Document Type : Original article

Authors

• Fateme Abbasi Sooraki ¹
• salar faramarzi ²
• Elahe Arab Forooshani ³

¹ Psychology and Education of Children with Special Needs, Faculty of Education Science and Psychology, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran

² Department of Psychology and Education of Children with Special Needs, Faculty of Education and Psychology, University of Isfahan

³ Department of Psychology and Education of Children with Special Needs, Faculty of Education Science and Psychology, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran

Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of the Balonica educational game on executive functions in students with specific learning disorder in mathematics. This study was conducted using an A-B-A single-subject design with parallel baseline. From among fourth-grade elementary students in Isfahan during the academic year 2024-2025, five students (three girls, two boys) with specific learning disorder in mathematics were selected through purposive sampling. The intervention consisted of twelve 45-minute sessions of Balonica game (two sessions per week). Data were collected using the Specific Learning Disorder Diagnostic Questionnaire, the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition, and the Trail Making, Color-Word Interference, Sorting, and Tower subtests from the Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System. Data analysis was performed using visual analysis and the Percentage of Non-overlapping Data (PND) index. Mean executive function scores showed significant increases during the intervention phase compared to baseline across all participants. The highest improvement was observed in the first participant (from 68 to 94.5) and the lowest improvement in the fourth participant (from 42 to 51.2). The PND index was calculated as 100% for all participants, indicating definitive intervention effectiveness. Stability of effects was maintained during the follow-up phase for all five participants. The Balonica educational game, through simultaneously engaging working memory, response inhibition, and cognitive flexibility, has a significant and stable effect on improving executive functions in students with dyscalculia and can be used as a complementary tool alongside conventional curricula.

Keywords

• Balonica Educational Game
• Executive Functions
• Single-Subject Study
• Specific Learning Disorder in Mathematics

Main Subjects

• Brain interaction, cognitive, emotional and behavioral functions