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

BACKGROUND: 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. OBJECTIVES: This study examined the role of baseline affective Executive Functions (EFs) in predicting temporal trajectories of psychological functioning following a naturalistic stressor. METHODS: 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. RESULTS: 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. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that better executive performance, particularly in WMU, is associated with more adaptive patterns of psychological functioning over time.