تعطیلات نوروز ۱۴۰۴-ضمن آرزوی قبولی طاعات و عبادات و همچنین تبریک فرارسیدن بهار و شروع سال جدید، به اطلاع می‌رساند این نشریه از تاریخ ۲۸ اسفندماه ۱۴۰۳ لغایت ۱۵ فروردین ۱۴۰۴ تعطیل می باشد.

Volume 14 - Articles-1403                   MEJDS (2024) 14: 28 | Back to browse issues page

XML Persian Abstract Print


Download citation:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:

Ahari L, Nakhostin Goldoost A, Ghaffari Nouran O. Determining the Effectiveness of Emotional Working Memory Training on Executive Functions of Students with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. MEJDS 2024; 14 :28-28
URL: http://jdisabilstud.org/article-1-3321-en.html
1- PhD Student in Educational Psychology, Ardabil Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ardabil, Iran
2- Assistant Professor, Islamic Azad University, Ardabil, Iran
3- Associate Professor, Islamic Azad University, Ardabil, Iran
Abstract:   (621 Views)

Abstract
Background & Objectives: Attention–deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common psychiatric disorders in school children. There is growing evidence that a problem particularly associated with ADHD is the inability of this group of children to executive functions. In recent years, many interventions, such as working memory training programs, have been effective in alleviating the symptoms of ADHD and have attracted considerable attention. While working memory has a fixed structure, we can hope for more effective and changeable training to strengthen working memory in an emotional context. Considering this point, in the current study, researchers used a modified sample of traditional working memory training derived from Schweizer et al.'s (2013) protocol called emotional working memory training. Therefore, the present study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of emotional working memory training on the executive functions of students with ADHD.
Methods: This research method was quasi–experimental and employed a pretest–posttest design with a control group. The study's statistical population included elementary school students of Ardabil City, Iran, with ADHD in 2022–2023. Of whom, 30 qualified candidates were selected by available sampling after meeting the inclusion criteria. The study was conducted in two groups of 15 people, experimental and control. The tools used in this research were Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham Scale–Fourth edition (SNAP–IV scale) (Swanson et al., 2001) and Barkley Deficits in Executive Function Scale–Children and Adolescents (BDEFS–CA) (Barkley, 2012). Emotional working memory training with the software was implemented during 15 sessions of 30–40 minutes only for the experimental group. The obtained data was analyzed using SPSS27 software at two levels of descriptive (mean and standard deviation) and inferential (univariate covariance analysis) statistics. The significance level was set at 0.05.
Results: Univariate covariance analysis showed that emotional working memory training effectively improved executive functions of students with attention–deficit/hyperactivity disorder in the experimental group (p=0.002). Also, 30.5% of the changes in executive functions in the posttest phase are explained by receiving emotional working memory training.
Conclusion: According to the results, emotional working memory training effectively improves the executive functions of students with ADHD by influencing the brain areas related to emotional regulation to enhance the performance of neurocognitive–emotional circuits.

Full-Text [PDF 359 kb]   (396 Downloads)    
Type of Study: Original Research Article | Subject: Psychology

References
1. American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders [Internet]. 5th edition. American Psychiatric Association; 2013. [DOI]
2. Corrigan N, Păsărelu CR, Voinescu A. Immersive virtual reality for improving cognitive deficits in children with ADHD: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Virtual Real. 2023;27(4):3545–64. [DOI]
3. American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-5. Rezaei F, Fakhraei A, Farmand A, Niloofari A, Hashemi Azar Zh, Shamloo F. (Persian translators). Tehran: Arjmand Pub; 2021.
4. Cénat JM, Kokou-Kpolou CK, Blais-Rochette C, Morse C, Vandette MP, Dalexis RD, et al. Prevalence of ADHD among Black youth compared to White, Latino and Asian youth: a meta-analysis. J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol. 2024;53(3):373–88. [DOI]
5. Barkley RA. Behavioral inhibition, sustained attention, and executive functions: constructing a unifying theory of ADHD. Psychol Bull. 1997;121(1):65–94. [DOI]
6. Barkley RA. Issues in the diagnosis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children. Brain Dev. 2003;25(2):77–83. [DOI]
7. Schein J, Adler LA, Childress A, Cloutier M, Gagnon-Sanschagrin P, Davidson M, et al. Economic burden of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder among children and adolescents in the United States: a societal perspective. J Med Econ. 2022;25(1):193–205. [DOI]
8. Ottosen C, Petersen L, Larsen JT, Dalsgaard S. Gender differences in associations between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and substance use disorder. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2016;55(3):227–34. [DOI]
9. Bellato A, Arora I, Hollis C, Groom MJ. Is autonomic nervous system function atypical in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)? A systematic review of the evidence. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2020;108:182–206. [DOI]
10. Castellanos FX, Proal E. Large-scale brain systems in ADHD: beyond the prefrontal–striatal model. Trends Cogn Sci. 2012;16(1):17–26. [DOI]
11. Arnsten AFT, Pliszka SR. Catecholamine influences on prefrontal cortical function: Relevance to treatment of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and related disorders. Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 2011;99(2):211–6. [DOI]
12. Chueh TY, Hsieh SS, Tsai YJ, Yu CL, Hung CL, Benzing V, et al. Effects of a single bout of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity on executive functions in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychol Sport Exerc. 2022;58:102097. [Article]
13. Barkley RA, Murphy KR. Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: a clinical workbook. Third edition. Guilford Press; 2006.
14. Barkley RA. Executive functioning and self-regulation in adults with adhd: nature, assessment and treatment. In: Symposium at Children and Adults with ADHD (CHADD) Conference, Orlando, FL; 2011.
15. Barkley RA. Attention-deficit hyperactive disorder: a handbook for diagnosis and treatment. Second edition. New York: Guilford Press; 1998.
16. Barkley RA. A comprehensive guide to the management of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: what parents need to know. 3rd edition. A Mashhadi, F Raees Al-Muhaddasin, Z Hosseinzadeh Maleki (Persian translators). Mashhad: Zarin Kalk Aftab; 2014.
17. Naglieri J, Goldstein S. Handbook of executive functioning. New York: Springer Pub; 2013. [DOI]
18. Gray C, Climie EA. Children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and reading disability: a review of the efficacy of medication treatments. Front Psychol. 2016;7:988. [DOI]
19. Hamilton CJ, Harrison K. Beyond the Rubicon: a continuum approach to investigating the impact of ADHD like characteristics on everyday executive function in children with Tourette syndrome. Child Neuropsychol. 2024;30(3):381–401. [DOI]
20. Qiu H, Liang X. Change in sleep latency as a mediator of the effect of physical activity intervention on executive functions among children with ADHD: a secondary analysis from a randomized controlled trial. J Autism Dev Disord. 2023. [DOI]
21. Newcorn JH, Stein MA, Cooper KM. Dose–response characteristics in adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder treated with OROS ® methylphenidate in a 4-week, open-label, dose-titration study. J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol. 2010;20(3):187–96. [DOI]
22. Adler LD, Nierenberg AA. Review of medication adherence in children and adults with ADHD. Postgrad Med. 2010;122(1):184–91. [DOI]
23. Ramesh S, Samimi Z, Mirdoraghi F, Heirati H, Parooei M. The Effectiveness of Emotional Working Memory Training on Improvement of Symptoms of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Journal of Psychological Studies. 2016;12(3):27–46. [Persian] [Article]
24. Wehmeier PM, Schacht A, Barkley RA. Social and emotional impairment in children and adolescents with ADHD and the impact on quality of life. J Adolesc Health. 2010;46(3):209–17. [DOI]
25. Schweizer S, Dalgleish T. Emotional working memory capacity in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Behav Res Ther. 2011;49(8):498–504. [DOI]
26. Schweizer S, Dalgleish T. The impact of affective contexts on working memory capacity in healthy populations and in individuals with PTSD. Emotion. 2016;16(1):16–23. [DOI]
27. Etkin A, Egner T, Kalisch R. Emotional processing in anterior cingulate and medial prefrontal cortex. Trends Cogn Sci. 2011;15(2):85–93. [DOI]
28. Ramesh S, Samimi Z, Mashhadi A. The Improvement cognitive inhibition in children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder in the context of emotional working memory training. Journal of Cognitive Psychology. 2018;6(1):31–40. [Persian] [Article]
29. Samimi Z, Hasani J, Kord Tamini M, Afzoon J. The effectiveness of emotional working memory training in cognitive and affective control of adolescents with post- traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). J Child Ment Health. 2015;2(3):21–37. [Persian] [Article]
30. Ghaffari F, Ghanbari Hashemabadi B, Eslami M. Comparison of the effectiveness of emotional and neutral working memory training on cognitive flexibility and intolerance of uncertainty in people with OCD. Journal of Modern Psychological Researches. 2023;17(68):191–99. [Persian] [Article]
31. Farrokhzad F, Izadi F. The effectiveness of emotional working memory training on cognitive control and emotion regulation in adolescents with a tendency to risky behaviors. Razi Journal of Medical Sciences. 2023;29(12):386–97. [Persian] [Article]
32. Sjöwall D, Berglund M, Hirvikoski T. Computerized working memory training for adults with ADHD in a psychiatric outpatient context—a feasibility trial. Appl Neuropsychol Adult. 2023;1–9. [DOI]
33. Schweizer S, Grahn J, Hampshire A, Mobbs D, Dalgleish T. Training the emotional brain: improving affective control through emotional working memory training. J Neurosci. 2013;33(12):5301–11. [DOI]
34. Swanson JM, Schuck S, Porter MM, Carlson C, Hartman CA, Sergeant JA, et al. Categorical and dimensional definitions and evaluations of symptoms of ADHD: history of the SNAP and the SWAN rating scales. Int J Educ Psychol Assess. 2012;10(1):51–70.
35. Aghaei A, Abedi A, Mohammadi E. A study of psychometric characteristics of SNAP-IV rating scale (parent form) in elementary school students in Isfahan. Research in Cognitive and Behavioral Sciences. 2011;1(1):43–58. [Persian] [Article]
36. Barkley RA. Barkley deficits in executive functioning scale children and adolescents (BDEFS-CA). New York: Guilford Press; 2012.
37. Zarenezhad S, Soltani Kouh Banani MH, Abazari K. Psychometric properties of Barkley's children and adolescent functional performance scale. Psychology of Exceptional Individuals. 2018;8(30):19–45. [Persian] [Article]
38. Kord Tamini M. The effectiveness of emotional working memory training on improving emotion regulation, cognitive and emotional control in people with high trait anxiety [Thesis for MSc]. [Mashhad, Iran]: Faculty of Educational Sciences, Ferdosi University of Mashhad; 2015. [Persian]
39. Nazari M, Khayati F, Poursharifi H, Hakimi M, Shojaei Z. Primary normalization of emotional Farsi words. Journal of Applied Psychological Research. 2014;4(4):41–71. [Persian] [Article]
40. Lundqvist, D., Flykt, A., & Öhman, A. The Karolinska directed emotional faces-KDEF. Stockholm: Karolinska Institute; 1998.
41. Kofler MJ, Sarver DE, Wells EL. Working memory and increased activity level (hyperactivity) in ADHD: experimental evidence for a functional relation. J Atten Disord. 2020;24(9):1330–44. [DOI]
42. Baddeley AD, Hitch G. Working Memory. In: Bower GH; editor. Psychology of learning and motivation. Elsevier; 1974. [DOI]
43. Johnstone SJ, Roodenrys S, Phillips E, Watt AJ, Mantz S. A pilot study of combined working memory and inhibition training for children with AD/HD. Atten Defic Hyperact Disord. 2010;2(1):31–42. [DOI]
44. Chein JM, Morrison AB. Expanding the mind's workspace: training and transfer effects with a complex working memory span task. Psychon Bull Rev. 2010;17(2):193–9. [DOI]
45. Krause-Utz A, Elzinga BM, Oei NYL, Paret C, Niedtfeld I, Spinhoven P, et al. Amygdala and dorsal anterior cingulate connectivity during an emotional working memory task in borderline personality disorder patients with interpersonal trauma history. Front Hum Neurosci. 2014;8(848):1–18. [DOI]
46. Mikels JA, Reuter-Lorenz PA, Beyer JA, Fredrickson BL. Emotion and working memory: Evidence for domain-specific processes for affective maintenance. Emotion. 2008;8(2):256–66. [DOI]

Add your comments about this article : Your username or Email:
CAPTCHA

Send email to the article author


Rights and permissions
Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

© 2025 CC BY-NC 4.0 | Middle Eastern Journal of Disability Studies

Designed & Developed by : Yektaweb