A Longitudinal Examination of the Reciprocal Relationship between Emotional Well-Being and Cognitive Function

Background: Positive psychological factors may serve as a potential protective mechanism contributing to the preservation of cognitive function in late life. Longitudinal evidence is still lacking to characterize the interplay between emotional well-being (EWB) and cognitive function over time. Using positive affect (PA) as the primary index for EWB, we examined the longitudinal, reciprocal relationships between the three EWB constructs (PA, meaning and purpose [Purpose], and life satisfaction [LS]) and the cognitive domains of recall memory and retrieval fluency. Methods: Based on 4583 participants who completed three waves of data in a large-scale national survey from 2008 to 2018, random-intercept cross-lagged panel models were used to examine the concurrent and cross-lagged relationships between each of the three constructs (PA, Purpose, and LS) and the two cognitive domains (recall memory and retrieval fluency) across the three time points adjusting depression. Results: PA and Purpose had significant reciprocal, within-person associations with memory and retrieval fluency. Random intercepts were significantly correlated, indicating that older adults with higher PA and Purpose typically had better recall memory and retrieval fluency. Conclusion: PA and Purpose had positive feedback loops with recall memory and retrieval fluency. Future studies should further explore the potential mechanisms and pathways of these observed relationships.