Objective: Low control beliefs (CB) are related to objective cognitive functions, but the link between CB and subjective memory complaints (SMC) is unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between CB (level and change) and SMC over a 10-year span.
Methods: The study utilized a large national sample of participants (N = 3272, M = 56.52, SD = 11.84) from the Midlife in the US Study (MIDUS) to examine if both level (mean of Time 1 and Time 2) and change (Time 2 minus Time 1) of CB (personal mastery and perceived constraints) longitudinally predict SMC.
Result: Both the level of personal mastery and perceived constraints predicted SMC. Long-term changes in perceived constraints, but not in personal mastery, also predicted SMC. No age difference was found for the effects of CB (age × CB) on SMC.
Conclusion: The findings support the notion that the risk of SMC is related to low CB, and full consideration of CB level and change is needed for intervention development to combat memory loss.
Keywords: MIDUS; cognition; control beliefs; memory complaints; memory loss.