Flexibility In Adolescents Research Articles

Assessing the dimensions of psychological (in)flexibility in adolescence: Validation of the Portuguese Version of the Multidimensional Psychological Flexibility Inventory - short form

IntroductionPsychological Flexibility (PF) is a complex and extensively studied concept within the Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) framework. PF denotes one’s capacity to effectively navigate psychological distress and challenges while aligning one’s actions with deeply held values. Given its association with mental health and overall well-being, it is crucial to develop assessment tools able to capture the various facets of flexible behaviour and design strategies for its enhancement.ObjectivesTo adapt the Portuguese version of the Multidimensional Psychological Flexibility Inventory (MPFI-24; Grégoire et al., 2020) for the adolescent population.MethodsThe study involved 269 adolescents aged 12 to 18 years old. Participants completed a set of self-report instruments, including the MPFI24-A, the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21), Mental Health Continuum - Short Form (MHC-SF), and the PsyFlex-A, which also assesses PF. A subsample also completed the MPFI24-A four weeks later to assess test-retest reliability.ResultsTwo models, specifically the six-factor correlated model and the bifactor model, emerged as presenting the best fit when analysing data separately for the Flexibility and Inflexibility indices. The MPFI24-A demonstrated good reliability for both overall scores (α = .90 and α = .85, respectively) and good test-retest reliability. The PF index showed significant positive associations with PsyFlex-A scores, perceived mental health, and a moderate negative association with depression and anxiety. Conversely, the Psychological Inflexibility (PI) index presented the opposite association pattern with these variables and showed no significant correlation with PF as measured by the PsyFlex-A. The two indices of the MPFI24-A demonstrated a weak positive correlation. Significant differences between boys and girls were found for the PF index, with boys showing higher scores. No significant differences were found between boys and girls concerning the PI index.ConclusionsResults suggest that the MPFI24-A is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing adolescents’ psychological flexibility and inflexibility competencies. Although further clarification of the MPFI24-A factor structure and the utility of different factors is warranted, the findings support its overall applicability.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

The importance of improving cognitive flexibility in adolescents with anorexia nervosa: The case for cognitive remediation therapy.

Inefficiencies in executive functioning (EF), more specifically cognitive flexibility and an overly detailed processing style, are frequently observed in individuals with Anorexia Nervosa (AN) and have been identified as potential targets in treatment. Cognitive Remediation Therapy (CRT) is an adjunctive treatment approach specifically designed to have a positive impact on EF. Mainly evaluated in adults, CRT has been criticized for its perceived ineffectiveness in promoting weight restoration or directly reducing eating disorder symptoms. We argue that we need to refocus our conceptual framework for using CRT as an adjunctive treatment and specifically explore its potential benefit in adolescents. Adolescence is a critical window for EF development during which CRT has the potential to have the most impact. While it may not specifically ameliorate eating disorder symptoms and directly improve weight gain, CRT may mitigate the impact of malnutrition on adolescent brain development, reduce attrition rates in treatment, and improve cognitive flexibility and (indirectly) other maintaining factors, thereby improving global functioning. More research needs to be done to understand the development of EF in adolescents with AN and how best to employ CRT as an adjunctive treatment to support development and target maintaining factors. The current article broadly reviews findings on executive functioning inefficiencies in adolescents with AN and discusses the purpose and role of CRT in treating AN. Finally, we highlight key critiques of using CRT and pose questions for future research. Treatments targeting executive functioning in adolescents with AN are limited. We need to better understand how CRT can benefit adolescents in treatment. Increasing treatment options, including adjunctive treatments, is necessary to reduce the long-term impact of AN.

Comparing the Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Training on Cognitive Flexibility in Adolescent Girls

Objective: Cognitive flexibility enables individuals to adapt their cognitive processing strategies to cope with new and unforeseen situations; thus, the current research aimed to compare the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) on cognitive flexibility in adolescent girls. Research Method: This was a quasi-experimental study with pre-test, post-test, and control and experimental groups. The population consisted of all female middle school students in Karaj for the academic year 2022-2023, totaling 2,864 individuals. Through simple random sampling, 60 individuals (20 in the first experimental group, 20 in the second experimental group, and 20 as the control group) were selected as the sample size and responded to the questionnaire by Dennis and Vander Wal (2009). Pre-tests regarding both groups were conducted before the interventions; subsequently, eight one-hour sessions of ACT based on Hayes et al. (2013), and eight one-hour sessions of CBT based on Heimberg and Becker (2002) were implemented on the experimental groups. No specific intervention was conducted for the control group. Immediately after the sessions concluded, a post-test was administered to both groups. Data were analyzed using covariance analysis. Findings: The results of data analysis indicated that the effects of both cognitive-behavioral therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy on increasing cognitive flexibility in adolescent girls are approximately at the same level, and the difference in the mean of the cognitive flexibility variable between the two treatment groups and the control group was significant. Conclusion: As a result, both cognitive-behavioral therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy significantly impact increasing cognitive flexibility in adolescents.

Investigating the Moderating Role of Cognitive Flexibility in the Relationship Between Maltreatment and Emotion Regulation in Adolescence With Childhood Trauma

Background: Adolescence is a developmental period when adverse childhood experiences significantly impact the individual because of the changes in brain structure and functioning. This research aims to investigate the relationship between maltreatment and emotion regulation with the moderating role of cognitive flexibility in adolescence with childhood trauma. Methods: This was a descriptive-correlational study. The study population consisted of all adolescents who were referred to the psychological and psychiatric disorders clinics and medical clinics of Shiraz City, Iran, in the spring semester of 2021. The population included 250 individuals, of which 175 were selected as the sample of the research via the simple random sampling method according to the Morgan Table. The research tools were the childhood trauma questionnaire, the cognitive flexibility questionnaire, the psychological maltreatment scale, and the emotional regulation scale. After completing the questionnaires, the data were entered into the SPSS software, version 23, and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The Pearson correlation test and the regression method were used to analyze the data. Results: The results showed a significant negative correlation between maltreatment with emotion regulation (r=-0.531, P<0.001). The results showed that the interaction of these 3 variables indicated that cognitive flexibility has a moderating role in the relationship between maltreatment and emotional regulation (β=-0.90, P<0.01). Moreover, the results indicated that the relationship between maltreatment and emotion regulation in adolescence with high flexibility is higher than in individuals with low flexibility. Conclusion: This study provides evidence that cognitive flexibility can act as a moderator when considering the impact of trauma. The developed task could provide a novel way to assess this flexibility within an emotional context.

Assessing psychological flexibility in adolescents: Validation of PsyFlex-A

Objective: To adapt and validate the Psy-Flex for the adolescent population (PsyFlex-A). The aim was to analyse the PsyFlex-A factor structure, reliability, the model's invariance between genders, and associations between the PsyFlex-A, sociodemographic variables, and other variables of interest. Method: The sample included 309 adolescents between 12 to 18 years old (M = 14.91) and a mean of 9.56 years of education. The participants completed a protocol comprising the PsyFlex-A and a set of other self-report measures assessing mindfulness skills (CAMM), cognitive fusion and experiential avoidance (AFQ-Y8), psychopathological symptoms (DASS-21), and the perceived quality of life and well-being (KidScreen-10). A subsample of 45 participants completed the PsyFlex-A four weeks after the first administration to conduct a test-retest reliability analysis. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were used to assess the scale's structure. A multi-group CFA was conducted to determine the measurement invariance across genders. Reliability and validity were also analysed. Results: The PsyFlex-A presented a single-factor structure and model invariance between genders, suggesting that the results are comparable between males and females. Moreover, it revealed adequate internal consistency and test-retest reliability. It showed positive associations with mindfulness skills and quality of life and negative associations with cognitive fusion/experiential avoidance and psychopathological symptoms. Finally, significant gender differences were found, with boys revealing higher values of psychological flexibility than girls. Conclusion: The PsyFlex-A proved to be a valid and reliable instrument for assessing Portuguese adolescents' psychological flexibility skills. The PsyFlex-A may be used as a screening instrument in educational and clinical settings.

Temporal dynamics of cognitive flexibility in adolescents with anorexia nervosa: A high-density EEG study.

Impairment in cognitive flexibility is a core symptom of anorexia nervosa (AN) and is associated with treatment resistance. Nevertheless, studies on the neural basis of cognitive flexibility in adolescent AN are rare. This study aimed to investigate brain networks underlying cognitive flexibility in adolescents with AN. To address this aim, participants performed a Dimensional Change Card Sorting task during high-density electroencephalography (EEG) recording. Anxiety was measured with the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Data were collected on 22 girls with AN and 23 controls. Evoked responses were investigated using global-spatial analysis. Adolescents with AN showed greater overall accuracy, fewer switch trial errors and reduced inverse efficiency switch cost relative to controls, although these effects disappeared after adjusting for trait and state anxiety. EEG results indicated augmented early visual orienting processing (P100) and subsequent impaired attentional mechanisms to task switching (P300b) in subjects with AN. During task switching, diminished activations in subjects with AN were identified in the posterior cingulate, calcarine sulcus and cerebellum, and task repetitions induced diminished activations in a network involving the medial prefrontal cortex, and several posterior regions, compared with controls. No significant associations were found between measures of cognitive flexibility and anxiety in the AN group. Findings of this study suggest atypical neural mechanisms underlying cognitive flexibility in adolescents with AN. More importantly, our findings suggest that different behavioural profiles in AN could relate to differences in anxiety levels. Future research should investigate the efficacy of cognitive training to rebalance brain networks of cognitive flexibility in AN.

The associations between specific-type sedentary behaviors and cognitive flexibility in adolescents.

Background: The prevalence of sedentary behavior in adolescents has aroused social attention. The association between sedentary behavior and cognitive flexibility remains unclear, and it may vary depending on the type of sedentary behavior. This study aimed to investigate the associations between specific-type sedentary behaviors and cognitive flexibility in adolescents.Method: A total of 700 Chinese adolescents aged 10–15 years were recruited. The self-report questionnaire was used to assess total sedentary time, recreational screen-based sedentary time, and educational sedentary time. The More-odd shifting task was used to assess cognitive flexibility.Results: The correlation analysis showed that recreational screen-based sedentary time was negatively correlated with cognitive flexibility, whereas educational sedentary time was positively correlated with cognitive flexibility. The regression analysis also further revealed that a significantly negative association between recreational screen-based sedentary time and cognitive flexibility, while a significantly positive association existed between educational sedentary time and cognitive flexibility.Conclusion: The findings shown that the association between recreational screen-based sedentary behavior and cognitive flexibility differs from educational sedentary behavior in adolescents, providing new ideas for a more comprehensive understanding of the association between sedentary behavior and cognitive flexibility in adolescents.

A Remotely Delivered Yoga Intervention for Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Feasibility and Effectiveness for Improving Skills Related to Physical Activity.

This study evaluated the feasibility of remotely delivered yoga for improving four physical activity-related skills: motor skills, strength, balance, and flexibility in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Nineteen of 20 participants enrolled (age 13.2 ± 2.2years; 60% male) completed the 12-week intervention and attended 83% of the scheduled yoga sessions. Overall, physical activity-related skills improved pre to post intervention (Φ = 0.90, p = 0.005, 95% CI 0.72-1.0). Specifically, significant increases in leg strength (12.5%, p = 0.039), flexibility (40.3%, p = 0.008), and dynamic balance on the right (11.1%, p = 0.001) and left legs (8.1%, p = 0.003) were observed across 12weeks. These results demonstrate the feasibility and potential effectiveness of yoga to improve physical activity-related skills in adolescents with ASD.

Effect of recreational physical activities on health related components of physical fitness of adolescents in secondary schools in Gboko local government area of Benue state, Nigeria

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of recreational physical activities on the five health-related components of physical fitness of adolescents in secondary schools in Gboko Local Government Area. Methodology: The study employed the Quasi-experimental research design. The population of the study comprised of Twenty-four thousand, six hundred and thirty-four- (24,634) Secondary School adolescents’ students in private and public secondary schools in the 2020/2021 academic session in Gboko Local Government Area. 200 participants (students) were sampled for the study using the multistage sampling technique. The University of Pretoria’s HRF index protocol was used for data collection in the study. The HRF index was used to calculate the health related components of physical fitness of the adolescents. Inferential statistics of t-test was used to analyse the differences in health related components of physical fitness between the Control Group and the study Group at 0.05 level of significance. Results: Results of the study revealed that: Recreational physical activities have a significant effect on body composition; cardiovascular fitness; muscular strength; muscular endurance and flexibility of adolescents in secondary schools in Gboko Local Government Area. Recommendations: Based on the findings, it was recommended that adolescents should further improve on their intensity of participation in recreational activities both at home and school in order to maximise total physical fitness.

EFFECTS OF THE ACROBATIC PROGRAM ON THE BODY COMPOSITION AND FLEXIBILITY OF ADOLESCENTS

The aim of the research was to determine the effects of acrobatics programs (ground floor and skipping) on the body composition and flexibility of adolescents. The sample consisted of 50 male adolescents, seventh grade students of the elementary school "Bubanjski Heroji" in Niš, aged 14 years ± 6 months. The experimental group (n = 25) conducted 2 x 45 min per week experimental acrobatics program (ground floor and skipping) The control group (n = 25) continued with the program of regular physical education classes (handball and volleyball) 2 x 45 min per week. The results of the study showed positive changes in body composition: BMI, %MAT, %MIT and flexibility: PLNL, RANL, ISKP caused by the acrobatics program. Based on these results, it can be concluded that the experimental program of acrobatics lasting 16 weeks is an effective method that leads to a statistically significant improvement in body composition and flexibility of adolescents.

Prenatal Exposure to Chemical Mixtures and Cognitive Flexibility among Adolescents.

Cognitive flexibility, the ability to smoothly adapt to changing circumstances, is a skill that is vital to higher-level executive functions such as problem-solving, planning, and reasoning. As it undergoes substantial development during adolescence, decrements in cognitive flexibility may not become apparent until this time. There is evidence that prenatal exposure to individual chemicals may adversely impact executive functions in children, but few studies have explored the association of co-exposure to multiple chemicals with cognitive flexibility specifically among adolescents. We investigated this association among a diverse group of adolescents living near a Superfund site in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Specifically, using Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) and multivariable regression analyses, we investigated the association of biomarkers of prenatal exposure to organochlorines (DDE, HCB, PCBs) and metals (lead, manganese) with cognitive flexibility, measured with four subtests of the Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System. In BKMR models, we observed adverse joint associations of the chemical mixture with two of the four cognitive flexibility subtests. In covariate-adjusted linear regression models, a two-fold increase in cord blood Mn was associated with poorer performance on two of the subtests: Trail-Making (scaled score difference = −0.60; 95% CI: −1.16, −0.05 points) and Color-Word Interference (scaled score difference = −0.53; 95% CI: −1.08, 0.01 points). These adverse Mn-cognitive flexibility associations were supported by the results of the BKMR. There was little evidence of effect modification by sex and some evidence of effect modification by a measure of social disadvantage, particularly for the associations between HCB and cognitive flexibility. This study is among the first to provide evidence of an adverse association of prenatal exposure to a chemical mixture with cognitive flexibility in adolescence.

청소년 적응유연성 관련 요인에 대한 메타분석

본 연구의 목적은 청소년의 적응유연성 관련 요인들의 효과크기와 조절요인에 따른 효과크기 차이를 알아보는 것이다. 분석결과는 다음과 같다. 첫째, 보호요인과 위험요인의 전체효과크기는 중간효과크기를 나타냈다. 둘째, 보호요인은 개인요인군, 사회요인군, 가족요인군 순으로 나타났다. 셋째, 보호요인 가운데 개인요인군의 하위요인은 생활만족도, 자기효능감, 책임감 등 순으로 나타났고, 사회요인군 하위요인은 인간애, 학교생활만족, 또래관계 등 순으로 나타났다. 넷째, 위험요인 가운데 가족요인군 하위요인은 가족폭력경험, 가족갈등적위험요소, 가족환경관련위험 순으로 나타나고, 사회요인군 하위요인은 학교폭력경험, 사회적 편견, 친구의 비행경험, 문화적응스트레스 순으로 나타났다. 마지막으로 위험요인인 가족요인군의 효과크기는 취약계층청소년 보다 일반청소년이 높은 효과크기를 나타냈다. 본 연구결과에 의거하여 시사점과 후속연구를 위한 방향을 제언하였다.

The shifting perspectives study protocol: Cognitive remediation therapy as an adjunctive treatment to family based treatment for adolescents with anorexia nervosa

BackgroundAdolescents with anorexia nervosa have set-shifting inefficiencies that can be exacerbated by starvation and that may interfere with outcomes of treatment interventions. Cognitive Remediation Therapy (CRT), an adjunctive treatment focused on improving set-shifting, can target inefficiencies and may augment treatment effectiveness. The best way to add CRT to the standard of care (Family Based Treatment, FBT) for adolescents with anorexia remains understudied. Methods/designThis is a randomized controlled trial designed to determine if CRT is effective in increasing flexibility in adolescents with anorexia and/or their parents. Participants are adolescents 12–18 years old with anorexia and their parents. 54 family groups will be randomized into one of three groups: FBT only, FBT plus Parent-focused CRT, or FBT plus Adolescent-focused CRT. Psychosocial, neurocognitive, and behavioral measures will be collected throughout the study. DiscussionThis is the first study of its kind to apply CRT to parents. All forms of CRT in the context of anorexia have targeted the individual with anorexia's thinking style. We propose that it may be impactful to target the parent of the adolescent with anorexia as parents carry the burden of treatment and re-nourishment of their child during FBT and may have similar thinking styles. ConclusionThis study takes an experimental therapeutics approach to further our understanding of the mechanisms of treatment for adolescents with anorexia. It focuses on increasing cognitive flexibility in patients or their parents and determining the appropriate dose of CRT needed to achieve positive change. Trial registrationClinicalTrails.gov Identifier NCT03928028

Relación entre las funciones ejecutivas y el nivel de actividad física en estudiantes de la ESO y Bachillerato

Centrándonos en estudiantes con edades comprendidas entre 12 y 17 años de edad, el objetivo de este trabajo fue conocer la relación entre el nivel de actividad física y las funciones ejecutivas (flexibilidad cognitiva e inhibición); así como las diferencias en función del género, edad y tipo de deporte practicado. La muestra de la investigación estuvo compuesta por 71 estudiantes (28 chicos y 43 chicas). El nivel de actividad física fue evaluado mediante el Physician-based Assessment and Counseling for Exercise, la flexibilidad cognitiva a través del Design Fluency Test, y para los mecanismos inhibitorios se utilizó el Test Stroop. Los resultados de este trabajo mostraron que existe una relación positiva y significativa entre las horas de actividad física y la flexibilidad cognitiva en adolescentes. En función del género, los chicos obtuvieron valores significativamente más altos de horas de actividad física. Además, los estudiantes de mayor edad presentaron unas puntuaciones significativamente mayores en las funciones ejecutivas. Finalmente, los estudiantes de deportes colectivos muestran valores significativamente mayores de horas de práctica de actividad física y de flexibilidad cognitiva.

No effects of a long-term physical activity intervention on executive functioning among adolescents.

Objectives:We investigated whether a school-based physical activity intervention would lead to improvements in working memory, inhibition and cognitive flexibility in adolescents aged 13–15 years.Methods:The adolescents at the active school (n = 108) participated in an intervention that included increased physical activity for 20 min/day, focused on aerobic activity with low cognitive demands for an entire school year. The adolescents at the control school (n = 59) received no extra physical activity. At the beginning (baseline) and end (follow-up) of the school year, the participants performed tests of executive function (working memory, inhibition and cognitive flexibility) and performed tests of physical fitness and health.Results:There was no change in executive functioning at follow-up when comparing the schools. However, only 46% complied with the intervention. When non-compliers were excluded from the analyses, the results remained the same, except for a small but significant increase in working memory for the active school as compared to the control school.Conclusion:These results indicate that compliance with the intervention was low and that aerobic exercise with low cognitive load does not produce improvements in executive functioning.

Executive Function Underpinning Cognitive Flexibility in Adolescence and Adulthood

Executive Function Underpinning Cognitive Flexibility in Adolescence and Adulthood

Cognitive Flexibility in Juvenile Anorexia Nervosain Relation to Comorbid Symptoms of Depression, Obsessive Compulsive Symptoms and Duration of Illness.

Whereas the evidence in adolescents is inconsistent, anorexia nervosa (AN) in adults is characterized by weak cognitive flexibility. This study investigates cognitive flexibility in adolescents with AN and its potential associations with symptoms of depression, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and duration of illness. 69 patients and 63 age-matched healthy controls (HC) from 9 till 19 years of age were assessed using the Trail-Making Test (TMT) and self-report questionnaires. In hierarchical regression analyses, set-shifting ability did not differ between AN and HC, whereas AN patients reported significantly higher rates of depression symptoms and OCD symptoms. Age significantly predicted set-shifting in the total sample. Only among AN patients aged 14 years and older did set-shifting decline with increasing age. The presence of AN with depression or OCD symptoms or the duration of illness do not influence cognitive flexibility in children and adolescents. Early interventions may be helpful to prevent a decline in cognitive flexibility in adolescent AN with increasing age.

Normative reference values for strength and flexibility of 1,000 children and adults.

To establish reference values for isometric strength of 12 muscle groups and flexibility of 13 joint movements in 1,000 children and adults and investigate the influence of demographic and anthropometric factors. A standardized reliable protocol of hand-held and fixed dynamometry for isometric strength of ankle, knee, hip, elbow, and shoulder musculature as well as goniometry for flexibility of the ankle, knee, hip, elbow, shoulder, and cervical spine was performed in an observational study investigating 1,000 healthy male and female participants aged 3-101 years. Correlation and multiple regression analyses were performed to identify factors independently associated with strength and flexibility of children, adolescents, adults, and older adults. Normative reference values of 25 strength and flexibility measures were generated. Strong linear correlations between age and strength were identified in the first 2 decades of life. Muscle strength significantly decreased with age in older adults. Regression modeling identified increasing height as the most significant predictor of strength in children, higher body mass in adolescents, and male sex in adults and older adults. Joint flexibility gradually decreased with age, with little sex difference. Waist circumference was a significant predictor of variability in joint flexibility in adolescents, adults, and older adults. Reference values and associated age- and sex-stratified z scores generated from this study can be used to determine the presence and extent of impairments associated with neuromuscular and other neurologic disorders, monitor disease progression over time in natural history studies, and evaluate the effect of new treatments in clinical trials.

Agreement Between Face-to-Face and Free Software Video Analysis for Assessing Hamstring Flexibility in Adolescents.

The objective of this study was to determine the level of agreement between face-to-face hamstring flexibility measurements and free software video analysis in adolescents. Reduced hamstring flexibility is common in adolescents (75% of boys and 35% of girls aged 10). The length of the hamstring muscle has an important role in both the effectiveness and the efficiency of basic human movements, and reduced hamstring flexibility is related to various musculoskeletal conditions. There are various approaches to measuring hamstring flexibility with high reliability; the most commonly used approaches in the scientific literature are the sit-and-reach test, hip joint angle (HJA), and active knee extension. The assessment of hamstring flexibility using video analysis could help with adolescent flexibility follow-up. Fifty-four adolescents from a local school participated in a descriptive study of repeated measures using a crossover design. Active knee extension and HJA were measured with an inclinometer and were simultaneously recorded with a video camera. Each video was downloaded to a computer and subsequently analyzed using Kinovea 0.8.15, a free software application for movement analysis. All outcome measures showed reliability estimates with α > 0.90. The lowest reliability was obtained for HJA (α = 0.91). The preliminary findings support the use of a free software tool for assessing hamstring flexibility, offering health professionals a useful tool for adolescent flexibility follow-up.

Acute physical exercise improves shifting in adolescents at school: evidence for a dopaminergic contribution.

The executive function of shifting between mental sets demands cognitive flexibility. Based on evidence that physical exercise fostered cognition, we tested whether acute physical exercise can improve shifting in an unselected sample of adolescents. Genetic polymorphisms were analyzed to gain more insight into possibly contributing neurophysiological processes. We examined 297 students aged between 13 and 17 years in their schools. Physical exercise was manipulated by an intense incremental exercise condition using bicycle ergometers and a control condition which involved watching an infotainment cartoon while sitting calm. The order of conditions was counterbalanced between participants. Shifting was assessed by a switching task after both conditions. Acute intense physical exercise significantly improved shifting as indicated by reduced switch costs. Exercise-induced performance gains in switch costs were predicted by a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) targeting the Dopamine Transporter (DAT1/SLCA6A3) gene suggesting that the brain dopamine system contributed to the effect. The results demonstrate the potential of acute physical exercise to improve cognitive flexibility in adolescents. The field conditions of the present approach suggest applications in schools.