Comparison of gifted and non-gifted students’ executive functions and high capabilities

Abstract

In recent years, the analysis of the relationship between cognitive skills and student learning has focused mainly on research into the impact of executive functions on academic performance and success. This study seeks to compare the cognitive performance of gifted or high-capacity students to students with a typical development in the performance of psychological tests aimed at the evaluation of executive functions. Two groups of students were considered (gifted and regular) with the intention of matching them in terms of school level and age (ages included are 10-15). The results indicate marginally significant differences in the cognitive flexibility function and statistically significant differences in working memory, as well as in the higher cognitive functions of problem solving and reasoning, with no statistically significant differences in the tests that evaluate inhibitory control and planning. These data suggest that psychological tests centred on the assessment of cognitive functions may complement the more traditional use of IQ tests for signalling and evaluating students with traits of giftedness.