Age Differences in Multiple Outcome Measures of Time-Based Prospective Memory

ABSTRACT

This study examined time-based prospective memory performance in relation to age, monitoring strategy, response accuracy, and dual-task demands. Young, middle-aged and older adults (N?=?115) completed a prospective memory task, in which they indicated the passing of time every 5 min while listening to a short story (low task demands) or completing a series of cognitive tasks (high task demands). Young and older adults showed similar patterns of monitoring behavior, with low rates of clock checking during the early phase of each 5-min interval, followed by linearly accelerating monitoring functions. However, to obtain the same level of prospective memory performance older adults needed more frequent clock checks than young adults. Furthermore, older adults' compensatory monitoring strategy was associated with an additional cost in primary task performance. Finally, increased primary task demands shifted age differences in prospective memory from monitoring frequency to response accuracy. These findings suggest that goal-directed behavior requires efficient task coordination and resource allocation, and that age-related differences in time-based prospective memory should be evaluated by using multiple outcome measures.     

Gait and risk of falls associated with frontal cognitive functions at different stages of Alzheimer's disease

ABSTRACT

The decline in frontal cognitive functions contributes to alterations of gait and increases the risk of falls in patients with dementia, a category which included Alzheimer's disease (AD). The objective of the present study was to compare the gait parameters and the risk of falls among patients at different stages of AD, and to relate these variables with cognitive functions. This is a cross-sectional study with 23 patients with mild and moderate AD. The Clinical Dementia Rating was used to classify the dementia severity. The kinematic parameters of gait (cadence, stride length, and stride speed) were analyzed under two conditions: (a) single task (free gait) and (b) dual task (walking and counting down). The risk of falls was evaluated using the Timed Up-and-Go test. The frontal cognitive functions were evaluated using the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB), the Clock Drawing Test (CDT) and the Symbol Search Subtest. The patients who were at the moderate stage suffered reduced performance in their stride length and stride speed in the single task and had made more counting errors in the dual task and still had a higher fall risk. Both the mild and the moderate patients exhibited significant decreases in stride length, stride speed and cadence in the dual task. Was detected a significant correlation between CDT, FAB, and stride speed in the dual task condition. We also found a significant correlation between subtest Similarities, FAB and cadence in the dual task condition. The dual task produced changes in the kinematic parameters of gait for the mild and moderate AD patients and the gait alterations are related to frontal cognitive functions, particularly executive functions.     

Dual-memory processes in crack cocaine dependents: The effects of childhood neglect on recall

Exposure to adversities during sensitive periods of neurodevelopment is associated with the subsequent development of substance dependence and exerts harmful, long-lasting effects upon memory functioning. In this study, we investigated the relationship between childhood neglect (CN) and memory using a dual-process model that quantifies recollective and non-recollective retrieval processes in crack cocaine dependents. Eighty-four female crack cocaine–dependent inpatients who did (N = 32) or did not (N = 52) report a history of CN received multiple opportunities to study and recall a short list composed of familiar and concrete words and then received a delayed-recall test. Crack cocaine dependents with a history of CN showed worse performance on free-recall tests than did dependents without a history of CN; this finding was associated with declines in recollective retrieval (direct access) rather than non-recollective retrieval. In addition, we found no evidence of group differences in forgetting rates between immediate- and delayed-recall tests. The results support developmental models of traumatology and suggest that neglect of crack cocaine dependents in early life disrupts the adult memory processes that support the retrieval of detailed representations of events from the past.     

A British university case study of the transitional experiences of student-athletes

ObjectivesWithin Great Britain, increasing numbers of elite sport performers are attending higher education institutions. The current study presents an exploration of the transitional experiences of these individuals at a specific British university. Wylleman and Lavallee's (2004) developmental model on transitions faced by athletes and Stambulova's (1997, 2003) athletic career transition model were used to provide the theoretical foundation of inquiry.Design and methodAn instrumental case study design was adopted to provide an in-depth analysis of student-athletes’ experiences at a university. The case university was selected based on its provision of elite sport support services. To acquire a holistic understanding, interviews were conducted with current and recently graduated student-athletes from the university, and focus groups were run with university staff (viz. administrators, coaches, and support staff). Qualitative data were analyzed using a thematic framework approach.ResultsElite student-athletes at the British university were found to experience simultaneous athletic, academic, psychological, and psychosocial transitions. To overcome the transitional demands, student-athletes were found to draw on a variety of internal (e.g., self-awareness) and external (e.g., academic flexibility) resources and to implement coping strategies (e.g., seeking social support). Potential barriers to successful transitions were also identified (e.g., parental overprotection).ConclusionsThese findings advance the limited existing literature on British university student-athletes’ transitional experiences and suggestions are provided for how other universities can enhance provision for their elite student-athletes.     

Perceptions of dual career development among elite level swimmers and basketball players

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to (1) examine swimmers' and basketball players' perceptions of their dual career development (2) explore these perceptions for possible differences between male and female participants as well as between swimmers and basketball players.Design and methodSemi-structured interviews with 12 retired Slovene elite level swimmers and basketball players (six males and six females) were used to discuss about transitions, demands and challenges which occurred throughout their dual career development. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using the qualitative analytic software program Nvivo 10.ResultsQualitative analysis of interviews revealed that athletes perceived their athletic career in strong and reciprocal connection to other domains in their lives, i.e. academic/vocational, psychological, psychosocial, financial level. Some of the transitions occurring in their dual career were experienced as particularly important (e.g., transition to university, finishing university study) and connected to several challenges occurring at different levels of development. Differences between male and female participants, swimmers and basketball players in this study were identified.ConclusionThe study revealed a usefulness of using a holistic perspective when investigating athletes' dual career development, and a reciprocal nature of transitions occurring at different levels of athletes' development.     

Scaling sporting equipment for children promotes implicit processes during performance

This study investigated whether children who used scaled equipment compared to full size equipment during a motor task demonstrated reduced conscious involvement in performance. Children (9–11 years) performed a tennis hitting task in two attention conditions (single-task and dual-task) using two types of equipment (scaled and full size). A more skilled group and a less skilled group were formed using hitting performance scores. The more skilled group displayed greater working memory capacity than the less skilled group. For both groups, hitting performance and technique were better when scaled equipment was used. Hitting performance when using scaled equipment was not disrupted in either group by a cognitively demanding secondary task; however, performance was disrupted in the less skilled group when using full size equipment. We conclude that equipment scaling may reduce working memory engagement in motor performance and discuss the findings in the context of implicit motor learning theory.     

Working Memory in Nonsymbolic Approximate Arithmetic Processing: A Dual‐Task Study With Preschoolers

Preschool children have been proven to possess nonsymbolic approximate arithmetic skills before learning how to manipulate symbolic math and thus before any formal math instruction. It has been assumed that nonsymbolic approximate math tasks necessitate the allocation of Working Memory (WM) resources. WM has been consistently shown to be an important predictor of children's math development and achievement. The aim of our study was to uncover the specific role of WM in nonsymbolic approximate math. For this purpose, we conducted a dual‐task study with preschoolers with active phonological, visual, spatial, and central executive interference during the completion of a nonsymbolic approximate addition dot task. With regard to the role of WM, we found a clear performance breakdown in the central executive interference condition. Our findings provide insight into the underlying cognitive processes involved in storing and manipulating nonsymbolic approximate numerosities during early arithmetic.     

A test of the impact of pain on automatic motivational processes in people with knee osteoarthritis

ObjectivePeople with osteoarthritis are likely to be physically inactive and current socio-cognitive approaches to changing physical activity in this patient population are generally ineffective. We assessed prospective associations between physical activity and the automatic processes of habit automaticity, automatic evaluations, and automatic self-schema in people with knee osteoarthritis.DesignOne-week prospective.Method253 adults (aged 46–82 years, 72% female, 28% male) with knee osteoarthritis self-reported their physical activity behaviour of the past week, habit automaticity for physical activity and completed two implicit association tests to assess automatic evaluations of physical activity (relative to sedentary behaviour) and automatic self-schema for physical activity. One week later, participants self-reported physical activity and pain while walking over the prior week. Linear regression models assessed associations of each automatic process with subsequent physical activity and the moderation effect of pain and each automatic process on subsequent physical activity, controlling for covariates.ResultsWe did not find evidence of a statistical relationship between physical activity with automatic evaluations, automatic self-schema, or habit automaticity. The inclusion of pain while walking did not moderate the relationship between any automatic process and physical activity.ConclusionAlthough previous research on healthy, young adults suggests that automatic processes affect physical activity behaviour, we did not find evidence to confirm whether a similar relationship exists for older adults with knee osteoarthritis. Replication and extension work testing these research questions is needed to ensure the findings are not a result of measurement and design features of the study.     

Formation par alternance : expérience scolaire et rapport à l’apprendre chez des apprentis de niveau V et leurs maîtres d’apprentissage

This qualitative research in line with a socio-constructivist approach of the relation to knowledge aims at studying the conditions of efficiency of apprenticeship (training centre/working place) for wage-earning apprentices with a level V. The thematic analysis of 38 interviews (19 apprentices and 19 apprenticeship masters) reveals that apprentices and apprenticeship masters develop some similar schooling experience and relations to learning based on a massive rejection for any schooling form of transmission. We thus show that an apprenticeship based on work and study can offer young people the opportunity to reinvest their relation to learning but only under the conditions of finding ways to escape the circle of school condemnation. These young people must also be able to find in this system the necessary conditions which will give a meaning to their experience of apprentices.