Objectives: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impairments in response inhibition and social skills.This study examines whether cognitive rehabilitation exercises improve these domains in children with ADHD. Methods:In a quasi-experimental study with a pre-test-post-test and 2-month follow-up design, 30 children aged 8-10 years from Tehran City, Iran (convenience sampling from a rehabilitation clinic) with ADHD were assessed.Participants were randomly assigned to the experimental or control groups, matched on disorder severity and IQ.Assessments included the Stroop color-word test (response inhibition) and the social skills rating system.The experimental group completed ten 40-minute sessions, twice weekly.The control group engaged in standard computer-based games.Data were analyzed using repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) and independent t-tests (SPSS software, version 25).Results: No significant between-group differences emerged at pre-test, post-test, or followup for response inhibition or social skills, nor for IQ, age, or parental education.Within the experimental group, cognitive rehabilitation yielded significant improvements in response inhibition, accounting for about 45% of the post-intervention variance (η²≈0.45),with gains persisting at two months (P<0.05).For social skills and their components (cooperation, assertiveness, self-control, and responsibility), the intervention explained small variances (η² ranging≈0.01-0.013per component), indicating a small overall effect.Discussion: Cognitive rehabilitation significantly enhances response inhibition in children with ADHD and may be a valuable clinical tool for improving behavioral outcomes.Its impact on social skills is modest and requires further investigation.Generalization should be approached cautiously, given the small sample size and brief follow-up.
Haidarian et al. (Sun,) studied this question.