Exploring Domain-Specific Pathways to Resilience in Adolescents: The Role of Executive Functioning

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Objective:Despite the significant risks associated with early life adversity (ELA), there is considerable individual variation in functioning, suggesting the operation of resilience mechanisms. We propose that executive functioning (EF) contributes to resilience following early life adversity (ELA); in this study we examined the mediating role of EF in the associations between ELA and body mass index (BMI), and psychological and academic functioning. Method: Leveraging data from adolescent girls in the High Adversity (n = 316) and Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD; n = 2533) cohorts, we examined whether total EF problems mediated the associations between ELA and the three outcomes. We then investigated if the two EF indices, Behavioural Regulation and Metacognition differentially mediated the associations between ELA and the three outcomes. Results: Total EF problems mediated the associations between ELA and BMI z-scores, emotional/behavioural problems, and academic performance in both cohorts. In the High Adversity cohort, both EF indices (Behavioural Regulation and Metacognition) significantly mediated associations between ELA and emotional/behavioural problems and academic performance, but not BMI z-scores. In the ABCD cohort, the Metacognition Index significantly mediated the associations between ELA and BMI z-scores, emotional/behavioural problems and academic performance, whereas the Behavioural Regulation Index mediated only the association between ELA and emotional/behavioural problems.Conclusion:Findings indicate that EF may be a potent intervention target for promoting resilience in broad populations.

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