Comparing the Effects of a Computerized Cognitive Rehabilitation and Cognitive Behavioral Play Therapy on Executive Functions of School-aged Students With Dyslexia: A Clinical Trial

Objectives This study compares the effectiveness of the Captain’s log computerized cognitive rehabilitation and cognitive-behavioral play therapy on executive functions of dyslexic elementary school students. Methods This was a quasi-experimental study with a pre-test post-test design and a one-month follow-up. The statistical population of the study included dyslexic students who were referred to the Learning Disorder Center of District 1 in Karaj City, Iran, for 2021-2022. In this regard, 45 students were purposefully included in the study and were randomly placed in two experimental and one control group (15 students in each group). Students of the experimental groups received 10 sessions of Captain’s log computerized cognitive rehabilitation and cognitive-behavioral play therapy, two sessions per week. The research tool included the behavior rating inventory of executive function, Captain’s log software, version 2018 and cognitive-behavioral play therapy intervention package. The data were analyzed using variance analysis and repeated evaluation using the SPSS software, version 26. Results The Captain’s Log computerized cognitive-rehabilitation program (P<0.05) and cognitive-behavioral play therapy (P<0.01) have significantly enhanced the executive functions of dyslexic students and these results are durable in a one-month follow-up. However, there was a significant difference (P<0.05) between the two intervention methods in the post-test and follow-up phases, and computerized cognitive rehabilitation performed better. Conclusion Both methods of cognitive-computer rehabilitation and cognitive-behavioral play therapy are effective in improving the executive functions of dyslexic students.