en سلامت جانبازان يا معلولان Veterans or Handicapped Health پژوهشی اصيل Original Research <span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Cambria&quot;,serif"><span style="color:#f79646">Aims:</span></span></span></b> <span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Cambria&quot;,serif">Social isolation is a condition in which individuals, due to structural or individual reasons, are deprived of meaningful social interactions.</span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Cambria&quot;,serif"> This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a communication skills training intervention in reducing social isolation among ageing individuals in Ilam city.</span></span></span></span></span><br> <span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Cambria&quot;,serif"><span style="color:#f79646">Materials & Methods:</span></span></span></b> <span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Cambria&quot;,serif">The quasi-experimental study using a pre-test&ndash;post-test method and a control group was conducted on 40 ageing individuals (20 in the experimental group and 20 in the control group) with a mean age of 68.4&plusmn;5.2 years, selected via convenience sampling. The intervention included eight 90-minute sessions of communication skills training. Data were collected using the Standard Social Isolation Scale (SLSI) and analyzed using SPSS version 26, employing dependent t-tests, independent t-tests, and </span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Cambria&quot;,serif">analyses of covariance (</span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Cambria&quot;,serif">ANCOVA).</span></span></span></span></span><br> <span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Cambria&quot;,serif"><span style="color:#f79646">Findings:</span></span></span></b> <span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Cambria&quot;,serif">The mean age of participants was 68.4&plusmn;5.2 years, and 57.5% were female. The total social isolation score in the experimental group decreased from 62.3&plusmn;7.1 to 43.4&plusmn;6.2. Significant improvements were observed in emotional isolation (5.4&plusmn;1.2), interactional isolation (5.5&plusmn;1.5), structural isolation (3.4&plusmn;1.8), and perceived isolation (4.6&plusmn;1.3). The control group showed no significant changes.</span></span></span></span></span><br> <span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Cambria&quot;,serif"><span style="color:#f79646">Conclusion:</span></span></span></b> <span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Cambria&quot;,serif">Communication skills training is significantly effective in reducing social isolation among ageing individuals. </span></span></span></span></span><br> &nbsp; Social Isolation, Aging, Communication, Education Early Intervention, Mental Health 349 354 http://ijwph.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-2309-1&slc_lang=en&sid=1 R. Menati 15300319475328460028675 15300319475328460028675 No Psychosocial Injuries Research Center, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran N. Omidi 15300319475328460028676 15300319475328460028676 Yes Department of Management, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran M.R. Omidi 15300319475328460028677 15300319475328460028677 No Psychosocial Injuries Research Center, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran S. Mohamadpour 15300319475328460028678 15300319475328460028678 No Department of Physiology, Malekshahi Office of the Ministry of Education, Ilam, Iran