Emotional Distress as A Predictor of Working Memory Efficiency Under Cognitive Load in Urban Adolescents

Abstract

Emotional distress is a prevalent issue among adolescent students, recognised for its disruptive impact on working memory through the depletion of attentional control resources; although, the precise effect on the underlying processes of working memory (WM) remains insufficiently understood. This study aimed to investigate the impact of emotional distress on cognitive performance, particularly in normal populations, using a computerised tool N-Back working memory task with two levels of cognitive load (1-back and 2-back). Grounded in Attentional Control Theory and Cognitive Load Theory, this research examines how internal psychological suffering may disrupt the balance between goal-directed and stimulus-driven attentional systems, particularly in relation to intrinsic task complexity. It is hypothesised that while high-load tasks naturally tax cognitive resources, the presence of emotional distress acts as a critical predictor of performance breakdown, as the total cognitive demand exceeds the finite capacity of the working memory ‘buffer’. The current study examined the working memory efficiency under low load (1-back) and high load (2-back) conditions of n-back tasks. The sample consisted of 50 urban adolescents aged 14 to 18 years who completed the Anxiety, Depression and Stress Scale (ADSS-BSPSA). Mean of obtained scores were used to calculate the combined distress z-score. Students were divided into high and low levels of emotional distress as per median (Md=15). Regression analysis found that higher level of emotional distress significantly predicts lower accuracy (P=0.004) on 2-Back task. As task difficulty increases, working memory performance declines, with increasing level of emotional distress.