Psychoemotional Contribution to the Development of Mental Fatigue in Women vs. Men: A Comparative Study of Two Cognitive Load Types

The objective of this study was to comparatively examine the effects of different cognitive load types on the development of mental fatigue, taking into account psychoemotional state and gender differences. Methods — The experiment enrolled 35 volunteers (57% women, 43% men). Mental fatigue was induced using 16 sets of cognitive tasks, each lasting 15 minutes. Two experimental series were employed: the first series involved solving an arithmetic subtraction problem, while the second one involved a short-term memory task. The psychoemotional state of the participants and psychological indicators were assessed before and after completing the cognitive load. Psychoemotional state was assessed using the Well-Being, Activity, Mood (WAM) questionnaire and A.B. Leonov’s Acute Mental Fatigue Questionnaire. Cognitive functions were assessed using Anfimov’s correction tables and the Kraepelin test. Statistical analysis included the Mann-Whitney test, the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, and Spearman correlation analysis. Results — The results demonstrated that arithmetic subtraction caused a more pronounced decrease in attentional performance (p≤0.01) and an increase in the number of errors, while working memory load was more dependent on psychoemotional state. Substantial gender differences were identified: women had a chronic fatigue index twice as high as men, a greater increase in acute fatigue after the load, and a more pronounced decline in cognitive performance. Correlation analysis revealed a strong relationship between chronic fatigue, psychoemotional state, and cognitive performance, especially in women. The main results indicate that cognitive load causes significant changes in both the psychoemotional sphere and cognitive performance. Conclusion — Our findings highlight the need for a differentiated approach to preventive measures aimed at minimizing the negative consequences of cognitive load.