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Mahboubeh Moslemifar 
, Ali Akbar Arjmandnia * , Mohsen Shokoohi Yekta , Saeed Hasanzadeh , Bagher Ghobari bonab , Najmeh Dorri
, Ali Akbar Arjmandnia * , Mohsen Shokoohi Yekta , Saeed Hasanzadeh , Bagher Ghobari bonab , Najmeh Dorri
Department of Psychology and Education of Exceptional Children, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Tehran, Iran , arjmandnia@ut.ac.ir
Abstract: (35 Views)
Background: Children with symptoms of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) not only experience attentional difficulties but also exhibit significant deficits in social skills and pragmatic language, which may lead to social isolation and maladjustment in adulthood. In Iran, no culturally adapted program specifically designed to address the unique needs of these children has been developed and evaluated to date. The use of classical Persian literature offers a unique capacity for the indirect teaching of social and language skills, yet this potential has not been explored empirically.
Aims: This study aimed to develop a social skills training program based on classical Persian literature and to examine its effect on improving social and language skills among children with ADHD symptoms.
Methods: A quasi-experimental study with a pre-test–post-test–three-month follow-up design and a control group was conducted with 40 first- to third-grade elementary students in Isfahan during the 2024–2025 academic year who met the criteria for ADHD symptoms. Participants were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group attended 11 weekly 75-minute sessions of social skills training based on classical Persian literature using a cognitive–behavioral approach, while the control group received no intervention. Data collection instruments included the Conners Parent Rating Scale (Conners et al., 1998), the Integrated Visual and Auditory Continuous Performance Test (Sandford & Turner, 2000), the Social Skills Improvement System Rating Scales (Gresham & Elliott, 2011), and the Children’s Communication Checklist–2 (Bishop, 2013). Data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA in SPSS-22.
Results: The intervention led to statistically significant improvements in cooperation, assertiveness, and externalizing behaviors (p<0.05) that were maintained at the three-month follow-up. In the domain of language skills, significant gains were observed in initiation, coherence, non-stereotyped conversations, use of context, adaptability, social relations, and overall pragmatic language (p<0.05), all of which were sustained at follow-up. Effect sizes ranged from small to large, indicating both the effectiveness and durability of the intervention.
Conclusion: The social skills training program based on classical Persian literature not only enhanced the social and language skills of elementary school children with ADHD symptoms but also supported the transfer of these skills to everyday situations. This culturally grounded approach can be implemented by teachers, school counselors, and therapists as a complementary method to conventional interventions, creating an engaging and culturally relevant environment that facilitates the learning and retention of targeted skills.
Aims: This study aimed to develop a social skills training program based on classical Persian literature and to examine its effect on improving social and language skills among children with ADHD symptoms.
Methods: A quasi-experimental study with a pre-test–post-test–three-month follow-up design and a control group was conducted with 40 first- to third-grade elementary students in Isfahan during the 2024–2025 academic year who met the criteria for ADHD symptoms. Participants were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group attended 11 weekly 75-minute sessions of social skills training based on classical Persian literature using a cognitive–behavioral approach, while the control group received no intervention. Data collection instruments included the Conners Parent Rating Scale (Conners et al., 1998), the Integrated Visual and Auditory Continuous Performance Test (Sandford & Turner, 2000), the Social Skills Improvement System Rating Scales (Gresham & Elliott, 2011), and the Children’s Communication Checklist–2 (Bishop, 2013). Data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA in SPSS-22.
Results: The intervention led to statistically significant improvements in cooperation, assertiveness, and externalizing behaviors (p<0.05) that were maintained at the three-month follow-up. In the domain of language skills, significant gains were observed in initiation, coherence, non-stereotyped conversations, use of context, adaptability, social relations, and overall pragmatic language (p<0.05), all of which were sustained at follow-up. Effect sizes ranged from small to large, indicating both the effectiveness and durability of the intervention.
Conclusion: The social skills training program based on classical Persian literature not only enhanced the social and language skills of elementary school children with ADHD symptoms but also supported the transfer of these skills to everyday situations. This culturally grounded approach can be implemented by teachers, school counselors, and therapists as a complementary method to conventional interventions, creating an engaging and culturally relevant environment that facilitates the learning and retention of targeted skills.
Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Special
Received: 2025/07/23 | Accepted: 2025/10/12 | Published: 2026/04/21
Received: 2025/07/23 | Accepted: 2025/10/12 | Published: 2026/04/21
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This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)