Statistical analysis of the data
The collected data were entered into SPSS 22 software, and quantitative and qualitative variables were reported using mean ± standard deviation and descriptive statistics, respectively. The normality of the associated variables was examined using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. Descriptive Properties of the variables were presented using frequency, mean and standard deviation. Mean comparison of indices between intervention and control groups, at each stage of measurement, was performed by independent t-test or its non-parametric equivalent, Mann-Whitney. Mean comparison before and after in each group was performed by paired t-test or its non-parametric equivalent statistical test, Wilcoxon. Also, the comparison of the mean changes of scores overtime was performed by generalized estimator equations (GEE) test, repeated measures analysis of variance, or its non-parametric equivalent, Friedman test.