Background The purpose of the present study was to compare executive functions in people with high and low resilience. Methods Based on the results of a structured clinical interview and Connor- Davidson resilience Scale (CD-RISC), a total of 140 adults were assigned to high resilience (n = 70) and low resilience (n = 70) groups. Working memory, inhibition and cognitive flexibility were assessed by N-Back, Go/No-Go and Wisconsin Card Sorting task, respectively. Result The results showed that individuals with high resilience compared to individuals with low resilience scored significantly higher on inhibition and cognitive flexibility, but there were no significant differences on working memory. Conclusion The current findings suggest a role of high-level cognitive processes in resilience, which in turn may contribute to mental health. Also, the results of this research may be important in the design of therapeutic interventions based on executive functions.
