Factors underlying anxiety and how self-control contributes to emotion regulation in adolescence

Abstract

Adolescence is a critical developmental stage marked by significant emotional and cognitive changes, often leading to increased anxiety. This study investigates the relationship between self-control, executive functions, and anxiety in adolescents through a series of experiments. First, a comprehensive questionnaire was administered to assess anxiety levels across various life domains, including family life, school environment, and academic pressure. Second, a Stroop task was used to measure selective attention and cognitive interference, key components of executive function. Third, an emotion-based memory task explored how emotional content affects memory performance, with a focus on the influence of anxiety on emotional memory processing. Results showed a strong correlation between self-control and anxiety, with higher anxiety levels leading to poorer performance in tasks requiring attention control and emotional memory. These findings suggest that training executive functions, particularly selective attention and emotional regulation, could be an effective intervention for reducing anxiety in adolescents. The study underscores the importance of self-control mechanisms in managing emotional challenges during adolescence.