The Role of Executive Functioning in Adolescent Rumination *
Link to Article:
http://eds.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.western.edu/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=3&sid=72505655-86e0-4f6d-b104-d5d34b732029%40sdc-v-sessmgr02
In this Journal, Kelsey S. Dickson, Jeffery A Ciesla and Kate Zelic set out to test their hypotheses that "greater levels of executive dysfunction will be associated with higher levels of depressive symptomatology." Specifically, the executive functions that they were watching were set-shifting, inhibition, monitoring and preservation. They had a secondary hypothesis as well: "higher levels of executive dysfunction will also be associated with higher levels of rumination. As a secondary goal of this study, we examined the mediating effects of rumination on the relationship between EF and depression....however, it is also possible that EF may serve to mediate the relationship between rumination and depression."
They sampled 86 high school students, ages 16-18, and had them take several computer administered assessments to test their hypothesis. It is important to note that their test was conducted on "later" adolescents, and that many ruminative and depressive tendencies begin in early adolescence. They mention this at the end of their journal entry.
The tests that they used to survey their participants were The Centers for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, The Positive and Negative Affect Schedule-X; Sadness Subscale, The Response Styles Questionnaire, The Rumination-Reflection Questionnaire, The Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functioning Self Report; Shifting, monitoring and Inhibition scales, The Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, and The Wide Range Achievement Test, 4th edition, Reading Subtest. Each of these tests were reported to have "good internal consistency" The Centers for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale had the lowest percentage of internal consistency at .75-.89, while the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functioning Self Report: Shifting, Monitoring, and Inhibition scales test had the highest percentage of internal consistency being .80-.98.
The test had some interesting conclusions with clear indicators that EF capabilities can significantly impact depressive symptomatology and ruminative tendencies. "Observed executive deficits interfere with individuals' broader ability to successfully attend to, encode and manage daily tasks, contributing to concurrent feelings of distress and sadness." This has clear indicators that both therapists and educators alike should pay close attention to the EF capabilities of adolescents in that they might not only be creating good work habits, but also staving off depressive and ruminative habits of mind. The study directly states that "although further studies are needed, addressing these impacts of executive functioning deficits may serve to greatly improve the efficacy of treatment for both depression and rumination."
Dickson, K.S., Ciesla, J.A., Zelic, K. (2016). The Role Of Executive Functioning in Adolescent Rumination and Depression. Springer Science+Business Media New York 2016. http://eds.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.western.edu/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=3&sid=72505655-86e0-4f6d-b104-d5d34b732029%40sdc-v-sessmgr02
http://eds.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.western.edu/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=3&sid=72505655-86e0-4f6d-b104-d5d34b732029%40sdc-v-sessmgr02
In this Journal, Kelsey S. Dickson, Jeffery A Ciesla and Kate Zelic set out to test their hypotheses that "greater levels of executive dysfunction will be associated with higher levels of depressive symptomatology." Specifically, the executive functions that they were watching were set-shifting, inhibition, monitoring and preservation. They had a secondary hypothesis as well: "higher levels of executive dysfunction will also be associated with higher levels of rumination. As a secondary goal of this study, we examined the mediating effects of rumination on the relationship between EF and depression....however, it is also possible that EF may serve to mediate the relationship between rumination and depression."
They sampled 86 high school students, ages 16-18, and had them take several computer administered assessments to test their hypothesis. It is important to note that their test was conducted on "later" adolescents, and that many ruminative and depressive tendencies begin in early adolescence. They mention this at the end of their journal entry.
The tests that they used to survey their participants were The Centers for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, The Positive and Negative Affect Schedule-X; Sadness Subscale, The Response Styles Questionnaire, The Rumination-Reflection Questionnaire, The Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functioning Self Report; Shifting, monitoring and Inhibition scales, The Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, and The Wide Range Achievement Test, 4th edition, Reading Subtest. Each of these tests were reported to have "good internal consistency" The Centers for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale had the lowest percentage of internal consistency at .75-.89, while the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functioning Self Report: Shifting, Monitoring, and Inhibition scales test had the highest percentage of internal consistency being .80-.98.
The test had some interesting conclusions with clear indicators that EF capabilities can significantly impact depressive symptomatology and ruminative tendencies. "Observed executive deficits interfere with individuals' broader ability to successfully attend to, encode and manage daily tasks, contributing to concurrent feelings of distress and sadness." This has clear indicators that both therapists and educators alike should pay close attention to the EF capabilities of adolescents in that they might not only be creating good work habits, but also staving off depressive and ruminative habits of mind. The study directly states that "although further studies are needed, addressing these impacts of executive functioning deficits may serve to greatly improve the efficacy of treatment for both depression and rumination."
Dickson, K.S., Ciesla, J.A., Zelic, K. (2016). The Role Of Executive Functioning in Adolescent Rumination and Depression. Springer Science+Business Media New York 2016. http://eds.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.western.edu/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=3&sid=72505655-86e0-4f6d-b104-d5d34b732029%40sdc-v-sessmgr02
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