B - 63 Performance on Cognitive Flexibility Measures Predict the Occurrence of Adverse Driving Events among Adults

Abstract Objective To explore whether adults’ cognitive flexibility performance predicted adverse driving events. Methods Adult participants (n = 297; Mage = 27.48, SD = 9.29; Med = 16.07, SD = 2.01, 63% female) were selected from a de-identified outpatient database. Participants reported having no neurological/neuropsychological or psychological/psychiatric diagnoses. Participants identified as 60.3% white, 17.8% Hispanic, 12.8% African American, and 9.1% other. A multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to examine whether measures of cognitive flexibility significantly predicted adverse driving events as measured by the reported number of motor vehicle accidents and moving violations (tickets). Results The results revealed that performance on the CPT-3 detectability (B = 0.04), Hit Reaction Time (HRT, B = 0.03), variability (B = −0.08); CATA detectability (B = 0.06), HRT (B = 0.08); WCST total number of trials (B = −0.04), total number of errors (B = −0.08); and Stroop interference scores (B = −0.03) significantly predicted the occurrence of adverse driving events, (F (8, 296) = 3.72, p < 0.001, R2 = 0.09), albeit to a small effect. Conclusions Poorer performance on measures of cognitive flexibility predicted higher rates of motor vehicle accidents and moving violations. Participants who exhibited better reaction time, attention focus, ability to set shift and discriminate target information, as well as ability to inhibit cognitive interference reported less adverse driving events. Consistent with previous research, these findings indicate that cognitive abilities, specifically cognitive flexibility, can predict driving outcomes/performance. Future research could investigate findings with individuals across the lifespan and with executive function deficits.