Leisure activity engagement, spirituality, and cognitive function in middle-aged and older Black adults

Leisure activity engagement (LAE) and spirituality are independently associated with cognition and may serve as protective cognitive factors with age. However, the dynamic interaction of LAE and spirituality on subjective (e.g., memory complaints) and objective cognitive function (e.g., neuropsychological battery) within Black adults has not been explored. Thus, this study examined the relationships between LAE and subjective and objective cognitive function, and whether these relationships varied by spirituality levels in middle-aged and older Black adults.

Black adults (N = 165; Mage = 62) from the Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity Across the Life Span-Sleep Sub-Study (Wave-1) were included. LAE comprised the average total number of self-reported LAE across a 7-day consecutive period. Spirituality reflected the sum score on the Spiritual Transcendence Scale. Cognitive measures included subjective (e.g., memory complaints) and objective cognitive indices (e.g., attention, memory/learning, language, processing speed, and executive function). Multivariable regressions were conducted to examine the relationship between LAE and each cognitive variable before and after adjusting for covariates. Analyses also included interactions between LAE and spirituality on cognitive functions.

Participants averaged seven LAE per day on consecutive days. Greater LAE was associated with better performance in processing speed, executive function, and memory/learning (ps < .05). Additionally, a greater number of LAE was associated with better language/naming, particularly among individuals with higher levels of spirituality (p = .039).

These findings provide preliminary support for the development of targeted programs coupling spiritual and leisure components to promote the language cognitive domain among Black adults.