Cross-sectional association between objective cognitive performance and perceived age-related gains and losses in cognition

Serena Sabatini; Obioha C Ukoumunne; Clive Ballard; Rachel Collins; Kaarin J Anstey; Manfred Diehl; Allyson Brothers; Hans-Werner Wahl; Anne Corbett; Adam Hampshire; Helen Brooker; Linda Clare

doi:10.1017/S1041610221000375

Cross-sectional association between objective cognitive performance and perceived age-related gains and losses in cognition

Int Psychogeriatr. 2021 Jul;33(7):727-741. doi: 10.1017/S1041610221000375. Epub 2021 Apr 14.

Authors

Serena Sabatini¹, Obioha C Ukoumunne², Clive Ballard¹, Rachel Collins¹, Kaarin J Anstey³, Manfred Diehl⁴, Allyson Brothers⁴, Hans-Werner Wahl⁵, Anne Corbett¹, Adam Hampshire⁶, Helen Brooker^{1

7}, Linda Clare^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Medical School, College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK.
² Medical School, NIHR ARC South West Peninsula (PenARC), University of Exeter, Exeter, UK.
³ Medical School, Ageing Futures Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, and Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia.
⁴ Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
⁵ Medical School, Institute of Psychology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
⁶ Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK.
⁷ Ecog Pro Ltd., Bristol, UK.

PMID: 33849677
DOI: 10.1017/S1041610221000375

Abstract

Objectives: Evidence linking subjective concerns about cognition with poorer objective cognitive performance is limited by reliance on unidimensional measures of self-perceptions of aging (SPA). We used the awareness of age-related change (AARC) construct to assess self-perception of both positive and negative age-related changes (AARC gains and losses). We tested whether AARC has greater utility in linking self-perceptions to objective cognition compared to well-established measures of self-perceptions of cognition and aging. We examined the associations of AARC with objective cognition, several psychological variables, and engagement in cognitive training.

Design: Cross-sectional observational study.

Participants: The sample comprised 6056 cognitively healthy participants (mean [SD] age = 66.0 [7.0] years); divided into subgroups representing middle, early old, and advanced old age.

Measurements: We used an online cognitive battery and measures of global AARC, AARC specific to the cognitive domain, subjective cognitive change, attitudes toward own aging (ATOA), subjective age (SA), depression, anxiety, self-rated health (SRH).

Results: Scores on the AARC measures showed stronger associations with objective cognition compared to other measures of self-perceptions of cognition and aging. Higher AARC gains were associated with poorer cognition in middle and early old age. Higher AARC losses and poorer cognition were associated across all subgroups. Higher AARC losses were associated with greater depression and anxiety, more negative SPA, poorer SRH, but not with engagement in cognitive training.

Conclusions: Assessing both positive and negative self-perceptions of cognition and aging is important when linking self-perceptions to cognitive functioning. Objective cognition is one of the many variables - alongside psychological variables - related to perceived cognitive losses.

Keywords: AARC; anxiety; attitudes toward own aging; depression; perceived health; self-perceptions of aging; subjective aging; subjective cognitive complaints.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Aging / psychology*
Awareness
Cognition*
Cognitive Aging / psychology*
Cross-Sectional Studies
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Self Concept*