New Evidences about Subjective Well-Being in Adolescence and Its Links with Neurocognitive Performance.

Javier Ortuño-Sierra,Rebeca Aritio-Solana,Eduardo Fonseca-Pedrero

doi:10.3390/ijerph17061866

Abstract

The main purpose of the present work was to study the neurocognitive endophenotypes of adolescents at risk for low personal wellbeing. The sample included a total of 1588 adolescents from stratified random cluster sampling; derived from this sample, a group of high-risk (n = 84) and a control group (n = 84) were selected. The personal well-being index–school children (PWI–SC), the University of Pennsylvania computerized neuropsychological test battery for children (included 14 tasks assessing five neurobehavioral domains: executive functions, episodic memory, complex cognition, social cognition and sensorimotor speed), and the strengths and difficulties questionnaire (SDQ) were used. Adolescents with low personal wellbeing showed statistically significant impairments across the different neurocognitive domains. In particular, adolescents at risk showed lower accuracy scores on executive function and complex cognition and lower speed scores on episodic memory, complex cognition and social cognition scores. The results of the present study contribute relevant information about the nature of neurocognitive impairments associated with subjective wellbeing and allow implementing preventive treatments.

Highlights

Adolescence is considered a crucial developmental stage with different transformations that impact physical, psychological and sociological levels [1]
Considering the high prevalence and the long-term negative consequences associated with mental health difficulties during adolescence, more attention and resources are being devoted from public health systems to the evaluation, detection and intervention of psychological difficulties [7,8]
The main goal of this study was to analyze the association between neurocognitive domains and subjective wellbeing

Summary

Introduction

Adolescence is considered a crucial developmental stage with different transformations that impact physical, psychological and sociological levels [1] Related to these changes, different authors have revealed that there is an increase in psychological difficulties ranging from transient mild symptoms to full-blown anxiety disorders [2]. Prevalence rates of depression and anxiety increase at this time [3,4], and it has been documented that adolescents are at a higher risk of emotional and behavioral difficulties [5] With this regard, the study of personal wellbeing during adolescence, in addition to other psychological measures, could be a key indicator of mental health and related phenomena [6]. Considering the high prevalence and the long-term negative consequences associated with mental health difficulties during adolescence, more attention and resources are being devoted from public health systems to the evaluation, detection and intervention of psychological difficulties [7,8].

Objectives

Methods

Conclusion