ERIC Number: EJ897655
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2010-Oct
Pages: 14
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0016-9013
EISSN: N/A
Differential Benefits of Memory Training for Minority Older Adults in the SeniorWISE Study
McDougall, Graham J., Jr.; Becker, Heather; Pituch, Keenan; Acee, Taylor W.; Vaughan, Phillip W.; Delville, Carol L.
Gerontologist, v50 n5 p632-645 Oct 2010
Purpose: Cognitive training improves mental abilities in older adults, but the benefit to minority elders is unclear. We conducted a subgroup analysis of subjects in the SeniorWISE (Wisdom Is Simply Exploration) trial to examine this issue. Design and Methods: SeniorWISE was a Phase 3 randomized trial that enrolled 265 nondemented community-dwelling older adults aged 65 years and older between 2001 and 2006. Participants were randomly assigned to 12 hr of either memory or health training. Results: The sample was 79% female, 71% Caucasian, 17% Hispanic, and 12% African American. On the Rivermead Behavioural Memory Test (RBMT), 28% of the sample scored normal, 47% scored poor, and 25% impaired. Memory performance changed differently over time depending on the demographic characteristics of participants. Both Hispanics and Blacks performed better than Whites on visual memory, and Blacks performed better over time on instrumental activities of daily living. On all performance measures, lower pretest scores were associated with relatively greater improvements over time. Implications: Our analyses suggested that minority participants received differential benefits from the memory training; however, this remains speculative because the 3 ethnic groups in the sample were not equivalent in size. The question of why Black and Hispanic participants often made greater improvements needs further exploration.
Descriptors: Ethnic Groups, Older Adults, Memory, Training, Cognitive Ability, Visual Perception, Cognitive Tests, Daily Living Skills, Pretests Posttests, Correlation, Scores, Hispanic Americans, African Americans, Comparative Analysis, Whites
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A