Comparison of Episodic Future Thinking and Working Memory in Adolescents With Internalizing Problems and Non-clinical Adolescents

Objective: The present study aimed to compare the adolescents with internalizing problems and non-clinical adolescents with respect to their episodic future thinking (EFT) and working memory (WM). Furthermore, this study examined the role of WM in the prediction of EFT. Methods: This cross-sectional study encompassed a population of female students studying in third grade in Azarshahr Girl’s High Schools (East Azerbaijan Province) in the academic year of ۲۰۱۵-۲۰۱۶. Using multistage cluster sampling method, ۴۰ adolescents with internalizing problems and ۴۲ non-clinical adolescents were selected. The participants were asked to fill out the autobiographical and WM tasks and depression, anxiety, and stress scale. The study hypotheses were tested using multivariate analysis of variance test (MANOVA) and the multiple regression analysis by SPSS V. ۲۲ at P<۰.۰۵. Results: The results showed a significant difference between the two groups regarding WM and subscales of future specificity and future details (P<۰.۰۵). However, no significant differences were observed between the two groups regarding future fluency subscale (P<۰.۰۵). The current results also showed that working memory predicts EFT (β=-۰.۱۹; P<۰.۰۱).  Conclusion: The EFT impairment and WM deficits are associated with internalizing problems. Thus, internalizing problems are associated with cognitive dysfunction.

Keywords:

Episodic future thinking , Working memory , Internalizing problems , Adolescence