Cognitive training based on metamemory and mental images: follow up evaluation and booster training effects

• Grant number: 10/05024-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: June 01, 2010
• End date: December 31, 2010
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Psychology - Cognitive Psychology
• Principal Investigator: Monica Sanches Yassuda
• Grantee: Flávia Ogava Aramaki
• Host Institution: Escola de Artes, Ciências e Humanidades (EACH). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Background: In the second semester of 2008, 37 seniors participated in five cognitive training sessions based on creation of imagery and modification of self-efficacy for memory tasks. Objectives: To carry out follow-up evaluation after 18 months in order to detect possible maintenance the gains documented in the first post-test, namely, in self-efficacy and episodic memory; and to evaluate the impact of a training booster, that is, test whether there are additional gains when training is offered for the second time for the same participants. Methods: 37 older will be invited to attend five training sessions (Group Training - GT) for the second time, and 32 will be invited to complete the evaluations before and after intervention (control group - CG), if they have not participated in other cognitive training, and then they will be invited to participate in training. Participants will be evaluated with the Mini Mental Status Examination - MMSE, the Geriatric Depression Scale - GDS, the Brief Cognitive Screening Battery - BCSB (naming and memorization of 10 pictures, animal category verbal fluency test, the Clock Drawing Test - CDT), the Story subtest from the Rivermead Behavioural Memory Test - RBMT, the Memory Complaint Questionnaire - MAC-Q, and the Picture and Story domains from the Memory Self-Efficacy Questionnaire - MSEQ that were used to evaluate the effectiveness of the first intervention. We expect to find maintenance of the effects documented after the original training conducted in 2008, and that the second intervention will generate gains of greater magnitude.