Investigating the Effectiveness of Storytelling on Anxiety Symptoms and Working Memory in Children with Specific Learning Disorders

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of storytelling on anxiety symptoms and working memory in children with specific learning disorders. This research adopted a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design with a control group. The statistical population included all first-grade elementary students with specific learning disorders attending the Learning Disorders Center in Khoy during the 2024–2025 academic year. Thirty children were selected using convenience sampling based on inclusion and exclusion criteria and were randomly assigned to experimental (storytelling) and control groups (15 in each). Data were collected using the N-Back Working Memory Test and the Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale (short form). The experimental group participated in a five-week storytelling intervention (two sessions per week), while the control group received no intervention. Data were analyzed using the Shapiro–Wilk test and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) in SPSS version 27 with a significance level of p < 0.05. ANCOVA results indicated a significant difference between the two groups in posttest scores of working memory (accuracy and errors) and anxiety (p < 0.001), while the difference in non-response scores was not significant. The storytelling intervention significantly enhanced working memory performance and reduced anxiety symptoms among children with specific learning disorders. Storytelling can serve as an effective educational and therapeutic method for improving working memory and reducing anxiety in children with specific learning disorders. It is recommended as a cost-effective, engaging, and non-pharmacological approach in educational and rehabilitation settings.