Variables influencing executive performance in healthy older adult population of Ecuador

Abstract

Multiple studies have observed a correlation between the performance of executive functions and various sociodemographic variables such as age, sex, educational level, and cognitive reserve, among others. However, in the Ecuadorian context, there is a scarcity of studies that directly analyze the influence of these variables on specific skills such as conceptual problem-solving, feedback utilization, capacity to modify incorrect strategies, cognitive flexibility, and inhibition. This study aimed to identify the variables associated with executive performance in healthy adults in Ecuador, using a quantitative non-experimental correlational approach. The sample consisted of 47 healthy participants, intentionally selected from all provinces of the country. The results reveal that age, educational level, and cognitive reserve are related to better performance in tasks requiring executive skills. No statistically significant differences were found between executive performance and variables such as sex, alcohol consumption, tobacco consumption, diagnosis of a chronic medical condition, or diagnosis of COVID-19.