Executive Functions and Impulsivity Are Genetically Distinct and Independently Predict Psychopathology: Results From Two Adult Twin Studies
Open accessAbstract
Laboratory executive function (EF) constructs, such as response inhibition, are often conceptually linked with self-report measures of impulsivity, yet their empirical correlations are low. We examined, in two twin studies ( n s = 749 and 761 individuals with EF data), the phenotypic and genetic overlap of three EF latent variables (a Common EF factor predicting response inhibition, working memory updating, and mental set-shifting tasks and Updating- and Shifting-Specific factors) with five impulsivity dimensions (negative and positive urgency, lack of premeditation and perseverance, and sensation seeking). In both samples, impulsivity dimensions were only modestly correlated phenotypically ( r s = −.20–.11) and genetically ( r As = −.44–.04) with Common EF. In both samples, Common EF and multiple impulsivity dimensions, particularly negative urgency, independently predicted Externalizing psychopathology, and multiple impulsivity dimensions but not Common EF predicted Internalizing psychopathology. These results suggest that EFs and self-reported impulsivity tap different aspects of control that are both relevant for psychopathology.
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Performance and report measures of EF may not assess the same construct or may be differentially affected by bias, with tasks being more objective than report measures.
“Questionnaire measures of EF tend to evaluate executive dysfunction and maladaptation across life contexts, and some have also suggested that performance and report measures may not assess the same construct (Toplak et al., 2013) or may be differentially affected by bias (Friedman et al., 2020), with tasks being more objective than report measures.”
From Early childhood executive function predicts concurrent and later social and behavioral outcomes: A review and meta-analysis. (2024) · cites this paper as Friedman et al., 2020
In “Interpretations of Low Correlations Between Self-reports and Tasks” (page unavailable), the paper describes poor insight as a possible limitation of self-reports, supporting the suggestion that the measures may be affected differently. It does not establish that tasks are more objective; it also notes concerns about task validity and reliability. The different-construct point is supported elsewhere in the paper but is cited to Toplak et al. in the citing sentence. (LLM, conf=0.83)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredQuestionnaire measures of EF tend to evaluate executive dysfunction and maladaptation across life contexts.
“Questionnaire measures of EF tend to evaluate executive dysfunction and maladaptation across life contexts, and some have also suggested that performance and report measures may not assess the same construct (Toplak et al., 2013) or may be differentially affected by bias (Friedman et al., 2020), with tasks being more objective than report measures.”
From Early childhood executive function predicts concurrent and later social and behavioral outcomes: A review and meta-analysis. (2024) · cites this paper as Friedman et al., 2020
In “Interpretations of Low Correlations Between Self-reports and Tasks” (page unavailable), the paper says questionnaires ask about characteristic behavior in multiple contexts, supporting the life-context part of the quoted claim. It does not say they specifically evaluate executive dysfunction and maladaptation; it also discusses possible limitations of both tasks and self-reports rather than establishing that tasks are more objective, as the citing sentence suggests. (LLM, conf=0.84)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredWhen a higher-order common factor is used to model the correlations among response inhibition, working memory updating, and mental set shifting, that common factor almost perfectly predicts the inhibition factor, but there is significant variance in the updating and shifting factors that is not related to the common factor.
“When a higher-order common factor is used to model the correlations among response inhibition, working memory updating, and mental set shifting (see Fig. 3b), that common factor almost perfectly predicts the inhibition factor [37, 38, 157, 158], but there is significant variance in the updating and shifting factors that is not related to the common factor.”
From The role of prefrontal cortex in cognitive control and executive function (2022) · cites this paper as [157]
When the correlated factors model is re-parameterized into a bifactor model, there are updating-specific and shifting-specific factors, but there is no evidence for a response inhibition-specific factor.
“Similarly, when the correlated factors model is re-parameterized into a bifactor model (see Fig. 3c), there are updating-specific and shifting-specific factors, but there is no evidence for a response inhibition-specific factor [37, 38, 157].”
From The role of prefrontal cortex in cognitive control and executive function (2022) · cites this paper as [157]
Task-based and self-report measures of cognitive control independently predict psychopathology in multiple regressions.
“However, some evidence suggests that task-based and self-report measures of CC may best be considered separable constructs that are both relevant to mental health [209, 213], because they independently predict psychopathology in multiple regressions [157, 214, 215].”
From The role of prefrontal cortex in cognitive control and executive function (2022) · cites this paper as [157]
Correlations between laboratory cognitive control tasks and more general self-control and executive function questionnaires are weak.
“Although such emotional impulse control is thought to be enabled by general processes and neural correlates of CC [198], and urgency measures are correlated with CC, these correlations are generally weak (r = ~0.10 to 0.20), as are correlations between laboratory CC tasks and more general self-control and EF questionnaires [157, 208–212].”
From The role of prefrontal cortex in cognitive control and executive function (2022) · cites this paper as [157]
Urgency measures are correlated with cognitive control, but these correlations are generally weak (r = ~0.10 to 0.20).
“Although such emotional impulse control is thought to be enabled by general processes and neural correlates of CC [198], and urgency measures are correlated with CC, these correlations are generally weak (r = ~0.10 to 0.20), as are correlations between laboratory CC tasks and more general self-control and EF questionnaires [157, 208–212].”
From The role of prefrontal cortex in cognitive control and executive function (2022) · cites this paper as [157]
Twin studies have yielded evidence that at the latent variable level, cognitive control constructs are moderately to highly heritable.
“Several independent twin studies [36, 39, 41, 157, 233] have yielded evidence that at the latent variable level, CC constructs are moderately to highly heritable and, importantly, that the separability of working memory updating and mental set shifting from the common CC factor is largely attributable to different genetic influences.”
From The role of prefrontal cortex in cognitive control and executive function (2022) · cites this paper as [157]
The separability of working memory updating and mental set shifting from the common cognitive control factor is largely attributable to different genetic influences.
“Several independent twin studies [36, 39, 41, 157, 233] have yielded evidence that at the latent variable level, CC constructs are moderately to highly heritable and, importantly, that the separability of working memory updating and mental set shifting from the common CC factor is largely attributable to different genetic influences.”
From The role of prefrontal cortex in cognitive control and executive function (2022) · cites this paper as [157]
Twin studies suggest that associations between psychopathology/substance use and cognitive control are attributable largely to shared genetic influences.
“Twin studies suggest that associations between psychopathology/substance use and CC are attributable largely to shared genetic influences [157, 221].”
From The role of prefrontal cortex in cognitive control and executive function (2022) · cites this paper as [157]
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The role of prefrontal cortex in cognitive control and executive function
Friedman, N. P., & Robbins, T. W. (2022) · Neuropsychopharmacology · doi:10.1038/s41386-021-01132-0 · Cited by 1,737 · see citing works
“Twin studies suggest that associations between psychopathology/substance use and CC are attributable largely to shared genetic influences [157, 221].”
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- Authors
- Friedman, N. P., Hatoum, A. S., Gustavson, D. E., Corley, R. P., Hewitt, J. K., & Young, S. E.
- Affiliations
- University of Colorado Boulder (US)
- University of California San Diego (US)
- University of Colorado Denver (US)
- Corresponding author
- Friedman, Naomi P.
- ORCID
- Venue
- Clinical Psychological Science
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2020-04-20
- Volume
- 8
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 519-538
- ISSN
- 2167-7026 (ISSN-L)
- 2167-7034
- PMC
- PMC7983400
- OpenAlex
- W3016682884
- Semantic Scholar
- b00a0b6ef07d44b0669bbf1d737b9548babb29fc
- Cited by
- 66
- References
- 48
- Citations by year
- 2026: 7 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 17 · 2022: 15 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 3
- FWCI
- 5.64
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Clinical Psychological Science (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (DA011015, DA046413)
- National Institute on Aging (AG046938)
- National Institute of Mental Health (MH001865, MH016880, MH063207)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Abilities and Testing
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Mental Health Research Topics
- Keywords
- executive function, impulsivity, genetic overlap, response inhibition, working memory updating, mental set shifting, negative urgency, positive urgency, lack of premeditation, lack of perseverance, sensation seeking, externalizing psychopathology, internalizing psychopathology, twin studies, heritability
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