Sociodemographic and workload-related determinants of cognitive perception among university faculty members: a...

Cognitive failure describes everyday lapses in memory, attention, and task performance during routine activities. In academic settings, faculty members frequently manage demanding teaching loads, research commitments, and administrative duties, all of which may contribute to cognitive overload. Sociodemographic factors-such as age, and gender-may further shape how individuals manage these responsibilities and experience cognitive difficulties. A cross-sectional, self-report survey was conducted using the validated cognitive failures questionnaire (CFQ) to assess self-perceived everyday cognitive failures and examine their associations with sociodemographic characteristics and workload among 112 faculty members at the College of Science, King Faisal University. The findings indicated that subjective cognitive difficulties were common, with nearly half of the participants reporting moderate cognitive difficulties and a considerable proportion reporting severe perceived cognitive difficulties. Female gender emerged as a significant independent predictor of greater self-perceived cognitive difficulties. A high teaching workload, particularly 31-40 teaching hours per week, was also independently associated with increased self-reported cognitive failures. In contrast, greater involvement in research activities and moderate administrative responsibilities were independently associated with lower levels of self-perceived cognitive difficulties, suggesting an inverse association. Although academic rank and years of experience were associated with self-perceived cognitive difficulties in unadjusted analyses, these associations were no longer significant after multivariable adjustment. These findings underscore the potential importance of balanced workload management for supporting cognitive health and faculty well-being; however, because this study relied on self-report measures within a cross-sectional design, prospective studies incorporating objective cognitive assessments are needed to confirm these associations.