COGNITIVE FUNCTIONS ACROSS LEVELS OF STRESS AND ANXIETY
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17721/1728.2748.2025.103.41-49
Keywords:
stress, anxiety, working memory, selective attention, decision-making, Dot Probe, N-back, BART, DASS-21Abstract
Background. Chronic stress and heightened anxiety, driven by the wartime context in Ukraine, may selectively alter the cognitive functioning of young adults. The aim of this study was to assess selective attention, working memory, and decision-making strategies depending on the levels of stress and anxiety in students aged 18–25 years.
Methods. Sixty-five participants (27 males, 38 females; mean age 19.8 years) were examined. Stress and anxiety levels were measured using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales–21 (DASS-21). Selective attention was assessed with the Dot Probe task, working memory and cognitive control with the N-back task and risk propensity with the Balloon Analog Risk Task (BART). Mean reaction time, accuracy, and reaction time variability were analyzed across subgroups with normal, elevated, and high levels of stress/anxiety.
Results. Analysis of the Dot Probe task revealed that high anxiety was associated with shorter reaction times to neutral stimuli, suggesting increased vigilance and reduced selectivity in attention allocation. Data from the "N-back" task indicated that elevated stress was linked to reduced accuracy and stability of task performance, increased reaction time variability, and overall slower responses to stimuli. These findings point to weakened attentional maintenance, slower information processing, and reduced working memory efficiency under high cognitive load. In the BART, high stress and anxiety levels were accompanied by fewer risk-taking actions, indicating a preference for cautious decision-making strategies in situations with potential negative outcomes. At the same time, participants with moderate anxiety tended to show greater risk propensity, potentially reflecting an optimal balance between motivation and cognitive control.
Conclusions. Elevated and high levels of stress and anxiety in young adults are associated with selective changes in working memory and behavioral decision-making strategies, whereas selective attention to emotional stimuli remains relatively stable. These findings are relevant for understanding the long-term consequences of chronic psychosocial stress in wartime conditions.
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