Introduction: Childhood is one of the most prominent periods in human life. Attention to this period is so great that psychologists, experts and researchers in the field of education have considered it as the most prominent stage in the development of human personality. One of the most important achievements of childhood is the acquisition of social skills. It is essential that children initiate and maintain desirable social interactions with peers, families, teachers, and individuals within their community.
Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, ۶۰ children aged ۶ to ۱۰ years were randomly selected from the schools of Aliabad Kotoul in ۲۰۱۹. The samples were divided into intervention and control groups by simple random method. Group training was held for the intervention group and control group received no intervention. Before and one month after the intervention, the participants were asked to complete the questionnaires, which included demographic questionnaire and Matson’s social skills questionnaire. Then, the collected data were analyzed by SPSS-۲۵ statistical software at a significance level of ۰.۰۵.
Results: In the intervention group, the mean score of social skills before the intervention was ۲۰.۲۰۵ + ۴۶.۸۴ and after the intervention was ۲۱۵.۱۵ + ۱۵.۳۶, and paired t-test did not show a significant difference in this regard (P <۰.۰۱). Also, independent t-test did not show a significant difference between the intervention and control groups in terms of the mean score of social skills before the intervention (P = ۰.۷۸). Independent t-test showed a significant difference between the intervention and control groups after the intervention in terms of the dimensions of social behavior (P = ۰.۰۳), authoritarianism (P = ۰.۰۴) and relationship with peers (P = ۰.۰۰۹), but did not show a significant difference (P = ۰.۱) between them in terms of the overall dimension. ANOVA test also showed a significant difference (P <۰.۰۱) in this regard, so that ۲۶% of post-test changes could most likely be attributed to the independent variable (Friends training).
Conclusion: By increasing the social skills of parents and school-age children, children's ability to communicate with others, especially peers, improves. It also increases the child's interest in friends and group games. Therefore, managers and officials of children education can use this educational program to promote proper social behavior in children and increase children's skills in socialization.