Empowering Exceptional Children

Empowering Exceptional Children

Investigating the Effectiveness of a Neuropsychologically-Based Sensory Integration Training Package on Sustained Attention and Processing Speed of Students with Mathematical Learning Disorder

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Akram Nourizadeh Vahed Dehkordi 1
Reza Ahmadi 2
Tayebeh Sharifi 3
1 PhD student in Educational Psychology, Shahrekord Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord, Iran.
2 Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, Shahrekord Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord, Iran.
3 Professor Department of Psychology, Shahrekord Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord, Iran.
10.22034/ceciranj.2025.503307.1936
Abstract
The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a neuropsychologically-based sensory integration training package on sustained attention and processing speed in students with mathematics learning disorder. This applied research employed a quasi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest structure and a follow-up phase. The study population consisted of elementary school students diagnosed with mathematics learning disorder in Shahrekord during the 2023–2024 academic year. A total of 40 students were selected through purposive sampling and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. Pretests were administered using the Continuous Performance Test (CPT) and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children – Fourth Edition (WISC-IV). The experimental group received 16 weekly sessions of 60-minute neuropsychologically-based sensory integration training. During this period, the control group was placed on a waiting list. After the intervention and again three months later, both groups were reassessed. Data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA in SPSS-26. The results indicated that the within-subject effect of time on sustained attention (Eta = 0.629) and processing speed (Eta = 0.447) was statistically significant (P ≤ 0.05). The between-group effect of the intervention was also significant for improving sustained attention (Eta = 0.617) and processing speed (Eta = 0.277) (P ≤ 0.05). Furthermore, the effects persisted during the follow-up phase (P ≤ 0.05). These findings suggest that the neuropsychologically-based sensory integration training package can serve as an effective intervention for enhancing sustained attention and processing speed in students with mathematics learning disorder.
Keywords
Mathematical Learning Disorder
Neuropsychologically-Based Sensory Integration Training
Processing Speed
Sustained Attention

Subjects

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  • Receive Date 01 December 2024
  • Revise Date 11 March 2025
  • Accept Date 20 April 2025