Stop Being So Rigid: The Interplay of Psychological Flexibility and Cognitive-Affective Processes in the Daily Lives of Young Adults

Abstract

Abstract Psychological flexibility plays a crucial role in how young adults adapt to their evolving cognitive and emotional landscapes. Our study investigated psychological flexibility in young adults, concentrating on adaptive variability and maladaptive rigidity. We examined the interplay of these elements with cognitive-affective processes within a dynamic network, uncovering their manifestation in everyday life. Through an Ecological Momentary Assessment design, we collected intensive longitudinal data over 3 weeks from 114 young adults ages 19 to 32. Using a dynamic network approach, we assessed the temporal dynamics and individual variability in psychological flexibility in relation to cognitive-affective processes in this sample. Rigidity exhibited the strongest directed association with other variables in the temporal network as well as highest strength centrality, demonstrating particularly strong associations to other variables in the contemporaneous network. In conclusion, the results of this study suggest that rigidity in young adults is associated with negative affect and cognitions at the same time point and the immediate future.