. Saeed Azami; . Zeynab Alimadadi; . Ameneh Ahmadi; . Fatemeh Hemmati; . Mahdieh Mirmohammad; . Reza Mashayekhi
Volume 13, Issue 2 , February 2023, , Pages 1-9
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIM: This study aimed to investigate and compare the efficacy of cognitive‑motorrehabilitation (CMR) with methylphenidate on cognitive functions and behavioral symptoms ...
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BACKGROUND AND AIM: This study aimed to investigate and compare the efficacy of cognitive‑motorrehabilitation (CMR) with methylphenidate on cognitive functions and behavioral symptoms of childrenwith attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and specified the near‑transfer and far‑transfereffects.MATERIALS AND METHODS: The research was semiexperimental with posttest and follow‑upassessments, in a single‑blind design. Forty‑eight boys with ADHD, aged 9–12, were selectedconveniently regarding the inclusion/exclusion criteria, matched base on severity and Intelligencequotient (IQ) and were randomly assigned to CMR (n = 16), methylphenidate medication (MED,n = 16), and placebo CMR groups (PCMR, n = 16). CMR and PCMR received 20 3‑h trainingsessions, and the MED group received 20 or 30 mg/day methylphenidate. Tower of London (TOL),Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham, Version IV Scale (SNAP‑IV), Wechsler’s digit span and mathematicsubscales, dictation test, and restricted academic situation scale (RASS) were completed atposttest and follow‑up. The data were analyzed by repeated measures multivariate analysis ofvariance.RESULTS: CMR outperformed PCMR on forward digit span, backward digit span, ToL score at bothposttest, and follow‑up (P < 0.05). CMR scored lower than MED on ADHD‑PI and ADHD‑C at bothposttest and follow‑up (P < 0.05). Moreover, CMR outperformed MED on dictation at both assessmentphases (P < 0.01) and RASS at the follow‑up phase (P < 0.05). CMR outperformed PCMR onmathematics at post‑test (P = 0.038) and also, in dictation and RASS, at both post‑test (P < 0.001)and follow‑up (P < 0.05).CONCLUSION: CMR Improves near‑transfer cognitive functions and behavior symptoms of ADHDas much as MED, but only CMR has more generalizable and endurable improvement on complexEfs and academic performance (far‑transfer effects).
