Cognition, behavior, intellectual disabilities: Intervention strategies

Abstract

Introduction: This study focused on the strategies of practical activities implementation in children with intellectual disabilities, aimed at encouraging and rehabilitation of neurophysiological processes of attention, behavior and cognition. Subject: This study was aimed at children with mild intellectual disabilities and it shed a light on their cognitive and behavioral functioning, in relation to different aspects of the applied treatment strategies. Material and Methods: The study sample consisted of 124 examinees with mild intellectual disability of both sexes, aged from 8 to 13 years, from primary schools in Belgrade. In this research we applied the Trial Making Test (TMT; Reitan, 1971) for attention assessment, the IOWA Conners' Rating Scale for Children for behavior assessment, while for the assessment of cognitive function, the Test of Concept Utilization (TCU; Crager & Lane, 1989) was administered. Results: The results indicate the presence of developmental disabilities in the examined areas in more than 50% of the surveyed children and a high statistically significant correlation between the applied treatment modalities and tested abilities and functions (r = 0.52-0.59, df lt 0.01). The study points out the necessity of implementing the multimodal oriented approach: team work of professionals and non-professionals (cooperation between professionals and parents), complementary treatment (medical and special treatment, psychosocial interventions, combination of treatment strategies), psychotherapy and psychopharmacotherapy when necessary, as well as special education rehabilitation, based on individual educational programs and individual training programs (IEP and ITP). Conclusion: In the conclusion we proposed new treatment strategies with an emphasis on the special rehabilitation treatment.