Evaluation of the Context-Based Prospective Memory (CBPM) task in neurotypical middle-aged and older adults:...

Prospective Memory (PM) is the ability to remember intentions for future execution which plays an important role in communication and is vulnerable to age-related decline. Context-Based Prospective Memory (CBPM) task, a novel test in Indian scenario evaluated psychometric properties among young adults. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of CBPM task among the neurotypical middle-aged and older adults and to investigate its sensitivity to age-related changes.

A total of 80 participants (40 middle-aged, 40 older adults) completed the CBPM task and the Memory for Intentions Screening Test (MIST). Psychometric properties like internal consistency, test-retest reliability and convergent validity were evaluated. Age-related differences were examined using previously established CBPM task data from young adults.

CBPM task demonstrated strong internal consistency (Cronbach's α= 0.875 for middle-aged and 0.715 for older adults), Excellent test-retest reliability for total performance scores (ICC=0.93 and 0.81) for middle-aged and older adults respectively and error classification (ICC= 0.97 and 0.99). Similarly inter-rater reliability also indicated strong reliability for the total PM performance (ICC=0.91 and 0.85), and error classification (ICC=0.97 and 0.99). Significant convergent validity was also observed with MIST, suggesting that both the tasks perform similarly. On assessing the tool's sensitivity to age-related changes in PM abilities, significant declines were observed in middle-aged and older adults compared to young adults affirming the age-related cognitive deterioration.

The CBPM task is an effective and reliable tool to measure PM across age groups, demonstrating strong psychometric properties and sensitivity to identify the age-related decline.