The effect of stress on executive functioning

Although research has focused on the effects of stress on executive functioning, however, the relationship between them remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of subjective and induced stress on executive functions. A total of 72 undergraduate students participated in the experiment. Induced stress was manipulated by a webcam simulating an evaluation situation. No effects of induced stress on executive functions were found. Subjective stress produced enhanced performance during the core executive function measured with a verbal fluency task (COWAT). Additionally, the moderation analysis revealed a significant interaction between subjective and induced stress, showing that those subjects with higher scores in the PSQ obtained better scores in the COWAT when exposed to the induced stress than those with lower PSQ scores. Subjective stress seems to have a bigger effect on executive functions compared to induced stress, highlighting the importance of cognitive factors of stress. Finally, a better understanding of the impact of stress on executive will allow to design effective strategies to cope with stress and obtain optimal academic achievement.