Background and Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of social skills training based on a cognitive-behavioral approach on the self-efficacy of orphaned children.

Methodology: The research method was a quasi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest design with a control group. The statistical population included all 9-12 year old unaccompanied children living in welfare centers in Mazandaran province in the academic year 1403-1404. From this population, 30 children were selected by purposive sampling method and randomly assigned to two groups of 15: experimental and control. Data were collected using standard self-efficacy questionnaires. The experimental group received a social skills educational intervention based on a cognitive-behavioral approach, while the control group did not receive any intervention. Data analysis was performed using SPSS-26 software and analysis of covariance method.

Results: It showed that after the intervention, there was a significant difference between the scores of the two groups in the dependent variables (P<0.05). In other words, teaching the aforementioned social skills significantly increased self-efficacy in children in the experimental group compared to the control group.

Conclusion: Based on these results, it can be concluded that social skills training based on a cognitive-behavioral approach is an effective intervention for improving key psychological indicators in unaccompanied children, and its use is recommended in relevant centers