Dimensions of internalizing symptoms are stable across early adolescence and predicted by executive functions: Longitudinal findings from the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development (ABCD) study

Abstract

Early adolescence is characterized by rapid changes in executive function and increased vulnerability to internalizing difficulties. The aim of this study was to explore whether internalizing symptoms are stable across early adolescence and to identify possible links with executive function. Using data from the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development Study (ABCD), we identified four dimensions of internalizing symptoms from item-level ratings on the Child Behavior Checklist at ages 10 (n = 10,841) and 12 (n = 5,846), with an invariant factor structure across time. These dimensions corresponded to anxiety, depression, withdrawal, and somatic problems. We then examined associations between these dimensions and three aspects of executive function at age 10 measured by the NIH Toolbox: inhibition, shifting and working memory. Worse shifting and inhibition at age 10 was associated with elevated symptoms of anxiety and withdrawal cross-sectionally, while poor inhibition was also uniquely associated with symptoms of depression. Longitudinal associations were more limited: Worse inhibition at age 10 predicted greater symptoms of withdrawal at age 12, while worse shifting predicted fewer symptoms of anxiety 2 years later. These findings suggest that poor executive function in early adolescence is associated with greater internalizing difficulties and poor inhibition may contribute to later social withdrawal.

The Relationship between Cognitive and Affective Control and Adolescent Mental Health

“…However, the evidence for an association between cognitive control problems and adolescent mental health problems, is inconsistent. Some studies have shown cross-sectional and prospective associations between cognitive control problems and general vulnerability to psychopathology, as well as with internalizing and externalizing symptomatology specifically, in adolescents (e.g., Romer & Pizzagalli, 2021;Snyder et al, 2019;Vedechkina et al, 2023;White et al, 2017). A recent systematic review similarly concluded that cognitive control problems among young people were associated with both general psychopathology and internalizing and externalizing disorders (Lynch et al, 2021).…”

The relationship between cognitive and affective control and adolescent mental health

“…However, the evidence for an association between cognitive control problems and adolescent mental health problems, is inconsistent. Some studies have shown cross‐sectional and prospective associations between cognitive control problems and general vulnerability to psychopathology, as well as with internalizing and externalizing symptomatology specifically, in adolescents (e.g., Romer & Pizzagalli, 2021 ; Snyder et al., 2019 ; Vedechkina et al., 2023 ; White et al., 2017 ). A recent systematic review similarly concluded that cognitive control problems among young people were associated with both general psychopathology and internalizing and externalizing disorders (Lynch et al., 2021 ).…”