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Metamemory and depression in cognitively impaired elders
1Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA.
Nursing Research
|September 1, 1995
Summary
Depression and health significantly impact memory perceptions in nursing home residents with cognitive impairment. Findings highlight correlations between these factors and metamemory, suggesting areas for intervention.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Cognitive Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Cognitive impairment is prevalent in nursing home residents.
- Metamemory, or the awareness of one's own memory, is crucial for daily functioning.
- Understanding factors influencing metamemory in this population is vital for care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between depression and health with metamemory perceptions (capacity, change, locus, strategy) in cognitively impaired nursing home residents.
- To explore differences in metamemory based on cognitive impairment severity.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study involving 55 nursing home residents with Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE) scores between 15 and 23.
- Utilized Pearson correlations to examine relationships between depression, health, and metamemory components.
- Compared metamemory strategies between mild and severe cognitive impairment groups.
Main Results:
- Significant negative correlations were found between depression and memory capacity (-.44) and memory change (-.41).
- Age was negatively correlated with memory strategy use (-.31).
- Cognitive impairment severity influenced the use of over-the-counter medications and memory strategies.
Conclusions:
- Depression and perceived health are significant correlates of metamemory in cognitively impaired older adults.
- Interventions targeting depression may improve memory self-perceptions in this population.
- Cognitive impairment level influences strategy use and medication management.