Healthy older adults with self-reported cognitive difficulties who receive strategy training will demonstrate greater performance benefits on measures of real-world activities, relative to those receiving a control intervention, immediately post treatment and at follow-up.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
OTHER
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
19
The key features of the protocol are: i. Participants are actively engaged in selecting their treatment goals. The research clinician will work with the participants to identify five specific, measurable real-world goals using a standardized semi-structured interview, the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure. Three of these will be training goals, two will not be trained but evaluated post-intervention for evidence of generalization and transfer to non-trained tasks; ii. A global problem solving approach is used (Goal- Plan- Do- Check). Participants are guided by the trainer to apply this strategy to their goals.
The active comparator uses an information-based format and is designed to engage participants without providing any specific training techniques or strategies. During weekly sessions, participants will receive factual information on brain structure and function, age-related cognitive changes, and general brain health issues and will spend time doing non-specific cognitive exercises including crossword and Sudoku puzzles. Homework will consist of reading assignments related to the session topics.
Baycrest
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Total Number of Goals Improved to Criterion on the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM)
COPM is a standardized semi-structure interview in which participants identify goals related to everyday life activities. Goals considered improved to criterion are those that had 2 or more points increase on COPM ratings.
Time frame: Immediately post intervention (2 months) and 3 months later
General Self Efficacy Scale (GSE)
GSE is a self efficacy scale with a minimum score of 10 and a maximum score of 40. Higher scores indicate higher self efficacy
Time frame: Baseline, Immediately post intervention (2 months) and 3 months later
Stanford Patient Education Research Center- General Health Subscale
Stanford Patient Education Research Center has different measures of health related behaviors. General Health is one of the subscales. scores range 1-5 and higher score indicate better general health
Time frame: Baseline, Immediately post intervention (2 months) and 3 months later
Stanford Patient Education Research Center- Health Distress Subscale
Stanford Patient Education Research Center has different measures of health related behaviors. Health distress is one of the subscales. Scores range 0-20 and higher score indicates more distress.
Time frame: Baseline, Immediately post intervention (2 months) and 3 months later
Stanford Patient Education Research Center- Physical Activity Subscale
Stanford Patient Education Research Center has different measures of health related behaviors. Physical activity is one of the subscales. Scores indicate number of hours of physical activity per week
Time frame: Baseline, Immediately post intervention (2 months) and 3 months later
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Stanford Patient Education Research Center- Communication With Physicians Subscale
Stanford Patient Education Research Center has different measures of health related behaviors. communication with physicians is one of the subscales. Scores range 1-15 and higher score indicates more preparation for visits and greater ability to ask questions
Time frame: Baseline, Immediately post intervention (2 months) and 3 months later
Stanford Patient Education Research Center- Visits to Physician and Emergency Department in the Past Six Months Subscale
Stanford Patient Education Research Center has different measures of health related behaviors. Visits to physician and emergency department in the past six months subscale is one of the subscales.
Time frame: Baseline, Immediately post intervention (2 months) and 3 months later
Delis Kaplan Executive Function System (DKEFS) Tower Test- Mean First-Move Time
This is a measure of executive function. The score reflects the average of the participant's first-move times, i.e. the time a participant took to make the first move
Time frame: Baseline, Immediately post intervention (2 months) and 3 months later
DKEFS Tower Test- Achievement Score
This is a measure of executive function. Total achievement scores indicate the highest score participants scored on the test. The lowest score possible is 0 and the highest score possible is 30. Higher scores indicate better performance.
Time frame: Baseline, Immediately post intervention (2 months) and 3 months later
DKEFS Word Fluency
This is a measure of executive function where participants are given a letter and asked to generate as many words as they can think of within 60 seconds
Time frame: Baseline, Immediately post intervention (2 months) and 3 months later
DKEFS Trail Making- Condition 4: Number-letter Switching
DKEFS trail making condition 4 is a measure of executive function that requires the participant to switch back and forth between connecting numbers and letters in a sequence
Time frame: Baseline, Immediately post intervention (2 months) and 3 months later