Affective executive function performance predicts distinct trajectories of mental health: a growth mixture model

The analysis of temporal processes of psychological functioning over time has been used to identify differential response patterns to stress. However, the mechanisms underlying such trajectories remain unclear.

This study examined the role of baseline affective Executive Functions (EFs) in predicting temporal trajectories of psychological functioning following a naturalistic stressor.

A longitudinal design assessed mental health levels across five time points in a sample of 152 young adults. Working memory updating (WMU) and affective attentional flexibility were evaluated within affective contexts. The emotional 2-back task (as a measure of WMU) and the Attentional Flexibility Task (i.e., AFT) were administered at baseline (T1) and analyzed as predictors of trajectory class membership.

Growth Mixture Modeling (GMM) analyses identified a three-class model consisting of individuals showing stable (73.7%), improving (19.1%), and worsening (7.2%) mental health trajectories following the stressor. WMU indices emerged as significant predictors of such trajectories, with accuracy scores being more important predictors than reaction time indices.

These findings suggest that better executive performance, particularly in WMU, is associated with more adaptive patterns of psychological functioning over time.