The Effectiveness of Cognitive Rehabilitation on Planning and Working Memory of Executive Functions in Cochlear Implanted Children

Background and Aim: Today, hearing loss affects various aspects of executive functions and cognitive rehabilitation is important in increasing planning capacity and working memory. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of cognitive rehabilitation on planning and working memory of executive functions in cochlear implanted children. Methods: This study was a semi-experimental clinical trial. Using the purposive sampling method, 24 hearing-impaired children with cochlear implants were randomly divided into two groups: an experimental group (12 subjects) and a control group (12 subjects). The experimental group received 12 treatment sessions based on a protocol of cognitive rehabilitation program for executive functions (spatial planning and working memory), while the control group did not participate in this program. We assessed executive function using the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB), which assessed the Stockings of Cambridge (SOC) and Attention switching task (AST). Results: The results of MANCOVA were shown to be effective at the post-test stage for improving executive function in the experimental group (p≤0.001). But there was no significant difference in stockings of Cambridge problem solve and stockings of Cambridge move 4 between two groups after the intervention. Conclusion: There was a significant increase in spatial planning and spatial working memory of the experimental group. Cognitive rehabilitation can be a useful intervention to improve spatial planning and spatial working memory in cochlear implanted hearing-impaired children.   Keywords: Cognitive rehabilitation; executive function; hearing-impaired; cochlear implant