Development of a Family-Centered Emotion Regulation Program and Evaluation of Its Effectiveness on the Social, Emotional, and Academic Adjustment of Gifted Adolescents at Risk of Emotional and Behavioral Problems

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Gifted adolescents are particularly vulnerable to emotional and behavioral problems. This study aimed to develop a family-centered emotion regulation program and to evaluate its effectiveness on the social, emotional, and academic adjustment of gifted adolescents. Materials and Methods: This quasi-experimental study utilized a pre-test, post-test control group design with a three-month follow-up phase. The study population comprised all gifted adolescents attending secondary school in Marivan, Kurdistan Province, during the 2023-2024 academic year. A total of 30 participants were selected using the convenience sampling method and randomly assigned to either the experimental group (n=15) or the control group (n=15). Research instruments included the Student Adjustment Questionnaire, the Tehran-Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale, and the Achenbach Youth Self-Report. Data analysis was conducted using multivariate covariance analysis (MANCOVA) in SPSS software (version 28). Results: The findings indicated that the family-centered emotion regulation program significantly improved social, emotional, and academic adjustment in gifted adolescents at risk of emotional and behavioral problems (P<0.05). Conclusion: Given the effectiveness of the family-centered emotion regulation program on the adjustment of gifted adolescents at risk of emotional and behavioral problems, it is recommended that specialists, therapists, and educators implement this program to enhance the adjustment of gifted adolescents facing such challenges.