Lifetime stressor exposure, executive functioning, and internalizing symptoms during emerging adulthood

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Neuroscience
• Developmental Psychology

Background:

• Emerging adulthood (ages 18-24) sees a significant increase in internalizing symptoms, including depression and anxiety.
• Both childhood and adulthood adversity are linked to these symptoms, but the specific pathways are not well understood.
• Executive functioning may play a role in how adversity impacts mental health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between childhood and adulthood adversity and internalizing symptoms in emerging adults.
• To examine the potential mediating role of executive functioning in this relationship.
• To understand the timing of adversity exposure in relation to mental health outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study of 203 emerging adults (ages 18-24).
• Assessed lifetime stressor exposure (Stress and Adversity Inventory), internalizing symptoms (Kessler Psychological Distress Scale), and executive functioning (performance-based measures).
• Utilized regression and path analyses to examine associations.

Main Results:

• Adulthood adversity significantly predicted internalizing symptoms, whereas childhood adversity did not when both were considered.
• No indirect effect of executive functioning was found linking adversity to internalizing symptoms.
• Higher childhood adversity was associated with better executive functioning.

Conclusions:

• The timing of adversity exposure is crucial, with adulthood adversity being a stronger predictor of internalizing symptoms in emerging adults.
• Executive functioning does not appear to be a key mediator connecting adversity to internalizing symptoms in this age group.
• Childhood adversity may have complex, non-pathological effects on executive functioning development.