Chronic stress and executive functioning: A specification curve analysis
Year: 2023
Type: preprint
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Findings on cognitive control, also known as executive functioning (EF) suggest impairments of EF caused by chronic stress. Yet, other results do not correspond to this pattern and also differ between specific EF domains such as Shifting, Updating, and Inhibition. Nonetheless, a systematic investigation of the influence of chronic stress on overall EF is missing so far. In the present study, a total of 514 participants conducted three EF tasks (i.e., Number-Letter, 2-Back, Go/Nogo) assessing the Shifting, Updating, and inhibition function. Subjective chronic stress was represented by items of the Perceived Stress Scale, the Screening Scale of Chronic Stress, the Big Five Inventory neuroticism scale, and the Patient Health Questionnaire depressiveness scale, forming a common latent scale using a multidimensional item response theory approach. Additionally, hair cortisol concentrations were assessed to provide a measure of objective chronic stress. A structural equation model was fit in which a latent common EF factor was predicted by subjective and objective chronic stress. Controlling for sex, age and household income, neither objective nor subjective chronic stress showed a meaningful association with common EF. However, exploratory analyses found a relatively strong moderation effect of income on the association between subjective chronic stress and common EF. These findings suggest that common EF remains preserved under the influence of ordinary (i.e., not clinically manifested) chronic stress. However, the association between EF and chronic stress might be affected by moderation effects.
Source: OSF Preprints (OSF Preprints)
Authors: Robert Miller, Sören Enge, Kornelius Schmidt, Marcus Möschl
Language: English
Subfield: Behavioral Neuroscience
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7110633452