any training. The post-test was performed again and the data obtained from the pre-test and post-test were analyzed using analysis of covariance.Results: The data showed a significant difference(p < 01) between the control and test groups in the post-test of variable theory of Mind scores after adjusting the effect of pre-test of theory of Mind .Conclusion: Based on this study, it can be suggested that improving the executive functions can increase the levels of theory of Mind.

Abstract According to the World Health Organization, stroke is a series of sudden clinical symptoms. And it has no obvious cause other than vascular origin. Defective working memory is one of the most commonly occurring phenomena after brain damage. Attention and executive function (problem solving) are closely related to working memory. Cognitive Rehabilitation is a cognitive intervention program designed to rehabilitate cognitive deficiencies. The present study examined the effect of cognitive rehabilitation on spatial / verbal working memory, selective and divided attention, and problem solving in adults with stroke. 20 patients were equally divided into experimental and control groups. Cognitive rehabilitation computer program was performed 5 weeks and 5 days a week, and for 30-40 minutes. The research variables were measured by Wechsler's working memory test, N-back spatial working memory test, selective and divided attention program, Wisconsin sorting card test before and after the rehabilitation program. Significant improvement was observed in auditory and visual working memory and selective attention. This recovery may be due to changes in neural organization in response to injury. The cognitive rehabilitation program makes to re-learn mental acts and is based on brain flexibility that improves working memory and selective attention of patients. It seems that the lack of improvement observed in divided attention and problem solving is due to the lack of coordination and parallel processing in different regions of the brain due to infarct tissues.

Abstract Objective: Studies have shown that Alzheimer's progression in people with Down syndrome is associated with a faster disorder in some of the functional functions. The purpose of this study was to compare the performance of adults with Down syndrome with and without Alzheimer's disorder. Method: The present study is a causal-comparative study. The statistical population of the study consisted of all subjects with Down syndrome over 40 years of age and included 10 subjects or Down syndrome with Alzheimer's disorder and 10 subjects with Down syndrome without Alzheimer's disorder (a total of 20 people), which were selected by availability and then by instrument Wisconsin Cards and Stroop Test. MANOVA was used to compare the groups. Results: The results of the analysis of the data showed that among people with Down syndrome with Alzheimer's with people with Down syndrome without Alzheimer's There is a significant difference between Wisconsin and Stroup tests. Conclusion: The results showed that people with Down syndrome with Alzheimer's had a weaker performance than the other group. In fact, reducing the size of the cognitive reservoir in the frontal lobe leads to early impairment and then signs of impairment in the functional functions.

Abstract This study was conducted to examine the impact of upper alpha neurofeedback training on executive functions of the female students of the University of Kurdistan with academic burnout syndrome and depression symptoms. A semi-experimental method designed with control and experimental groups, undergoing pre-test and post-test used. The subjects were selected from the female students of the University of Kurdistan in academic year 2015-2016, and using the volunteer sampling. In terms of method, first screening test of Beck depression and Maslach academic burnout among students 19 to 25 years old were distributed, and then  based on score questionnaire,  students who were average scores in both questionnaires were selected and  among those who were eligible for the study, 34 people have volunteered to participate in this study, and the subjects were placed randomly in experimental (n = 17), and control (n = 17) groups, and then responded to theStroop color- word and Wisconsin card sorting computer trials and letter – number span test. Neurofeedback sessions was held for the experimental group in psychology laboratory at the University of Kurdistan, and for each person over a period of 10 sessions (2 times a week for 45 minutes). Neurofeedback protocols were using upper alpha waves in the parieto- occipital area (P3, PZ, P4, O1, 02) of the scalp and particular point PZ. After three sessions, two members of the experimental group withdrew from further cooperation. After the end of sessions both groups were assessed and data were analyzed using analysis of MANCOVA and SPSS18 software. The results showed that upper alpha neurofeedback training has a significant effect on executive functions in the female students of the University of Kurdistan academic burnout syndrome and depression symptom (p< 0.001). The findings of this study showed that upper-alpha neurofeedback training has a significant effect on executive functioning of the female students of the University of Kurdistan with academic burn-out syndrome and depression symptom and through changes that makes in cell's levels of the brain, leads to improve in individuals’ cognitive performance.

Abstract The aim of this study is to survey the role ofexecutive functions as  cognitive/neuroscience and negative automatic thoughts and as  cognitive/psychology factors in adolescent’s difficulties in emotion regulation. The statistic society in this study consisted of all adolescent boys who lived in Bushehr in 2016- 2017. From them 128 secondary school students selected via random cluster sampling from Bushehr schools. Data were collected using the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, Negative Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire, Stroop Test, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, and the Continuous Performance Test. Inter and stepwise multivariate analyses of covariance were used for data analysis. The results showed that from executive functions elements, inhibition can predict lack of emotional awareness. From negative automatic thoughts elements, personal incompatibility can predict all elements of difficulties in emotion regulation include non-acceptance of emotional responses, difficulties engaging in goal-directed behavior, impulse control difficulties, lack of emotional awareness, limited access to emotion regulation strategies, lack of emotional clarity. Furthermore, negative self-concept is the predictor of lack of emotional awareness. The result bold the role of negative automatic thoughts in difficulties in emotion regulation among adolescents, so findings of this research have clinical application and can affect training programs about regulation and control emotions.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of Executive Functions Training Program on Social and Communication Skills of Children who have Autism spectrum disorders. This was a quasi-experimental research, and a pre-test, post-test, follow-up and control group. To do so, 10 Autisms 7 to 12 years from special clinics of Beautiful Mind in Tehran city were selected by accessible sampling method. Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-IV) and Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire (ASSQ) for diagnosis of Autism were used and them were randomly distributed into experimental and control groups. Social and communication skills were assessed by Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC). Experimental group received executive Functions Training for 15 one hour sessions. For analyzing statistical data, a repeated measure is used. Results indicated that there is a meaningful difference between the social and communication skills in both control and experimental group in post-test and follow up stages. It could be concluded that Executive Functions Training is effective on Decrease Clinical Symptoms of Children who have Autism spectrum disorders and can be used as an effective intervention to eliminate or decrease clinical symptoms.

Abstract Executive functions describe as higher level processes that controlling and monitoring elementary (object) mental operations Neuroimaging studies have identified some of cortical areas involved in executive functions, frontal and prefrontal mostly. Because of these processing occur in a proportional second, those couldn’t be tested by traditional paper-pencil tools exactly. With introducing computers as a valuable tool for psychological and neuropsychological assessment, developing computerized version of tests to be extensive. Since according to researches, the wisconsin card sorting test is one of the most distinctive test for frontal and prefrontal executive functions, in present study, we effort to design and developing wisconsin computerized version based on a standard version.For differential validity, according to scores of Revised Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ-R), 2 groups including high anxiety (Anx+) and low anxiety (Anx-) were selected and performed computerized version of wisconsin. The results indicated that means of outputs differ in 2 groups. Also, cronbach’s alpha and split-half coefficients of computerized version showed that it has suitable reliability in Iranian subjects.