fa اثربخشی آموزش مهارت‌های خودآگاهی و ابراز وجود،بر سازگاری و عزت نفس مادران کودکان کم‌توان ذهنی General پژوهشي Research Article Background and Aim: Birth of a mentally retarded child could have a negative impact on the structure and function of the family and can subject parents, especially mothers, to physical, psychological, social, and economic tensions. This study investigated the effectiveness of training self-awareness and assertiveness skills based on group therapy on compatibility and self-esteem of mothers of mentally retarded children in Shahrekord in 2009. Materials and Methods: This applied and quasi-experimental study with a pre-test and post-test was conducted in 2009. The population comprised of all mothers of mentally retarded children of Shahrekord. From among them, 30 were selected randomly on whom the intervention was performed. The tools used in this study included Bell adjustment inventory and Rosenberg self-esteem scale. Parents were taught self-awareness and assertiveness skills twice a week and for 12 sessions in all. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 15 and paired t test at the significant level of P <0.05. Results: Results of this study showed that training self-awareness and assertiveness skills had a significantly positive impact on the overall compatibility and its components (i.e., social adjustment, home adjustment, and emotional adjustment) as well as the self-esteem of mothers of mentally retarded children (P=0.001). Conclusion: Training self-awareness and assertiveness skills is an effective method to improve compatibility and self-esteem of mothers of mentally retarded children. Self evaluation,Emotional Intelligence,Self Concept,Boldness,Mental retardation 43 52 http://mcj.bums.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-1-360&slc_lang=fa&sid=1 Jamasb Moradpoor جاماسب مرادپور 10031947532846004072 10031947532846004072 No M.Sc of Psychology, Islamic Azad University of Birjand, Birjand, Iran دانش آموخته کارشناس ارشد روان شناسی دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی بیرجند. بیرجند، ایران Mohammad Reza Miri محمدرضا میری 10031947532846004073 10031947532846004073 Yes Associate Professor. Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Faculty of Public Health, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran. Email: miri_moh2516@yahoo.com دانشیار، دانشکده بهداشت،عضو مرکز تحقیقات عوامل اجتماعی موثر بر سلامت،دانشگاه علوم پزشکی بیرجند. بیرجند، ایران. تلفن: 8825440 پست الترونیک: miri_moh2516@yahoo.com:Email Samaneh Aliabadi سمانه علی‌آبادی 10031947532846004074 10031947532846004074 No M.Sc of Rehabilitation Management, Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran کارشناس ارشد مدیریت توانبخشی، عضو مرکز تحقیقات عوامل موثر بر سلامت، دانشگاه علوم پزشکی بیرجند. بیرجند، ایران Abbas Poorsadegh عباس پورصادق 10031947532846004075 10031947532846004075 No B.Sc of Nursing, Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran کارشناس پرستاری، عضو مرکز تحقیقات عوامل موثر بر سلامت، دانشگاه علوم پزشکی بیرجند. بیرجند، ایران