Comparison of Cognitive and Affective Empathy Between Children with Externalized Behavioral Disorder and Normal Children: Considering the Role of gender

The aim of this study was to compare cognitive and affective empathy (Hot - Cold) between children with externalized behavioral disorder and normal children by considering the role of gender. The method of this study was descriptive and causal-comparative. The statistical population included all primary school students (8 to 12 years old) in Tabriz in the 2018- 2019 academic year. From this population, 100 children with externalized behavioral disorder (50 girls and 50 boys) and 100 normal children (50 girls and 50 boys) were selected by random multistage cluster sampling model using the CSI-4 teacher form questionnaire. In order to measure cognitive and affective empathy, Dads empathy scale was used. The results of multivariate analysis of variance showed that cognitive and affective empathy in children with externalized behavioral disorders is different from normal children (p<0/05,F=15/10) also cognitive and affective empathy are different between girls and boys (p<0/05,F=34/79). According to the results, cognitive and a ffective empathy are weaker in children with externalized behavioral disorders than in normal children and girls had better performance in cognitive and affective empathy than boys.These findings help to better understand this disorder and variety of therapies.