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The Children's Memory Questionnaire-Revised
Rebekah Hedges1, Karen Drysdale1, Wayne R Levick1
1a Psychology , University of Newcastle, Callaghan , Newcastle , New South Wales , Australia.
Insights
This study factor analyzed the Children's Memory Questionnaire-Revised (CMQ-R), finding it measures distinct everyday memory abilities in children, not formal memory functions. Results suggest the CMQ-R offers a unique perspective on children's memory.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Neuropsychology
- Educational Psychology
Background:
- Parental perception of memory is crucial for understanding children's cognitive development.
- The Children's Memory Questionnaire-Revised (CMQ-R) is a tool for assessing these perceptions.
- Evaluating the psychometric properties of the CMQ-R is essential for its valid application.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a factor analysis of the Children's Memory Questionnaire-Revised (CMQ-R).
- To assess the reliability and effectiveness of the CMQ-R in measuring children's memory functioning.
- To compare parent-reported memory (CMQ-R) with formal memory assessments.
Main Methods:
- Factor analysis of the 36-item CMQ-R administered to 371 children (aged 5-12).
- Test-retest reliability assessed in a subsample.
- Comparison of CMQ-R scores with formal memory testing in school and clinical groups.
Main Results:
- Low correlations between CMQ-R and formal memory tests, improving with age.
- Significant differences in CMQ-R scores between school and clinical groups.
- Factor analysis revealed three factors: episodic memory, visual memory, and working memory/attention.
Conclusions:
- The CMQ-R appears to measure distinct, everyday memory abilities rather than formal cognitive functions.
- The questionnaire shows potential for assessing practical memory skills in children.
- Further research can explore the CMQ-R's utility in clinical and educational settings.
Abstract:
The aim of the current study was to conduct a factor analysis of the Children's Memory Questionnaire-Revised (CMQ-R) and evaluate it as a reliable and effective measurement of memory functioning in children. The CMQ-R is a 36-item questionnaire designed to assess parents' perceptions of their children's memory. Three hundred and seventy-one children aged 5 to 12 years old participated in this study. Three hundred and forty-two children were recruited from schools and 29 were recruited from Kaleidoscope outpatient medical and allied health clinics. Parents of all 371 children completed the CMQ-R, and the parents of 6-, 8-, 10-, and 12-year-olds in the school group completed a 2nd CMQ-R approximately 1 month later. In the school group, children at these ages also participated in a formal assessment of memory. In the clinical group, all 29 children were tested. The results indicated that correlations between the CMQ-R and formal memory testing were low; however, these results improved slightly when age groups were separated with the highest correlation occurring for the 12-year-olds. The school and clinical groups were compared on measures of the CMQ-R, and results indicated that there was a significant difference in the CMQ-R total between the school and clinical groups. A factor analysis of the CMQ-R revealed three factors with moderate to strong loadings, and these reflected, although were not limited to, episodic memory, visual memory, and working memory/attention. The possibility is discussed that the CMQ-R was assessing different aspects of memory than formal testing and that these are likely to be everyday memory abilities.
