Goodenough-Harris Drawing a Man Test (GHDAMT) as a Substitute of Ages

Abstract Objective: Evaluation of concurrent validity of GHDAMT with the problem solving subscale of ASQ2 among 5 years old children was the objective of present research.Materials &Methods: In a cross sectional study 136 boy and 105 girl were selected randomly from childcares and tested with GHDAMT and ASQ2 to compare the concurrent validity of these tests in evaluation of cognition.Data was analyzed using SPSS.16/win.Results: The IQ mean difference in girls was 128±18.18 and in boys 118±18.50, which was statistically significant. There was no statistical significant correlation between GHDAMT and ASQ2. It was significant between IQ and mental age among children who had -2SD score in problem solving subscale, but  there was no correlation between children who had -1SD score.These findings revealed that the GHDAMT does not have acceptable validity and concurrent validity of the test was less than 0.3.Conclusions: In the current research, there is no statistical significant correlation between problem solving subscale of ASQ2 and mental age and IQ. So GHDAMT    can̕ t be used as a substitute of ASQ questionnaire; however, correlation of two tests in children with intellectual disability was meaningful. After further studies, it is possible to use GHDAMT as a proper tool for cognition evaluation of these children.Keywords: concurrent validity, The Goodenough-Harris drawing a man test, ASQ

The Efficacy of “Care for Child Development” Intervention on the Improvement of the Development Skills of Orphanage Children

ObjectivesDevelopment refers to the progressive enhancement of skills and functional capacity, i.e., qualitative changes in the child’s functions.The process of development begins before birth and continues throughout life. The present study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the “Care for Child Development (CCD)” program on 4-42 months children’s developmental skills in orphanages.Materials & MethodsIn this study, two orphanages in the capitals of East and West Azerbaijan provinces were selected using the convenience sampling technique, and thirty children were included. Then, they were randomly divided into two intervention and control groups (each group, N=15). Next, after obtaining consent from the head of the orphanages, a group of volunteers from the healthcare center performed the CCD program, considering children’s chronological ages (4 to 42 months), for three sessions a week, with each session lasting two hours and it lasted for three months. At the end of the intervention process, the Bayley Scale of Infant and Toddler Development 3rd version (BSID-III) and the Ages and Stages Questionnaire-II (ASQ) were completed for the two intervention and control groups to compare them in the cognitive, motor, communication, and personal-social domains. ResultsComparing the two control and intervention groups using the T-test (difference in mean) indicates that except for the domain of cognitive skills (Bayley: P-value = 0.176), there was statistically a significant difference between the two groups in communication (ASQ: P-value= 0.001; Bayley: P-value = 0.003), motor (ASQ: P-value = 0.000; Bayley: P-value = 0.009), and personal-social (ASQ: P-value <0.000)skills.ConclusionIn the present study, it was concluded that it is required to apply interventions, including standard ones such as the CCD program in environments like orphanages, to enhance the developmental skills of those children living in them    

Effect of Developmental Care on Preterm Neonates’ Neurodevelopmental Outcomes at 12 Months of Age

Background: Premature birth and subsequent admission to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) may impair the neurodevelopment of neonates. The present study aimed to determine the effect of developmental care on neurodevelopmental outcomes of newborns.Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted on 105 premature neonates (in three groups of 35 newborns). The control group received conventional care, and the intervention group 1 received developmental care beginning since admission to NICU stay. In addition, the intervention group 2 received developmental care since entering the delivery or operating room. The developmental outcomes were evaluated based on the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) and Bayley-III Scales of Infant and Toddler Development. Moreover, magnetic resonance imaging was performed to evaluate the brain myelination at the adjusted age of 12 months.Results: The obtained findings showed that the frequency rates of communication and language impairment were significantly lower in the intervention group 2, compared to those reported for the control group and intervention group 1, based on the ASQ. The comparison of the scores of the Bayley subscales (i.e., cognition, language, and motor) showed that the frequency of language impairment was significantly higher in the control group, compared to those reported for the intervention group 1 (P=0.012) and intervention group 2 (P=0.024). No significant difference was observed in terms of the neonates’ brain myelination (P>0.05).Conclusion: The obtained results showed that developmental care, especially when initiated since birth, may improve some aspects of developmental outcomes in preterm newborns