The role of executive functioning in health self-management and the transition to adult health care among college students.

To examine the role of executive functioning (EF) in health self-management and the transition to adult health care among college students. A total of 378 undergraduate students from a public university participated in the study. Participants reported on EF, health self-management skills, and their readiness to transition to adult care. Mediation analyses were conducted to evaluate indirect effects of EF on readiness to transition via health self-management skills. Students with greater EF difficulties were less ready to transition to adult care. Specific aspects of health self-management (Medication management/Appointment keeping) mediated the relationship between EF and readiness to transition. EF is a key developmental aspect of health self-management and transition readiness. Assessing EF strengths/weaknesses in students with suboptimal health self-management skills may provide valuable information for informing the development of individually-tailored transition plans in university health centers, thereby enhancing developmentally appropriate care during the college years.