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Haidarian M, Pourmohamadreza-Tajrishi M. Improving Response Inhibition and Social Skills in Children With Attention-deficit/hyperactivity Disorder: Cognitive Rehabilitation Exercises. Iranian Rehabilitation Journal 2026; 24 (1) :51-64
URL: http://irj.uswr.ac.ir/article-1-2612-en.html

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 follow-up 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≈0.01-0.013 per 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.