Executive functions in post-traumatic stress disorder: their relation to PTSD severity and daily functioning
Nehal Safi1,2, Elias Jahjah2, Eyal Bergmann2
1Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.
Frontiers in Psychiatry
|December 3, 2025
Summary
Executive function difficulties are common in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and impact daily life. Ecologically valid assessments, like the VAP-S 2, are crucial for understanding and improving daily functioning in PTSD patients.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychology
- Clinical Research
Background:
- Executive function (EF) deficits are frequently observed in individuals with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
- These EF difficulties can significantly impair daily functioning and behavior.
- Limited research exists on the specific impact of EF deficits on daily life and the effectiveness of assessments reflecting functional limitations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of executive function difficulties on daily functioning in individuals with PTSD.
- To utilize ecologically valid assessments that simulate real-life activities to measure these effects.
Main Methods:
- The study included 66 participants (26 with PTSD, 40 healthy controls) aged 18-65.
- Participants completed the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functions-Adult Version (BRIEF-A) for self-reported EF impact.
- Executive functions were assessed during a virtual shopping task using the Virtual Action Planning Supermarket (VAP-S 2), an ecologically valid performance-based tool.
Main Results:
- PTSD patients exhibited significantly more executive function difficulties compared to controls.
- The BRIEF-A indicated that EF deficits in PTSD manifest as behavioral dysregulation affecting daily functioning.
- The VAP-S 2 showed increased impulsivity, reduced strategy use, and lower performance efficiency in PTSD patients during the virtual shopping task.
- Correlations were found between BRIEF-A scores and VAP-S 2 performance, with higher PTSD severity linked to greater EF difficulties.
Conclusions:
- Executive function impairments in PTSD are linked to symptom severity and can restrict daily functioning.
- Ecologically valid assessments are essential for evaluating EF in PTSD and understanding real-world functional implications.
- The VAP-S 2 offers an objective, performance-based measure of EF in realistic scenarios for PTSD, complementing self-reports.
- Combining self-report measures with performance-based assessments like the VAP-S 2 can enhance intervention focus on real-life contexts, improving patient function and well-being.
Keywords:
and severity of PTSD symptomsbehavioral regulationdaily functioningexecutive functionsposttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)virtual shopping task performanceMore Related Videos
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