Use of a computer-assisted program to improve metacognition in persons with severe intellectual disabilities.
Metacognition and self-regulation are processes extremely relevant to education of persons with intellectual disabilities. They play a central role in specific limitations, such as outer-directedness and lack of strategy transfer, and are related to desirable educational objectives such as self-determination. Although computer-assisted training has shown to be successful in training specific abilities and general cognitive processes, interventions of this nature centering on metacognitive development are rare. A computer-assisted program aimed in this direction is presented. It was applied to 21 adolescents and young adults with a mean IQ of 36. Metacognitive scores improved for this group at posttest relative to pretest to a degree significantly different from gains found in an equivalent control group. Improvement was clear from the first sessions of the intervention and was maintained at a 6-month follow-up.
Moreno
Javier
J
Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, Avda. Ciudad Jardín, 22, University of Sevilla, Sevilla 41005, Spain. jmorpere@us.es
Saldaña
David
D
D000328:Adult; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability; D008297:Male; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013813:Therapy, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*