Executive Functions and Emotional Intelligence in Pregnant Adolescents

NCT07492082 | Not Yet Recruiting DMC

• 1 other identifier: MP/2026MMPG
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 30
• Locations: 0 countries
• Sites: N/A

Brief Summary

Teenage pregnancy is a major global public health issue and is associated with a range of psychosocial, emotional, and developmental challenges. Adolescence is a critical stage of development characterized by the ongoing maturation of executive functions, including inhibitory control, emotional regulation, working memory, planning, and decision-making. These cognitive and emotional processes are essential for adaptive functioning and psychological well-being. However, when pregnancy occurs during adolescence, young women may face additional stressors, such as social stigma, limited social support, disruption of education, and economic vulnerability, which can negatively affect their mental health and coping abilities. Previous research has shown that pregnant adolescents may experience higher levels of emotional distress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms compared to pregnant adult women. Furthermore, difficulties in executive functions and emotional regulation may influence adolescents' ability to manage stress, regulate their emotions, and make adaptive decisions during pregnancy and the transition to motherhood. Therefore, interventions that strengthen emotional and cognitive self-regulation may play an important role in improving the psychological adjustment and well-being of pregnant adolescents. The present study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention designed to improve emotional intelligence and executive functions in pregnant adolescents. The program seeks to promote greater emotional understanding and self-regulation, as well as to support adolescents in coping with the psychological challenges associated with pregnancy. Participants will complete standardized psychological assessments before and after the intervention to evaluate potential changes in executive functioning and emotional well-being. By assessing the impact of an intervention on emotional intelligence and executive functions, this study seeks to contribute to the development of evidence-based strategies to improve the mental health and psychosocial outcomes of pregnant adolescents. The results may provide valuable information for healthcare professionals, psychologists, and public health programs seeking to support adolescent mothers and promote healthier developmental trajectories during pregnancy and early motherhood.

Conditions

Teenage Pregnancy

Keywords

Execute functions; Inhibitory control; Planning; Emotional intelligence

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (7)

• Inhibitory control

  Stroop test, will be measured from the standardized executive function test BANFE, using accuracy of response, stroop type error, no-Stroop errors, and time, Total score is transformed to normalized points 0-19 (with a mean of 10 ±3 SD, 4-6 low, 14-19 high performance).

  Pre- and post-assessment, after 4 months

• Planning

  Tower of Hanoi, using number of movements, and time, will be measured by calculating EF quotients from the standardized test BANFE. Total score is transformed to normalized points 0-19 (with a mean of 10 ±3 SD, 4-6 low, 14-19 high performance).

  Pre- and post-assessment, after 4 months

• Executive Functioning

  Inventory for the Behavioral Assessment of Executive Functioning in its self-report version (BRIEF-2) is a standardized instrument that assesses executive functioning in adolescents through their perception of their own behavior in daily life. It analyzes behavioral, emotional, and cognitive regulation, allowing for the identification of difficulties in planning, self-control, and organization. The self-report version of BRIEF-2 takes approximately 10 to 15 minutes to complete, followed by a brief scoring and interpretation process by the evaluator. The BRIEF has been adapted and validated in Spanish-speaking and Mexican populations, showing adequate validity and reliability indices. For example, studies conducted with Mexican populations report high internal consistency (α = .939) and an adequate factorial structure of the instrument, which supports its use for assessing executive functions in similar cultural contexts.

  Pre- and post-assessment, after 4 months

• Emotional Intelligence

  BarOn Emotional Intelligence Inventory: Youth Version. EQ-i:YV (R. Bar-On, J. D. A. Parke, 2000) is a psychometric inventory that assesses emotional intelligence in children and adolescents using a self-report questionnaire. It analyzes intrapersonal and interpersonal skills, stress management, adaptability, and general mood, providing insight into the socio-emotional development of the person being assessed. Has an approximate application time of 20 to 30 minutes. Raw scores are converted to standard scores (mean 100, standard deviation 15) Standard Score \> 120 Very high emotional capacity (positively atypical) \< 80 Very low emotional capacity (intervention required)

  Pre- and post-assessment, after 4 months

• Identify adolescent risks

  Self-descriptive inventory for adolescents (IADA) (Lucio-Gómez et al., 2010) It was developed with the aim of providing a valid and reliable tool to assist in the assessment of psychological problems, both in terms of early detection of risk factors in adolescents' lives and the identification of emotional problems. It was designed to be useful primarily in clinical settings, but also in educational settings, as well as in primary and secondary intervention processes. The Adolescent Self-Descriptive Inventory (IADA) consists of 168 forced-choice items (YES-NO). T-score (with a mean of 50 and a standard deviation of 10) When analyzing the individual dimensions (Family, Social, School, Personal, and Health), the following T-scores are used: T \< 60: Within the normal range (no significant risk). T 60-69: Moderate risk (indicator of problems in that specific area). T ≥ 70: High risk (significant problem reported by the adolescent) has an approximate application time of 30 to 40 minutes.

  Pre- and post-assessment, after 4 months

• Manifest Anxiety

  Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale (CMAS-R-2) (Reynolds, 2008) It is a self-report instrument consisting of 49 items designed to assess the degree and nature of anxiety in children. The child only answers the questions with yes or no. Scoring is simple. The total scores give the Total Anxiety Index but also provide five additional scores: Physiological Anxiety, Worries, Social Anxiety, Defensiveness, and an Index of Inconsistent Responses. This instrument is very useful for assessing children/adolescents with problems such as academic stress, test anxiety, family conflicts, drug addiction, disruptive behavior, results Typically analyzed using T-scores, where a total score \>60 indicates high impairment. It covers physiological anxiety, worry, social anxiety, and includes defensiveness/inconsistency indices. personality problems, etc. has an approximate application time of 10 to 15 minutes.

  Pre- and post-assessment, after 4 months

• Perinatal Depression

  The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) The scale consists of 10 items that assess emotional and cognitive symptoms associated with perinatal depression experienced over the previous seven days. Each item is scored on a 4-point Likert scale (0-3), with total scores ranging from 0 to 30, where higher scores indicate greater severity of depressive symptoms. The EPDS evaluates symptoms such as sadness, loss of interest or pleasure, anxiety, feelings of guilt, and sleep disturbances related to mood. Validation studies in Mexico recommended lower cut-offs: 11/12 for women within the first 4 weeks postpartum, and 7/8 for 4 to 13 weeks postpartum. 13 or more (13+): A score of 13 or higher is commonly used to indicate a high probability of depressive illness of varying severity. 10-12: Some guidelines suggest that scores of 10 or greater indicate the possibility of depression. 0-9 Scores in this range suggest that the mother is less likely to be suffering from a significant.

  Pre- and post-assessment, after 4 months

Study Arms (1)

single group

EXPERIMENTAL

Pregnant adolescents aged 14 to 18 residing in the Mexicali Valley who participate in a group psychological intervention program aimed at improving executive functioning and emotional intelligence through psychoeducation sessions.

Behavioral: Psychological intervention program in executive functions and emotional intelligence

Interventions

Psychological intervention program in executive functions and emotional intelligence BEHAVIORAL

A group psychological intervention program based on psychoeducation, designed for pregnant adolescents living in the Mexicali Valley. The program consists of four 40-minute sessions, held once a month over a four-month period, and focuses on developing skills in emotion recognition, planning, organization, emotional regulation, and decision-making.

single group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 14 Years - 18 Years
• Sex: female
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Be in the first or second trimester of pregnancy at the time of the procedure.
• Be between the ages of 14 and 18.
• Have a basic level of literacy (be able to read and write).
• Receive prenatal medical care.
• Sign the informed consent form, both the patient and an adult family member.

You may not qualify if:

• Serious medical conditions that limit your participation and/or continued participation in the study.
• Neurological or psychiatric conditions (other than mild to moderate depression and anxiety) that have an impact on executive functioning and emotional intelligence on their own.
• No interest or availability to participate in the entire program.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Universidad Autonoma de Baja California: lead

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Full time professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: March 19, 2026
• First Posted: March 25, 2026
• Study Start (Estimated): August 30, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): October 30, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): March 15, 2028
• Last Updated: April 2, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-03