Development of a Cognitive Empowerment Training Package Based on The Executive Functions of The Brain And Its Effectiveness on The Cognitive Empathy of Underachieving Gifted Students of Sixth Grade Elementary

Yavari, Hanieh; Sheivandi Cholicheh, Kamran; Dortaj, Fariborz; Rezaei, Saeed; Asadzadeh, Hassan; Lo, C. Owen

doi:10.22055/psy.2025.47864.3301

Development of a Cognitive Empowerment Training Package Based on The Executive Functions of The Brain And Its Effectiveness on The Cognitive Empathy of Underachieving Gifted Students of Sixth Grade Elementary

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

hanieh Yavari ¹

kamran Sheivandi Cholicheh ²

Fariborz Dortaj ³

saeed Rezaei ⁴

Hassan Asadzadeh ⁵

C. Owen Lo ⁶

¹ Ph.D. student, Department of Educational Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Allameh Tabatabai University, Tehran, Iran.

² Assistant Professor, Department of Educational Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Allameh Tabatabai University, Tehran, Iran.

³ Full Professor, Department of Educational Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Allameh Tabatabai University, Tehran, Iran.

⁴ Associate Professor, Department of Educational Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Allameh Tabatabai University, Tehran, Iran.

⁵ Associate Professor, Department of Psychology and Education of Exceptional Children, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Allameh Tabatabai University, Tehran, Iran.

⁶ Associate Professor, Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education, The University of British Columbia, BC, Canada

10.22055/psy.2025.47864.3301

Abstract

Aim: The present study was conducted to development of a cognitive empowerment training package based on the executive functions of the brain and its effectiveness on the cognitive empathy of underachievement gifted students of sixth grade elementary.

Methods: The research method was qualitative, Theme analysis according to Attride-Stirling (2001), and the research method in the quantitative part was semi-experimental with a pre-test-post-test design with a control group and a two-month follow-up period. The statistical population of the research included underachievement gifted students studying in the sixth grade of gifted elementary schools in Tehran in the academic year of 2021-2022. The sample in this study included 36 underachievement gifted students who were selected by purposeful sampling and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups (18 students in the experimental group and 18 students in the control group). The students in the experimental group received the cognitive empowerment training package based on the executive functions of the brain during 10 weeks in 10 sessions of 90 minutes. The applied questionnaire in this study included Cognitive Empathy Questionnaire (EQ) (Jolliffe, Farrington, 2006). The data from the study were analyzed through mixed variance analysis via SPSS23 software.

Results: The results showed that the cognitive empowerment training package based on the executive functions of the brain has sufficient content validity according to experts. Also, this training package had an impact on the ac cognitive empathy (F=43.91; Eta=0.56; P<0.001) of underachievement gifted students.

Conclusion: Based on this, cognitive empowerment training package based on the executive functions of the brain can be used as an efficient method to improve cognitive empathy of underachievement gifted students through employing techniques such as increasing attention, concentration and accurate, organizing activities, avoiding response, controlling impulsivity and planning training

Keywords

Cognitive Empowerment

Executive Functions of the Brain

Cognitive Empathy

Underachievment Gifted Students

Albiero, P., Matricardi, G., Speltri, D., & Toso, D (2009). The assessment of empathy in adolescence: A contribution to the Italian validation of the ‘‘Basic Empathy Scale’’. Journal of Adolescence, 32(2), 393-408. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2008.03.004

Aminian, M., & Asli Azad, M. (2023). Efficacy Of Play Therapy Based On Cognitive-Behavioral Approach On The Executive Functions and Social Competence In Female Students With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Psychological Achievements, 31(1), 99-120. https://doi.org/10.22055/psy.2022.40864.2851 [Persian]

Atan, T. (2018). Empathy Levels of University Students Who Do and Not Do Sports, Universal Journal of Educational Research, 5(3), 500-503. https://doi.org/10.13189/ujer.2017.050322

Azadfar, N., Badri Gargari, R., Fathi Āzar, E., Saboori Moghadam, H., & Hāshemi, T. (2021). Effectiveness of the training package of cool executive functions on normal primary school sixth grade students' classroom excitement. Journal of Educational Innovations, 20(2), 139-154. https://doi.org/10.22034/jei.2021.238155.1542 [Persian]

Blasberg, J. U., Kanske, P., & Engert, V. (2025). Empathic stress in the family: Does diurnal cortisol covariation between adolescents and their parents influence adolescent empathic stress in the laboratory? Psychoneuroendocrinology, 173, 1072-1076. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.107276

Dehghani, Y., Hekmatiyan Fard, S. (2019). The Effectiveness of Executive Functions Training on Attention and Response Inhibition in Students with Dyscalculia. Psychology of Exceptional Individuals, 9(34), 137-158. https://doi.org/10.22054/jpe.2019.40837.1961 [Persian]

Diperna, J. C., & Elliott, S. N. (1999). Development and validation of the academic competence evaluation scales. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 17(3), 207-225. https://doi.org/10.1177/073428299901700302 .

Farahzadi, N., Ghorbanshiroudi, S. H., Khalatbari, J., & Zarbakhsh, M. R. (2023). he Effectiveness of Executive Functions Training on Self-Control and Social Competence for Children with Low Self-Control. Journal of Applied Psychological Research, 14(2), 145-161. https://doi.org/10.22059/japr.2023.333106.644057 [Persian].

Gandomi, Z., Arjmandnia, A. A., & Afrooz, G. (2021). The Effectiveness of cognitive rehabilitation package based on executive functions on the academic performance of slow learner. Quarterly Journal of Cognitive Strategies in Learning, 6(16), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.22054/qjcs.2021.2708121 [Persian].

Grüneisen, L., Dörrenbächer-Ulrich, L., & Perels, F. (2023). Self-regulated learning as a mediator of the relation between executive functions and preschool academic competence. Acta Psychologica, 240, 1040-1046. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2023.104046

Hu, W., Yu, Z., Liang, X., Abulaiti, A., Aini, X., & Kelimu, A. (2024). A cross-sectional study on the analysis of the current situation of depression and anxiety among primary and secondary school students in Urumqi City in 2021: A case study of S district. Journal of Affective Disorders, 347, 210-219. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2023.12.023

Jafari, M. A., Norozi, Z., & Foladchang, M. (2017). The study of factor structure, reliability and validity of basic empathy scale: Persian form. Journal of Educational Psychology Studies, 14(25), 23-38. https://doi.org/10.22059/jeps.2017.25.23 [Persian]

Jolliffe, D., & Farrington, D.P. (2006). Examining the relationship between low empathy and bullying. Aggressive Behavior, 32(3), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1002/ab.20138

Kaji Isfahani, S., Arefi, M., Aqaei Joshaghani, A., Asli Azad, M., & Farhadi, T. (2017). Comparison of Cognitive Empathy in Students with Relational and Explicit Aggression. Journal of Children Mental Health, 4(2), 116-124. https://doi.org/10.22034/jcmh.2017.4.2.116 [Persian]

Kontostavlou, E. Z., & Drigas, A. (2022). Executive Functions Training and Giftedness (Capacitatión en funciones ejecutivas y superdotación). Retos, 43, 1005-1014. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v43i0.102074

Kupczyszyn, K. H., Filippetti, V. A., & Oros, L. (2024). Socioeconomic status effects on children's creativity: The mediating role of executive functions. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 51, 1014-1019. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2024.101019

Manani, R., Abedi, A., Dortaj, F., & Farrokhi, N.A. (2019). The Comparison of Neuropsychological Profile in Gifted and Talented Underachievers and Achievers Students in Mathematics. Neuropsychology, 5(2), 59-88. https://doi.org/10.22037/npsy.2019.2.59 [Persian]

Mofield, E., & Parker Peters, M. (2019). Understanding underachievement: Mindset, perfectionism, and achievement attitudes among gifted students. Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 42(2), 107-134. https://doi.org/10.1177/0162353219833139

Moosavi, S. S., Abolmaali, K. H., & Mir Hashemi, M. (2016). Confirmatory factor structure of the academic competence evaluation scale in female teenage students. Journal of Applied Psychology, 11(3), 275-294. Confirmatory factor structure of the academic competence evaluation scale in female teenage students [Persian]

Musavian, S. S., Talaee, E., & Fardanesh, H. (2019). Investigating students empathy and their school learning behaviors using Artificial Intelligence methods. Education Strategies in Medical Sciences, 12(3), 23-30. https://doi.org/10.22038/JHL.2019.36772.1019 [Persian]

Oluseyi, D. A. D. A. (2021). Identifying Mathematics Underachieving Gifted In Classroom. Journal for the Education of Gifted Young Scientists, 9(3), 207-213. https://doi.org/10.17478/JEGYS.973469

Rocha, A., Almeida, L., & Perales, R. G. (2020). Comparison of gifted and non-gifted students’ executive functions and high capabilities. Journal for the Education of Gifted Young Scientists, 8(4), 1397-1409. https://doi.org/10.17478/jegys.808796

Ruffini, C., Tarchi, C., & Pecini, C. (2023). Which executive functions affect text comprehension and writing in paper and digital mode? An investigation in primary school children. Computers & Education, 207, 1049-1055. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2023.104936

Steenbergen-Hu, S., Olszewski-Kubilius, P., & Calvert, E. (2020). The effectiveness of current interventions to reverse the underachievement of gifted students: Findings of a meta-analysis and systematic review. Gifted Child Quarterly, 64(2), 132-165. https://doi.org/10.1177/0016986220908601

Sulik, M. J., Finch, J. E., & Obradović, J. (2020). Moving beyond executive functions: Challenge preference as a predictor of academic achievement in elementary school. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 198(2), 104-148. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jecp.2020.104883

Vatankhah, M., Kafi, S. M., Abolqasemi, A., & Shakerinia, I. (2020). The effectiveness of self-regulation training with body mass index interaction on weight control, executive functioning, and emotion regulation of overweight and obese adolescent. Psychological Achievements, 27(2), 89-110. https://doi.org/10.22055/psy.2020.32231.2480 [Persian]

Vera Cruz, G., & Mullet, E. (2019). Empathy and forgiveness among Mozambican wives. International Perspectives in Psychology: Research, Practice, Consultation, 8(3), 124-135. https://doi.org/10.1037/ipp0000110

Viana-Sáenz, L., Sastre-Riba, S., Urraca-Martínez, M. L., & Botella, J. (2020). Measurement of executive functioning and high intellectual ability in childhood: A comparative meta-analysis. Sustainability, 12(11), 479-506. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12114579

Visier-Alfonso, M. E., Sánchez-López, M., Martínez-Vizcaíno, V., Jiménez-López, E., Redondo-Tébar, A., & Nieto-López, M. (2020). Executive functions mediate the relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness and academic achievement in Spanish schoolchildren aged 8 to 11 years. PloS one, 15(4), 231-245. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0231245

Wang, X., & Feng, T. (2024). Does executive function affect children's peer relationships more than emotion understanding? A Longitudinal study based on latent growth model. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 66, 211-223. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2023.11.002

White, S. L., Graham, L. J., & Blaas, S. (2018). Why do we know so little about the factors associated with gifted underachievement? A systematic literature review. Educational Research Review, 24(2), 55-66. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2018.02.001 .

Wu, x., & Qin, y. (2025). On the relationship between music students' negative emotions, artificial intelligence readiness, and their engagement. Acta Psychologica, 253, 1047-1052. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2025.104752