A general psychopathology (‘p’) factor captures shared variation across mental disorders. One hypothesis is that poor executive function (EF) contributes to p. Although EF is related to p concurrently, it is unclear whether EF predicts or is a consequence of p. For the first time, we examined prospective relations between EF and p in 9845 preadolescents (aged 9–12) from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study® longitudinally over two years. We identified higher-order factor models of psychopathology at baseline and one- and two-year follow-up waves. Consistent with previous research, a cross-sectional inverse relationship between EF and p emerged. Using residualized-change models, baseline EF prospectively predicted p factor scores two years later, controlling for prior p, sex, age, race/ethnicity, parental education, and family income. Baseline p factor scores also prospectively predicted change in EF two years later. Tests of specificity revealed that bi-directional prospective relations between EF and p were largely generalizable across externalizing, internalizing, neurodevelopmental, somatization, and detachment symptoms. EF consistently predicted change in externalizing and neurodevelopmental symptoms. These novel results suggest that executive dysfunction is both a risk marker and consequence of general psychopathology. EF may be a promising transdiagnostic intervention target to prevent the onset and maintenance of psychopathology.

一般的精神病理学 ('p') 因素捕捉了精神障碍之间的共同变化。一种假设是执行功能差 (EF) 导致 p。尽管 EF 同时与 p 相关，但尚不清楚 EF 是预测 p 还是 p 的结果。我们首次在两年内纵向研究了来自青少年大脑认知发展研究®的 9845 名青春期前儿童（9-12 岁）的 EF 和 p 之间的前瞻性关系。我们在基线和一年和两年的随访波中确定了精神病理学的高阶因素模型。与之前的研究一致，EF 和 p 之间出现了横截面反向关系。使用残余变化模型，基线 EF 前瞻性地预测了两年后的 p 因子分数，控制了先前的 p、性别、年龄、种族/民族、父母教育和家庭收入。基线 p 因子评分也前瞻性地预测了两年后 EF 的变化。特异性测试表明，EF 和 p 之间的双向前瞻性关系在很大程度上可以概括为外化、内化、神经发育、躯体化和脱离症状。EF 始终如一地预测外化和神经发育症状的变化。这些新结果表明，执行功能障碍既是一般精神病理学的风险标志，也是其后果。EF 可能是一个有希望的跨诊断干预目标，以防止精神病理学的发生和维持。神经发育、躯体化和脱离症状。EF 始终如一地预测外化和神经发育症状的变化。这些新结果表明，执行功能障碍既是一般精神病理学的风险标志，也是其后果。EF 可能是一个有希望的跨诊断干预目标，以防止精神病理学的发生和维持。神经发育、躯体化和脱离症状。EF 始终如一地预测外化和神经发育症状的变化。这些新结果表明，执行功能障碍既是一般精神病理学的风险标志，也是其后果。EF 可能是一个有希望的跨诊断干预目标，以防止精神病理学的发生和维持。