PREDICTING COLLEGE STUDENTS' POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY ATTRIBUTES WITH DIMENSIONS OF EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate how, and to what extent, dimensions

of executive functioning (EF) predicted college students' positive psychology attributes, namely grit, optimism, positive affect, and life satisfaction. Seventy-nine participants were administered a self-report EF measure, the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Adult Version (Gioia, Isquith, Guy, & Kenworthy, 2000), which assesses EF behavior regulation and metacognitive skills. In addition, four self-report positive psychology surveys were completed by each participant. Results indicated that EF behavior regulation and metacognitive skills successfully predicted grit and optimism. In addition, EF metacognitive skills predicted positive affect and life satisfaction. In general, findings extend previous EF and positive psychology research by investigating dimensions of EF that appear to contribute to life well-being factors.