Gifted students differ from their peers in cognitive, social and emotional development. This study aims to compare gifted and typically developing students in terms of friendship quality and empathy level and examine the gender differences in a sample of Turkish students. In addition, the predictive role of empathy in friendship quality among gifted and typically developing students was investigated. The sample consisted of 97 gifted and 135 typically developing primary and secondary school students. Data were analysed by two-way analysis of variance and regression analysis. Results revealed that friendship quality was predicted by cognitive empathy in gifted and typically developing students. In addition, some gender differences emerged. The results are discussed in terms of the skills that need to be supported with preventive psychological counselling.