THE EFFECT OF MINDFULNESS TRAINING ON COGNITIVE FLEXIBILITY AND COGNITIVE EMOTION REGULATION IN ELEMENTARY STUDENTS WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES: A RANDOMIZED CLINICAL TRIAL

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to explain the effectiveness of mindfulness training on cognitive flexibility and emotional cognitive regulation of elementary students with learning disabilities. Methods: The present study was a pilot study with pre-test and post-test with control group. The statistical population of the study consisted of all four to sixth grade female students from Mashhad learning centers in the academic year 2019-2020. A sample of 30 people was selected from this community and pre-tested by Klasti sampling method. From this sample, 15 subjects in the experimental group and 15 in the control group were randomly assigned. Then, 12 sessions of mind-awareness training were applied to the test group. After the end of training sessions, both groups were subjected to post-test. The instrument used in this research was Cognitive Flexibility Inventory (CFI) and Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ). Data were analyzed using covariance analysis. Results: The results showed a significant improvement in cognitive anxiety scores and positive cognitive emotion regulation and reduction of negative cognitive emotion regulation in the experimental group compared with the control group. Therefore, mindfulness therapy can be used to help and help students improve psychological psychology of students with learning disabilities.