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Background: Cognitive control problems have been implicated in the etiology and maintenance of mental health problems, including depression, in adults. Studies in adolescents have been more equivocal, with some showing changes in cognitive control in adolescents with mental health problems, whereas others fail to show an association. This study examines whether adolescent mental health is associated with affective control, the application of cognitive control in affective contexts, which shows more protracted development than cognitive control. Methods: The present study investigated the association of cognitive and affective control with depressive symptomatology and self‐reported diagnostic history of mental health problems in adolescents. The study included 1929 participants (Mage = 13.89) from the Future Proofing Study (N = 6,388, 11–16 years), who completed affective (incl., affective stimuli) and/or cognitive (incl., neutral stimuli) versions of a working memory (backward digit‐span) and/or shifting (card‐sorting) task at least once within 3 weeks of assessing mental health. Results: Poorer working memory was associated with greater depressive symptomatology in adolescents (β = −0.06, p =.004), similarly across cognitive and affective control conditions (β = −0.02, p =.269). Adolescents with self‐reported diagnostic history of mental health problems had significantly poorer shifting ability in affective compared to cognitive control conditions (b = 0.05, p =.010), whereas for adolescents with no self‐reported diagnoses, shifting ability did not differ between conditions (b = −0.00, p =.649). Conclusions: The present analyses suggest that working memory difficulties, in particular, may be associated with the experience of current depressed mood in adolescents. Problems with affective shifting may be implicated in a range of mental health problems in adolescents. Given the ubiquitous need for efficient cognitive functioning in daily life, enhancing cognitive and affective control in adolescents may be a promising means of improving functioning across a range of domains, including affective functioning, and by extension, adolescent mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The Future Proofing Study (FPS) was established to examine factors associated with the onset and course of mental health conditions during adolescence. This paper describes the design, methods, and baseline characteristics of the FPS cohort. Methods: The FPS is an Australian school‐based prospective cohort study with an embedded cluster‐randomized controlled trial examining the effects of digital prevention programs on mental health. Data sources include self‐report questionnaires, cognitive functioning, linkage to health and education records, and smartphone sensor data. Participants are assessed annually for 5 years. Results: The baseline cohort (N = 6388, M = 13.9 years) is broadly representative of the Australian adolescent population. The clinical profile of participants is comparable to other population estimates. Overall, 15.1% of the cohort met the clinical threshold for depression, 18.6% for anxiety, 31.6% for psychological distress, and 4.9% for suicidal ideation. These rates were significantly higher in adolescents who identified as female, gender diverse, sexuality diverse, or Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander (all ps < 0.05). Conclusions: This paper provides current and comprehensive data about the status of adolescent mental health in Australia. The FPS cohort is expected to provide significant insights into the risk, protective, and mediating factors associated with development of mental health conditions during adolescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]