Performance of older adults in a digital change detection task: The role of heterogeneous education

Abstract

The influence of education on traditional paper-and-pen cognitive assessments is widely reported. However, a minimal amount of evidence is available regarding the role of education in digital tasks. This study aimed to compare the performance of older adults with different educational attainment in a digital change detection task, as well as to relate their performance on the digital task and traditional paper-based tests. Participants (n = 180) were recruited in primary health care settings from a countryside city in the state of Sao Paulo-Brazil and were assigned to three different groups according to their educational background. Traditional paper-based neuropsychological instruments (i.e., ACE-R, Digit Span, Bells test) were used in addition to a digital change detection task. There was no difference in reaction time on the change detection task between the groups; however, participants with higher educational levels performed better than illiterates or lower education groups. The digital test was correlated to ACE-R total score as well as to its language domain. Our results suggested that the performance in the digital task was different for older adults with heterogeneous educational attainment. Technology is a promising pathway in cognitive assessment, and education should be considered in the interpretation of the results.

Keywords:

• Aged
• cognition
• education
• gerontology
• task performance

Disclosure statement

The authors report there are no competing interests to declare.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES).