1
|
Tasca I, Guidi M, Turriziani P, Mento G, Tarantino V. Behavioral and Socio-Emotional Disorders in Intellectual Giftedness: A Systematic Review. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 2024; 55:768-789. [PMID: 36181607 PMCID: PMC11061066 DOI: 10.1007/s10578-022-01420-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
This work systematically reviewed past literature to investigate the association between intellectual giftedness and socio-emotional and/or behavioral disorders. Nineteen studies met the inclusion criteria, 17 of which have children and/or adolescents as participants, and 12 have a non-gifted control group. Socio-emotional problems, such as withdrawal, were found in 3 out of 8 studies; internalizing disorders, such as anxiety, were found in 5 out of 9; externalizing disorders, such as hyperactivity, were found in 3 out of 5. The most investigated comorbidity was attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. A univocal conclusion on the relationship between intellectual giftedness and socio-emotional/behavioral problems cannot be drawn, principally because of the heterogeneity of participants' age, informants, and instruments. The review highlights the need for future studies to use multi-informant and comprehensive assessments, to reach more robust findings, and suggests that age and discrepancy between verbal and non-verbal intellectual abilities should be considered critical factors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ilaria Tasca
- Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze ed. 15, 90128, Palermo, Italy
| | - Michele Guidi
- Servizio ULTREIA Cooperativa Progetto Insieme, via Cappello 42/44, 30027, Noventa Padovana, Italy
| | - Patrizia Turriziani
- Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze ed. 15, 90128, Palermo, Italy
| | - Giovanni Mento
- General Psychology Department & Padova Neuroscience Center, University of Padua, via Venezia 8, 35131, Padua, Italy
| | - Vincenza Tarantino
- Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze ed. 15, 90128, Palermo, Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Bonti E, Zerva IK, Koundourou C, Sofologi M. The High Rates of Comorbidity among Neurodevelopmental Disorders: Reconsidering the Clinical Utility of Distinct Diagnostic Categories. J Pers Med 2024; 14:300. [PMID: 38541042 PMCID: PMC10971064 DOI: 10.3390/jpm14030300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2024] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024] Open
Abstract
The boundaries between neurodevelopmental disorders are often indistinct, even among specialists. But do these boundaries exist, or do experts struggle to distinguish and categorize symptoms in order to arrive at a dominant diagnosis while comorbidity continually leaves questions about where each disorder ends and begins? What should be reconsidered? The introduction of the term 'spectrum of neurodevelopmental disorders' could pave the way for a re-appraisal of the clinical continuum of neurodevelopmental disorders. This study aims to highlight the problems that emerge in the field of the differential diagnosis of neurodevelopmental disorders and propose a renegotiation of the distinctiveness criteria.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eleni Bonti
- First Psychiatric Clinic, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, “Papageorgiou” General Hospital, Pavlos Melas, 564 29 Agios Pavlos, Greece;
- School of Education, Special Education Department, University of Nicosia, Nicosia 2417, Cyprus
| | - Irini K. Zerva
- School of Education, Special Education Department, University of Nicosia, Nicosia 2417, Cyprus
- First Psychiatric Clinic, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 541 24 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Christiana Koundourou
- Psychology Department, School of Health Sciences, Neapolis University Pafos, Paphos 8042, Cyprus; (C.K.); (M.S.)
| | - Maria Sofologi
- Psychology Department, School of Health Sciences, Neapolis University Pafos, Paphos 8042, Cyprus; (C.K.); (M.S.)
- Department of Early Childhood Education, Education School, University of Ioannina, 451 10 Ioannina, Greece
- Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences, University Research Center of Ioannina (URCI), 451 10 Ioannina, Greece
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Vaivre-Douret L, Hamdioui S. Developmental Trajectory of Depressive Symptoms from Early Childhood through High School in Children and Adolescents with a High Intellectual Potential. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 10:1738. [PMID: 38002829 PMCID: PMC10670269 DOI: 10.3390/children10111738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2023] [Revised: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023]
Abstract
We aimed to explore the developmental trajectory of depressive symptoms in a national sample of French children with a high intellectual potential (HIP) seeking help from gifted organizations. Participants were drawn from a national retrospective survey sent to 1200 families with HIP children (IQ ≥ 130) from primary to high school and they answered a self-report questionnaire of a depression scale (MDI-C). The children's parents completed a self-report questionnaire collected on different stages of the child's school level, perinatality, psychomotor development, health, family's history, behavior, interpersonal relationships and daily activities, school performance, presence of learning disorders and remediation. Four hundred and twenty HIP children were eligible with an IQ ≥ 130 aged from 8 to 17 years-old, 49% with depressive symptoms and 51% with no depressive symptoms. Analysis of 136 variables from anamnestic fields based on the use of Spearman's ρ test (ρ) with a non-parametric correlations showed that "learning disabilities" are significantly related to depressive symptoms in different groups (primary p = 0.001, middle p = 0.02, high school p = 0.001) as well as "difficulties in psychomotor skills" during primary (p = 0.003) and middle school (p = 0.02). Good relationships with family as well as with peers are significantly negatively correlated with depressive symptoms from childhood to primary (p = 0.003) and high school (p = 0.02). Certain details of correlations between the MDI-C scale's subfactors and anamnestic variables were analyzed. The ANOVA test about the MDI-C scale showed provocation as a significant marker at middle school (F (1, 418) = 3.487, p = 0.03) and low self-esteem at high school (F (1, 418) = 3.337, p = 0.03). A holistic developmental approach allowed us to highlight the risk factors of depression with a developmental trajectory origin linked to disorders of social adjustment and psychomotor skills and to the importance of misdiagnosed learning disabilities because of giftedness. Our findings support the interest in an early identification of and intervention in depression risk to improve clinical decision making on the effect of giftedness on mental health outcomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laurence Vaivre-Douret
- Department of Medicine Paris Descartes, Faculty of Health, Université Paris Cité, 75006 Paris, France
- Clinical Neurodevelopmental Phenotyping, University Institute of France (Institut Universitaire de France, IUF), 75005 Paris, France
- Unit 1018-CESP, PsyDev/NDTA Team, National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM), Faculty of Medicine, University of Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, 91190 Villejuif, France;
- Department of Child Psychiatry, AP-HP Centre, Necker-Enfants Malades University Hospital, 75015 Paris, France
- Department of Endocrinology, IMAGINE Institute, Necker-Enfants Malades University Hospital, 75015 Paris, France
- Necker-Enfants Malades University Hospital, “Neuro-Développement et Troubles des Apprentissages (NDTA)”, INSERM UMR 1018-CESP, Carré Necker Porte N4, 149, Rue de Sèvres, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Soukaina Hamdioui
- Unit 1018-CESP, PsyDev/NDTA Team, National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM), Faculty of Medicine, University of Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, 91190 Villejuif, France;
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Kelvington BA, Nickl-Jockschat T, Abel T. Neurobiological insights into twice-exceptionality: Circuits, cells, and molecules. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2022; 195:107684. [PMID: 36174887 PMCID: PMC9888516 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2022.107684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Revised: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Twice-exceptional learners face a unique set of challenges arising from the intersection of extraordinary talent and disability. Neurobiology research has the capacity to complement pedagogical research and provide support for twice-exceptional learners. Very few studies have attempted to specifically address the neurobiological underpinnings of twice-exceptionality. However, neurobiologists have built a broad base of knowledge in nervous system function spanning from the level of neural circuits to the molecular basis of behavior. It is known that distinct neural circuits mediate different neural functions, which suggests that 2e learning may result from enhancement in one circuit and disruption in another. Neural circuits are known to adapt and change in response to experience, a cellular process known as neuroplasticity. Plasticity is controlled by a bidirectional connection between the synapse, where neural signals are received, and the nucleus, where regulated gene expression can return to alter synaptic function. Complex molecular mechanisms compose this connection in distinct neural circuits, and genetic alterations in these mechanisms are associated with both memory enhancements and psychiatric disorder. Understanding the consequences of these changes at the molecular, cellular, and circuit levels will provide critical insights into the neurobiological bases of twice-exceptionality.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin A Kelvington
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA; Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Thomas Nickl-Jockschat
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA; Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Ted Abel
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA; Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Elhoweris H, Alhosani N, Alsheikh N, Bacsal RMG, Bonti E. The Impact of an Enrichment Program on the Emirati Verbally Gifted Children. J Intell 2022; 10:jintelligence10030068. [PMID: 36135609 PMCID: PMC9504781 DOI: 10.3390/jintelligence10030068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2022] [Revised: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Most researchers agree that verbally gifted learners should be provided with differentiated curriculum experiences that will allow them to reach their full potential. However, research is scarce in the field. The present study examined the impact of a reading enrichment program on fourth-grade students’ critical reading abilities. The program was based on the Integrated Curriculum Model (ICM). The sample consisted of forty fourth-grade verbally gifted students from a school in Dubai, who were randomly assigned to either an experimental instruction condition or a traditional instruction condition and completed pre and post-tests of language arts. A pre-and post-experimental design was used. The overall results indicated the efficacy of the differentiated enrichment program in enhancing Emirati gifted learners’ critical reading abilities. The study also provides a framework for better provision and teacher training planning regarding gifted education in the UAE.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hala Elhoweris
- Special Education Department, College of Education, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain 112612, United Arab Emirates
| | - Najwa Alhosani
- College of Education, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain 112612, United Arab Emirates
| | - Negmeldin Alsheikh
- College of Education, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain 112612, United Arab Emirates
| | - Rhoda-Myra Garces Bacsal
- Special Education Department, College of Education, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain 112612, United Arab Emirates
| | - Eleni Bonti
- Special Education Department, College of Education, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain 112612, United Arab Emirates
- First Psychiatric Clinic, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, ‘Papageorgiou’ General Hospital of Thessaloniki, Agiou Pavlou 76, Pavlos Melas, 56429 Thessaloniki, Greece
- Department of Education, School of Education, University of Nicosia, Nicosia 2417, Cyprus
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Casino-García AM, Llopis-Bueno MJ, Gómez-Vivo MG, Juan-Grau A, Shuali-Trachtenberg T, Llinares-Insa LI. "Developing Capabilities". Inclusive Extracurricular Enrichment Programs to Improve the Well-Being of Gifted Adolescents. Front Psychol 2021; 12:731591. [PMID: 34707541 PMCID: PMC8542728 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.731591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The educational inclusion of gifted students requires not only equity but also emotional accessibility and social participation. However, different studies indicate that gifted students constitute a vulnerable group (for example, the incidence of bullying is higher). Psychosocial variables are determinants for the development and expression of giftedness, particularly during adolescence. This study analyzes the impact of an inclusive extracurricular enrichment program for gifted secondary school students on the well-being of adolescents. The program was based on the enrichment model of Renzulli and Reis (2016). The objective was to develop a cluster to facilitate high-achieving learning in collaboration with teachers, administrators, and guidance counselors from their schools as well as university professors and students that would address their emotions and socialization across the board and benefit or involve their peers in their regular classrooms. The intervention took place over two years: eight sessions, one afternoon per week, for five months during each school year. The sample consisted of 47 students from the first and second years of compulsory secondary education (Educación Secundaria Obligatoria - ESO) (age, mean (M) = 12.57, standard deviation (SD) = 0.82) during the first year and 27 students from the first, second, and third years of ESO (age, M = 13.48, SD = 0.94) during the second year; 61.4% were girls. Participants completed a questionnaire before (T1) and (T3) and after (T2) and (T4) each intervention. The results show better outcomes for psychological and subjective well-being, more positive moods, and a significant reduction in school fears. The results from this study indicate the importance of educational screening and support for gifted students to promote their well-being through collaborative enrichment activities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ana María Casino-García
- Departamento de Educación Inclusiva y Desarrollo Sociocomunitario, Universidad Católica de Valencia San Vicente Mártir, Valencia, Spain
| | - María José Llopis-Bueno
- Departamento de Didáctica General, Teoría de la Educación e Innovación Tecnológica, Universidad Católica de Valencia San Vicente Mártir, Valencia, Spain
| | - María Gloria Gómez-Vivo
- Departamento de Didáctica General, Teoría de la Educación e Innovación Tecnológica, Universidad Católica de Valencia San Vicente Mártir, Valencia, Spain
| | - Amparo Juan-Grau
- Departamento de Educación Inclusiva y Desarrollo Sociocomunitario, Universidad Católica de Valencia San Vicente Mártir, Valencia, Spain
| | - Tamar Shuali-Trachtenberg
- Departamento de Didáctica General, Teoría de la Educación e Innovación Tecnológica, Universidad Católica de Valencia San Vicente Mártir, Valencia, Spain
| | - Lucía I Llinares-Insa
- Departamento de Psicología Social, Facultad de Psicología, Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Bonti E, Giannoglou S, Georgitsi M, Sofologi M, Porfyri GN, Mousioni A, Konsta A, Tatsiopoulou P, Kamari A, Vavetsi S, Diakogiannis I. Clinical Profiles and Socio-Demographic Characteristics of Adults with Specific Learning Disorder in Northern Greece. Brain Sci 2021; 11:602. [PMID: 34066805 PMCID: PMC8151592 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11050602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2021] [Revised: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The manifestation of Specific Learning Disorder (SLD) during adulthood is one of the least examined research areas among the relevant literature. Therefore, the adult population with SLD is considered a "rare" and "unique" population of major scientific interest. The aim of the current study was to investigate, describe, and analyze the clinical, academic, and socio-demographic characteristics, and other everyday functioning life-skills of adults with SLD, in an attempt to shed more light on this limited field of research. The overall sample consisted of 318 adults, who were assessed for possible SLD. The diagnostic procedure included self-report records (clinical interview), psychometric/cognitive, and learning assessments. The main finding of the study was that SLD, even during adulthood, continues to affect the individuals' well-being and functionality in all of their life domains. There is an ongoing struggle of this population to obtain academic qualifications in order to gain vocational rehabilitation, as well as a difficulty to create a family, possibly resulting from their unstable occupational status, their financial insecurity, and the emotional/self-esteem issues they usually encounter, due to their ongoing learning problems. Moreover, the various interpersonal characteristics, the comorbidity issues, and the different developmental backgrounds observed in the clinical, academic, personal, social, and occupational profiles of the participants, highlight the enormous heterogeneity and the continuum that characterizes SLD during adulthood. We conclude that there is an imperative need for further research and the construction of more sufficient tools for the assessment and diagnosis of SLD during adulthood, which will take into account the developmental challenges and milestones in a series of domains, in order to assist this "vulnerable" population with their life struggles.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eleni Bonti
- First Psychiatric Clinic, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloni-ki, “Papageorgiou” General Hospital, Ring Road Thessaloniki, N. Efkarpia, 54603 Thessaloniki, Greece; (S.G.); (G.-N.P.); (A.M.); (A.K.); (P.T.); (A.K.); (S.V.); (I.D.)
- Department of Education, School of Education, University of Nicosia, 2417 Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Sofia Giannoglou
- First Psychiatric Clinic, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloni-ki, “Papageorgiou” General Hospital, Ring Road Thessaloniki, N. Efkarpia, 54603 Thessaloniki, Greece; (S.G.); (G.-N.P.); (A.M.); (A.K.); (P.T.); (A.K.); (S.V.); (I.D.)
| | - Marianthi Georgitsi
- 1st Laboratory of Medical Biology-Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece;
| | - Maria Sofologi
- Psychology Laboratory, Department of Early Childhood Education, School of Education, University of Ioannina, 45100 Ioannina, Greece;
- Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences, University Research Centre of Ioannina (U.R.C.I.), 45100 Ioannina, Greece
| | - Georgia-Nektaria Porfyri
- First Psychiatric Clinic, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloni-ki, “Papageorgiou” General Hospital, Ring Road Thessaloniki, N. Efkarpia, 54603 Thessaloniki, Greece; (S.G.); (G.-N.P.); (A.M.); (A.K.); (P.T.); (A.K.); (S.V.); (I.D.)
| | - Artemis Mousioni
- First Psychiatric Clinic, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloni-ki, “Papageorgiou” General Hospital, Ring Road Thessaloniki, N. Efkarpia, 54603 Thessaloniki, Greece; (S.G.); (G.-N.P.); (A.M.); (A.K.); (P.T.); (A.K.); (S.V.); (I.D.)
| | - Anastasia Konsta
- First Psychiatric Clinic, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloni-ki, “Papageorgiou” General Hospital, Ring Road Thessaloniki, N. Efkarpia, 54603 Thessaloniki, Greece; (S.G.); (G.-N.P.); (A.M.); (A.K.); (P.T.); (A.K.); (S.V.); (I.D.)
| | - Paraskevi Tatsiopoulou
- First Psychiatric Clinic, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloni-ki, “Papageorgiou” General Hospital, Ring Road Thessaloniki, N. Efkarpia, 54603 Thessaloniki, Greece; (S.G.); (G.-N.P.); (A.M.); (A.K.); (P.T.); (A.K.); (S.V.); (I.D.)
| | - Afroditi Kamari
- First Psychiatric Clinic, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloni-ki, “Papageorgiou” General Hospital, Ring Road Thessaloniki, N. Efkarpia, 54603 Thessaloniki, Greece; (S.G.); (G.-N.P.); (A.M.); (A.K.); (P.T.); (A.K.); (S.V.); (I.D.)
| | - Sofia Vavetsi
- First Psychiatric Clinic, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloni-ki, “Papageorgiou” General Hospital, Ring Road Thessaloniki, N. Efkarpia, 54603 Thessaloniki, Greece; (S.G.); (G.-N.P.); (A.M.); (A.K.); (P.T.); (A.K.); (S.V.); (I.D.)
| | - Ioannis Diakogiannis
- First Psychiatric Clinic, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloni-ki, “Papageorgiou” General Hospital, Ring Road Thessaloniki, N. Efkarpia, 54603 Thessaloniki, Greece; (S.G.); (G.-N.P.); (A.M.); (A.K.); (P.T.); (A.K.); (S.V.); (I.D.)
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Malagoli C, Zanobini M, Chiorri C, Bigozzi L. Difficulty in Writing Perceived by University Students: A Comparison of Inaccurate Writers with and without Diagnostic Certification. CHILDREN-BASEL 2021; 8:children8020088. [PMID: 33513746 PMCID: PMC7911017 DOI: 10.3390/children8020088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2020] [Revised: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Research has shown that academic success is strongly associated with positive academic self-efficacy beliefs and that individuals with learning disabilities (LDs) usually report a lower perception of competence than their peers in most learning domains. The aim of this study was two-fold: (1) To compare the performance of inaccurate writers who were not diagnosed with an LD with that of students who were diagnosed with an LD, in order to identify which tasks were the most challenging for individuals with LDs, and (2) to investigate whether inaccurate writers with and without a diagnosis differ in terms of self-perceived difficulties. Two groups were selected from a total sample of 639 students attending seven Italian universities: The first group included 48 participants (24 females) with scores on writing tasks below the 5th percentile, and the second included 51 participants (24 females) who were diagnosed with an LD. The results showed that the two groups significantly differed in the articulatory suppression condition tasks, but not in the standard condition tasks. When groups were matched for performance on writing tasks, students who were diagnosed with an LD reported significantly more perceived difficulties than students without an LD. The implications of these results in terms of the self-efficacy beliefs of students with an LD are discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Malagoli
- Department of Education, Languages, Intercultures, Literatures and Psychology (FORLIPSI), University of Florence, Via di San Salvi 12, 50135 Firenze, Italy;
- Correspondence:
| | - Mirella Zanobini
- Department of Education Sciences (DISFOR), University of Genoa, C.so A. Podestà 2, 16128 Genova, Italy; (M.Z.); (C.C.)
| | - Carlo Chiorri
- Department of Education Sciences (DISFOR), University of Genoa, C.so A. Podestà 2, 16128 Genova, Italy; (M.Z.); (C.C.)
| | - Lucia Bigozzi
- Department of Education, Languages, Intercultures, Literatures and Psychology (FORLIPSI), University of Florence, Via di San Salvi 12, 50135 Firenze, Italy;
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Robot Tutoring of Multiplication: Over One-Third Learning Gain for Most, Learning Loss for Some. ROBOTICS 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/robotics10010016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
In the design of educational robots, it appears to be undecided as to whether robots should show social behaviors and look human-like or whether such cues are insignificant for learning. We conducted an experiment with different designs of social robots built from the same materials, which is unique in robotics research. The robots rehearsed multiplication tables with primary school children in Hong Kong, which is a user group not easily or often accessed. The results show that affective bonding tendencies may occur but did not significantly contribute to the learning progress of these children, which was perhaps due to the short interaction period. Nonetheless, 5 min of robot tutoring improved their scores by about 30%, while performance dropped only for a few challenged children. We discuss topics, such as teaching language skills, which may be fostered by human likeness in appearance and behaviors; however, for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)-related subjects, the social aspects of robots hardly seem to matter.
Collapse
|
10
|
Abstract
Youth with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) without intellectual disability frequently experience academic problems, in part due to executive functioning (EF) deficits. There are currently no evidence-based interventions targeting academic EF skills for middle school youth with ASD. An intervention is currently in development. This paper reports on a "proof of concept" uncontrolled trial of the intervention, and focus groups with parents and youth to inform tailoring and adaptation of the intervention. Results of the trial suggest high feasibility/satisfaction, but a need for further adaptation to promote uptake by youth with ASD. Results from the focus groups confirmed the need for an intervention targeting academic EF skills, successful strategies in use, and the need to promote increased youth independence.
Collapse
|