A-129: Deficits in Executive Functioning in Young Adults: The Influence of Personality, ADHD, and Internalizing Symptoms

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the influence of Big Five personality traits on executive functioning deficits among young adults beyond symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression, and anxiety. Method/Data Selection: The sample, recruited using an online research platform, included 599 adult undergraduate and graduate/professional students (32.5% male, 62.5% female; M = 20.12 years, SD = 4.77), with 7.3% reporting a previous ADHD diagnosis and 3.5% a current diagnosis. Procedures were conducted via online survey administration which included the Barkley Deficits in Executive Functioning Scale (BDEFS), the Barkley Adult ADHD Rating Scale–IV (BAARS-IV), the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales–21 (DASS-21), and the Big Five Inventory (BFI). A hierarchical regression analysis was utilized to first assess variance accounted for by ADHD, anxiety, and depression symptoms, then to examine additional contributions of the Big Five traits on executive functioning deficits, assessed across each domain of the BDEFS. Results/Data Synthesis: In the regression models, inattention consistently emerged as the strongest predictor across executive function domains. Depression and anxiety showed moderate, domain-specific effects. Adding personality traits significantly increased explained variance (ΔR2 ranged from .08 – .13) across domains, with low conscientiousness associated with poorer functioning, except motivation where high neuroticism predicted the most variance. Overall, results highlight not only ADHD-related symptoms, but also key personality traits influence perceived executive functioning deficits in a community sample of college students. Conclusions: The present study suggests that personality influences how individuals perceive and report their executive functioning, calling for more nuanced assessments accounting for both cognitive and personality factors.