THE EFFECT OF PARIA COGNITIVE REHABILITATION PROGRAM ON RECOGNITION OF BASIC EMOTIONS IN CHILDREN WITH HIGH FUNCTIONING AUTISM DISORDER

Autism spectrum disorder is neurodevelopmental disorder
characterized by social-communication difficulties and stereotyped behaviors. The present
study evaluates the effects of cognitive rehabilitation based on inverse imitation on
recognition of basic emotion in children with high functioning autism disorder.
Materials Method: The method was quasi-experimental and single-subject design and three
children with high-functioning autism participated with an intact sampling method, and
received 12 sessions of cognitive rehabilitation on imitation. In two sessions a week and 1
hour per session, the children received the interventions based on inverse imitation
instruction. The assessments were done in 5 phases, 2 weeks before starting the treatment,
one day before starting the treatment, after 5 sessions of treatment, after 12 sessions of
treatment, one day after the end of treatment and finally the follow up phase (4 weeks after
the end of treatment). NimStim of emotion recognition test and Ekman emotion recognition
test were used research tools. Data analysis performed by visual analysis chart and effect
size was computed subsequentlyThe results showed the subjects’ performance in Ekman and NimStim of emotion
recognition test. As well, the effect of the training program was effective in emotion
recognition.
Conclusions: This study supports efficacy of training based on imitation in improving the
emotional states of recognition skills in children with high- functioning autism.