A network analytic framework for subjective indicators of attentional control: Exploring unique associations and directed pathways
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Subjective indicators of attentional control, the Attentional Control Scale (ACS) and the Cognitive Failures Questionnaire (CFQ/CFQ 2.0), are related but are considered to capture distinct manifestations of attentional control. However, how these indicators relate to each other and to related constructs when considered simultaneously remains unclear. Using a network analytic framework, the present study examined these subjective indicators within a broader context of related constructs, including psychological distress (depression, anxiety, and stress) and empathy (cognitive and affective). Data from 592 participants were analyzed using a two-step network analytic approach. A Gaussian Graphical Model (GGM) and a Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG) were estimated to examine unique associations and potential directional pathways, respectively. The GGM showed cognitive failures were associated with anxiety, whereas attentional focusing and shifting were associated with stress, depression, and empathy components after controlling for other variables in the network model. The DAG further suggested an indirect pathway from anxiety to attentional focusing and shifting through cognitive failures, as well as distinct pathways from cognitive empathy to attentional shifting and from affective empathy to attentional focusing via stress. These findings highlight both the interrelation and the distinct roles of subjective attentional control indicators within psychological distress and social–emotional processes.
Language: English
Subfield: Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $4,170
OpenAlex ID: W7212155434