Autism Clinic for Translational Research, Brain and Mind Centre, Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sydney, Camperdown, 2050.
School of Psychology, University of Sydney, Camperdown, 2050.
J Affect Disord. 2021 Feb 15;281:695-707. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.11.089. Epub 2020 Nov 15.
Executive function (EF) difficulties characterise a number of psychiatric conditions and EF impairment may be a predisposing factor and/or consequence of anxiety and stress. The aim of the study was to examine EF factors in a mixed clinical cohort (Autism Spectrum Disorder and Social Anxiety Disorder) characterised by social impairment and investigate the influence of trait anxiety and state-based depression, anxiety and stress.
In Study 1, a factor analysis identified EF and non-EF latent factor structures (N=205). In Study 2, (N=137) multiple regression analyses investigated the association between trait anxiety and state based depression, anxiety and stress, on EF and non-EF cognitive domains and on the two composite indices of the Behavioural Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF).
Trait anxiety was associated with better performance on neuropsychological measures of EF while state-based stress was associated with lower EF performance. A dissociation was observed between trait anxiety and state stress on the two behavioural indices of the BRIEF. Depression, anxiety and stress did not predict performance on non-EF cognitive domains.
The cross-sectional design precludes cause-effect conclusions, further only self-report measures of affect were utilised and our performance measures of EF did not include a working memory test.
The results demonstrate that trait anxiety and state-based stress influence EF processes across disorders with social impairment. The transdiagnostic efficacy of this finding can facilitate remediation strategies, it may also contribute to individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder gaining better access to mental health services.
执行功能（EF）困难是许多精神疾病的特征，EF 损伤可能是焦虑和压力的潜在因素和/或后果。本研究的目的是检查以社交障碍为特征的混合临床队列（自闭症谱系障碍和社交焦虑障碍）中的 EF 因素，并研究特质焦虑和基于状态的抑郁、焦虑和压力的影响。
在研究 1 中，通过因素分析确定了 EF 和非 EF 潜在因素结构（N=205）。在研究 2 中，（N=137）多元回归分析研究了特质焦虑和基于状态的抑郁、焦虑和压力与 EF 和非 EF 认知领域以及行为评定量表的两个综合指数之间的关系执行功能 (BRIEF)。
特质焦虑与神经心理学 EF 测量的更好表现相关，而基于状态的压力与较低的 EF 表现相关。BRIEF 的两个行为指标上观察到特质焦虑和状态压力之间的分离。抑郁、焦虑和压力与非 EF 认知领域的表现无关。
横断面设计排除了因果关系的结论，进一步，仅使用了影响的自我报告测量，并且我们的 EF 表现测量不包括工作记忆测试。
研究结果表明，特质焦虑和基于状态的压力会影响具有社交障碍的多种障碍中的 EF 过程。这一发现的跨诊断功效可以促进矫正策略，也可能有助于自闭症谱系障碍患者更好地获得心理健康服务。
