AU - Rezayi, Saeed TI - Developing and determine the effectiveness of cognitive rehabilitation games on the social function of autistic children PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE TA - icss JN - icss VO - 22 VI - 4 IP - 4 4099 - http://icssjournal.ir/article-1-1163-en.html 4100 - http://icssjournal.ir/article-1-1163-en.pdf SO - icss 4 ABĀ  - Introduction: Social skills are one of the necessities of social life that most children with autism have a defect in these skills. Social skills impairment is the cause of many problems in social and communication situations. They have severe problems in other areas, including daily activity skills. This research focuses more on communication and social problems. Therefore, the present study aims to develop cognitive rehabilitation games to improve children’s social function with autism disorder. Methods: The research method in terms of collecting information was the semi-experimental type with pre-test and post-test, and the control group and in terms of purpose, it was the applied type. The statistical population included all autistic children of Yazd Educational and Rehabilitation centers in 2019. Of the total target population, 18 autistic children were randomly selected and assigned to the experimental group (N=9) and the control group (N=9). The intervention program was implemented for three consecutive months in 12 consecutive sessions for the experimental group. This intervention program was implemented for the control group to comply with the ethical principles of the research. Also, testimonial was received from each of the participants in this study. If they were reluctant to continue the cooperation, they could leave the research. A social profile questionnaire was used to collect data. This social profile questionnaire was standardized on Iranian samples by Rezayi (2019). The social skills profile has 48 questions or items with three quizzes on a four-point Likert scale (never, sometimes, often, always). Its total validity coefficient using Cronbach's alpha method is 0.90, and the validity coefficient of its components is reported to be social interaction with the coefficient of validity 0.98, social participation 0.92, and immature social behaviors 0.85, respectively. Features of this profile represent a wide range of social behaviors, such as initiation skills, two-way social interactions, perspective, and nonverbal communication skills that individuals with autism spectrum disorder display in social and communicative situations. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical methods such as mean, variance, and univariate analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) test by SPSS-22 software. Results: The analyzed results by ANCOVA revealed that the cognitive rehabilitation intervention program had a significant effect on all three social function variables, i.e., social interaction, social participation, and immature social behaviors, although the level of significance was not the same for all three variables. The results obtained in this study were coextensive with the results of many similar studies. Adverse findings were also obtained because they were not among the study's objectives and were not reported. Conclusion: Considering that the most severe problem of autistic children as a social impairment that impact of a cognitive rehabilitation intervention program on improving social functions of children with an autism spectrum disorder, the use of cognitive rehabilitation intervention program is suggested as an educational and rehabilitation package in all special centers for autistic children and other children with neurodevelopmental disorders as a training and rehabilitation program. It is also suggested that specialized and trained people should implement this rehabilitation package. Keywords: CP - IRAN IN - LG - eng PB - icss PG - 35 PT - Research YR - 2021