Face-name memory training in subjective memory decline: how does office-based training translate to everyday situations?

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to examine whether people with subjective memory decline (SMD) benefit from face-name memory training (single session) as much as older adult controls in an office-based setting. Approximately 2 months later, groups were reassessed for translation to a naturalistic setting. In the office setting, there was a significant interaction between stimulus type (cued name; uncued name) and training condition (spaced retrieval, semantic association, no training), but no group differences nor interactions. Semantic association was only beneficial for cued names, whereas spaced retrieval was beneficial in cued and uncued conditions. In the naturalistic setting, however, there were no training effects. Naturalistic performance was predicted by demographics, cognition, and motivation. All groups reported improved memory control beliefs and contentment. Our study demonstrates the benefit of simple memory strategies for older adults, including those with SMD, in office-based settings. Translation to everyday settings is complex and may require prior intervention to increase motivation.

KEYWORDS:

• Memory complaints
• spaced retrieval
• semantic association
• name recall
• ecological validity

Acknowledgments

A summary of this paper was presented at the 12th Conference of the Neuropsychological Rehabilitation Special Interest Group of the World Federation for NeuroRehabiliation (NR – SIG – WFNR), on 6 July 2015 on Daydream Island, Australia, and at the 2016 Australian Psychological Society (APS) Congress, on 13 September 2016 in Melbourne, Australia. This work was supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia under Clinical Research Training Fellowship 602543 to KEP.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia under Clinical Research Training Fellowship 602543 to KEP.