The study will compare the effect of broad and directed (narrow) technology-based training on basic perceptual and cognitive abilities in older adults and on the performance of simulated tasks of daily living including driving and fraud avoidance.
Participants will be randomly assigned to four training conditions: broad training using either 1) Posit Science's web-based "BrainHQ" or 2) the video game Rise of Nations, or to directed training for 3) Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) training on both driving, American Association of Retired Persons (AARP)'s web-based older driver training program, and training for fraud avoidance, a web-based tutorial on finance and fraud, or 4) to an active control condition of puzzle solving. Training will take approximately 15-20 hr for each treatment condition. Before training begins, participants will take baseline ability tests of perception, attention, memory, and cognition, activities of daily living, as well as a driving simulator test for hazard perception, and a financial fraud recognition test. They will be tested again on these measures following training completion, and at a one-year follow-up from training completion.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
238
BrainHQ
Rise of Nations
IADL Training
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida, United States
Fraud Detection Post Training
Percent confidence that a given vignette describing fraud is actually an example of fraud, measured at baseline and immediately after 4 weeks of training. Participants were given a vignette describing fraud (which was mixed in with vignettes not describing fraud) and were asked to give their percent confidence that this is actually an example of fraud. Higher confidence indicates higher accuracy when detecting fraud, with a minimum of 0 and a maximum of 100. Measures accuracy in discriminating fraud from non-fraud text-based scenarios (using 3 parallel forms).
Time frame: Baseline, Immediately after 4-week intervention training
Driving Simulator Hazard Perception Post Training
Driving simulator (scenarios including hazards) measures of speed, maximum brake compression, and lane position, at baseline and immediately after 4 weeks of training. These measures provide an estimate of accuracy in driving scenarios that involve hazards in the DriveSafety simulator (using 3 parallel forms). All measures were transformed into Z scores and averaged in order to create a measure of overall driving performance, where higher scores represent more dangerous (worse) driving performance.
Time frame: Baseline, Immediately after 4-week intervention training
Self-reported Difficulty With Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs) Post Training
Self-reported difficulties in completing instrumental activities of daily living, measured at baseline and immediately after 4 weeks of training, with a minimum score of 0 (indicating no difficulty) and a maximum of 3 (indicating severe difficulty). This is a modified short-form version of the Lawton IADL Items, used in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS).
Time frame: Baseline, Immediately after 4-week intervention training
Speed of Processing Post Training
Scores from Useful Field of View (UFOV) test and Digit Symbol Substitution Test, at baseline and immediately after 4 weeks of training, which each provide a measure of speed of processing. Raw scores were transformed into z scores, UFOV reaction time scores were inverted, then both UFOV and digit symbol scores were averaged in order to create an estimate of overall speed of processing, where higher scores represent better performance.
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Puzzle solving
Time frame: Baseline, Immediately after 4-week intervention training
Knowledge About Driving Post Training
Test questions based on the American Association of Retired Persons driving course, measured immediately after 4 weeks of training, with a minimum score of 0 and a maximum score of 3. Higher scores indicate more accurate knowledge of driving related information.
Time frame: Immediately after 4-week intervention training
Knowledge About Finances and Fraud Post Training
Test questions based on the Finance and Fraud training tutorial, measured immediately after 4 weeks of training, with a minimum score of 0 and a maximum score of 3. Higher scores indicate more accurate knowledge of finance and fraud related information.
Time frame: Immediately after 4-week intervention training
Fraud Detection at One Year
Percent confidence that a given vignette describing fraud is actually an example of fraud, measured at baseline and one year after 4 weeks of training. Participants were given a vignette describing fraud (which was mixed in with vignettes not describing fraud) and were asked to give their percent confidence that this is actually an example of fraud. Higher confidence indicates higher accuracy when detecting fraud, with a minimum of 0 and a maximum of 100. Measures accuracy in discriminating fraud from non-fraud text-based scenarios (using 3 parallel forms).
Time frame: Baseline, One-year after 4-week intervention training
Driving Simulator Hazard Perception at One Year
Driving simulator (scenarios including hazards) measures of speed, maximum brake compression, and lane position, at baseline and one year after 4 weeks of training. These measures provide an estimate of accuracy in driving scenarios that involve hazards in the DriveSafety simulator (using 3 parallel forms). All measures were transformed into Z scores and averaged in order to create a measure of overall driving performance, where higher scores represent more dangerous (worse) driving performance.
Time frame: Baseline, One-year after 4-week intervention training
Self-reported Difficulty With Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs) at One Year
Self-reported difficulties in completing instrumental activities of daily living, measured at baseline and one year after 4 weeks of training, with a minimum score of 0 (indicating no difficulty) and a maximum of 3 (indicating severe difficulty).This is a modified short-form version of the Lawton IADL Items, used in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS).
Time frame: Baseline, One-year after 4-week intervention training
Speed of Processing at One Year
Scores from Useful Field of View (UFOV) test and Digit Symbol Substitution Test, at baseline and one year after 4 weeks of training, which each provide a measure of speed of processing. Raw scores were transformed into z scores, UFOV reaction time scores were inverted, then UFOV and digit symbol scores were averaged in order to create an estimate of overall speed of processing, where higher scores represent better performance.
Time frame: Baseline, One-year after 4-week intervention training
Knowledge About Driving at One Year
Test questions based on the American Association of Retired Persons driving course, measured one year after 4 weeks of training, with a minimum score of 0 and a maximum score of 3. Higher scores indicate more accurate knowledge of driving related information.
Time frame: One-year after 4-week intervention training
Knowledge About Finances and Fraud at One Year
Test questions based on the Finance and Fraud training tutorial, measured immediately after one year of training, with a minimum score of 0 and a maximum score of 3. Higher scores indicate more accurate knowledge of finance and fraud related information.
Time frame: One-year after 4-week intervention training
Driving Simulator Average Speed Post Training
Average speed in a driving simulator measured at baseline and immediately after 4 weeks of training. Speed is a continuous measure in miles per hour, with a minimum of 0 and no maximum. Speed may indicate risky driving behavior.
Time frame: Baseline, Immediately after 4-week intervention training
Driving Simulator Max Brake Compression Post Training
Maximum brake compression in a driving simulator measured at baseline and immediately after 4 weeks of training. Maximum brake compression measures the most that the brake pedal was compressed during driving, with a minimum of 0 and a maximum of 1. Maximum brake compression may indicate urgent stopping.
Time frame: Baseline, Immediately after 4-week intervention training
Driving Simulator Average Lane Position Post Training
Average lane position in a driving simulator measured at baseline and immediately after 4 weeks of training. Lane position measures the average deviation from the center of a lane while driving (values from -1 to 1), averaged across participants, where 0 represents perfect center, negative scores represent deviation to the left (from 0 to -1), and positive scores represent deviation to the right (from 0 to 1). Lane position indicates vehicle control and safety.
Time frame: Baseline, Immediately after 4-week intervention training
Driving Simulator Average Speed at One Year
Average speed in a driving simulator measured at baseline and one year after 4 weeks of training. Speed is a continuous measure in miles per hour, with a minimum of 0 and no maximum. Speed may indicate risky driving behavior.
Time frame: Baseline, One-year after 4-week intervention training
Driving Simulator Max Brake Compression at One Year
Maximum brake compression in a driving simulator measured at baseline and one year after 4 weeks of training. Maximum brake compression measures the most that the brake pedal was compressed during driving, with a minimum of 0 and a maximum of 1. Maximum brake compression may indicate urgent stopping.
Time frame: Baseline, One-year after 4-week intervention training
Driving Simulator Average Lane Position at One Year
Average lane position in a driving simulator measured at baseline and one year after 4 weeks of training. Lane position measures the average deviation from the center of a lane while driving (values from -1 to 1), averaged across participants, where 0 represents perfect center, negative scores represent deviation to the left (from 0 to -1), and positive scores represent deviation to the right (from 0 to 1). Lane position indicates vehicle control and safety.
Time frame: Baseline, One-year after 4-week intervention training
Useful Field of View Post Training
Useful field of view (UFOV) measured at baseline and immediately after 4 weeks of training. UFOV is measured as a response time in milliseconds, with lower times indicating quicker responses.
Time frame: Baseline, Immediately after 4-week intervention training
Digit Symbol Substitution Test Post Training
The Digit Symbol Substitution Test measured at baseline and immediately after 4 weeks of training. The Digit Symbol Substitution Test is measured through the number of items completed during a 90 second period, where higher scores indicate faster/better performance.
Time frame: Baseline, Immediately after 4-week intervention training
Useful Field of View at One Year
Useful field of view (UFOV) measured at baseline and one year after 4 weeks of training. UFOV is measured as a response time in milliseconds, with lower times indicating quicker responses.
Time frame: Baseline, One-year after 4-week intervention training
Digit Symbol Substitution Test at One Year
The Digit Symbol Substitution Test measured at baseline and one year after 4 weeks of training. The Digit Symbol Substitution Test is measured through the number of items completed during a 90 second period, where higher scores indicate faster/better performance.
Time frame: Baseline, One-year after 4-week intervention training
Technology Proficiency Post Training
Standardized Z-scores of Computer Proficiency Questionnaire and the Mobile Device Proficiency Questionnaire, at baseline and immediately after 4 weeks of training, which provide measures of technology proficiency. Scores are measured as a self-assessed proficiency, where higher scores indicate a higher proficiency and greater ease using a device on various tasks. Scores are standardized using z-scores, with the average at the baseline representing 0, and 1 representing one standard deviation above the average baseline score.
Time frame: Baseline, Immediately after 4-week intervention training
Technology Proficiency at One Year
Standardized Z-scores of Computer Proficiency Questionnaire and the Mobile Device Proficiency Questionnaire, at baseline and one year after 4 weeks of training, which provide measures of technology proficiency. Scores are measured as a self-assessed proficiency, where higher scores indicate a higher proficiency and greater ease using a device on various tasks. Scores are standardized using z-scores, with the average at the baseline representing 0, and 1 representing one standard deviation above the average baseline score.
Time frame: Baseline, One-year after 4-week intervention training
Numeracy Post Training
Score on the Berlin Numeracy Test taken at baseline and immediately after 4 weeks of training. Scores represent the number of correct items, where higher scores represent better performance, with a minimum score of 0 and a maximum score of 3.
Time frame: Baseline, Immediately after 4-week intervention training
Numeracy at One Year
Score on the Berlin Numeracy Test taken at baseline and one year after 4 weeks of training. Scores represent the number of correct items, where higher scores represent better performance, with a minimum score of 0 and a maximum score of 3.
Time frame: Baseline, One-year after 4-week intervention training
Reasoning Ability Post Training
Standardized Z-scores from Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices and Letter Sets tests, at baseline and immediately after 4 weeks of training, which provide measures of reasoning ability. Scores represent the number of correct items, where higher scores represent better performance. Scores are standardized using z-scores, with the average at the baseline representing 0, and 1 representing one standard deviation above the average baseline score.
Time frame: Baseline, Immediately after 4-week intervention training
Reasoning Ability at One Year
Standardized Z-scores from Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices and Letter Sets tests, at baseline and one year after 4 weeks of training, which provide measures of reasoning ability. Scores represent the number of correct items, where higher scores represent better performance. Scores are standardized using z-scores, with the average at the baseline representing 0, and 1 representing one standard deviation above the average baseline score.
Time frame: Baseline, One-year after 4-week intervention training
Memory Ability Post Training
Standardized Z-scores from Hopkins Verbal Learning and Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Tests, at baseline and immediately after 4 weeks of training, which provide measures of memory ability. Scores represent the number of correctly recalled items, where higher scores represent better memory. Scores are standardized using z-scores, with the average at the baseline representing 0, and 1 representing one standard deviation above the average baseline score.
Time frame: Baseline, Immediately after 4-week intervention training
Memory Ability at One Year
Standardized Z-scores from Hopkins Verbal Learning and Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Tests, at baseline and one year after 4 weeks of training, which provide measures of memory ability. Scores represent the number of correctly recalled items, where higher scores represent better memory. Scores are standardized using z-scores, with the average at the baseline representing 0, and 1 representing one standard deviation above the average baseline score.
Time frame: Baseline, One-year after 4-week intervention training
Miami Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Task Post Training
Score on Miami Instrumental Activities of Daily Living task, at baseline and immediately after 4 weeks of training, based on number of correct tasks/time completed. Higher scores represent more tasks completed per minute, and therefore better performance. Scores have a minimum of 0, and no set maximum.
Time frame: Baseline, Immediately after 4-week intervention training
Miami Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Task at One Year
Score on Miami Instrumental Activities of Daily Living task, at baseline and one year after 4 weeks of training, based on number of correct tasks/time completed. Higher scores represent more tasks completed per minute, and therefore better performance. Scores have a minimum of 0, and no set maximum.
Time frame: Baseline, One-year after 4-week intervention training