Objective: The aim of present research was to make a Meta-Thinking educational program based on mental-brain simulation and to evaluate its effectiveness on executive functions, emotion regulation and impulsivity in children with ADHD.
Methods: The research method was Embedded Design: Embedded Experimental Model. The research sample included 32 children with ADHD who were randomly assigned to two experimental and control groups. The intervention was implemented for eight sessions of 1.5 hr for the experimental group, and fMRI images were taken from them, while the control group didn't receive any treatment. Finally, using semi-structured interviews, coherent information was collected from the parents of the experimental group about the changes made. Data were analyzed with SPSS-24, MAXQDA, fMRIprep, and FSL software.
Results: The Meta-Thinking Educational Program had effect on performance of ADHD children and suppressed brain regions related to DMN.
Conclusion: The Implementation of this educational program plays a vital role in improving psychological problems of children with ADHD.
Keywords: ADHD; DMN; emotion regulation; executive functions; impulsivity; meta-thinking.