ABSTRACT

Aim: The present study tested a compensatory executive intervention for prospective memory (goal management training) for the first time in older adults. Prospective memory (the ability to remember and execute a task in the future) declines with age, with significant implications for older adults’ activities of daily living and quality of life. Prospective memory interventions have focused primarily on the retrospective component of prospective memory (e.g., implementation intentions). However, executive dysfunction is also implicated in age-related prospective memory decline.

Methods: Community-dwelling older adults were randomly allocated to receive goal management training, implementation intentions or no intervention. Prospective memory was assessed before and after the intervention with a well-validated laboratory-based prospective memory measure. 

Results: Contrary to predictions, neither goal management training nor implementation intentions were successful at improving prospective memory in healthy older adults. Participants who received goal management training were more likely to have difficulty comprehending the intervention. Post-hoc analyses suggested implementation intentions improved prospective memory specifically for participants with poorer baseline prospective memory. 

Conclusions: These results represent important cautionary findings about the possible limitations of goal management training to improve prospective memory in older adults. Future research should also consider the role of baseline prospective memory ability in affecting response to compensatory intervention.

摘要

目的：本研究首次在老年人中测试了对前瞻性记忆（目标管理培训）的补偿性执行干预。前瞻性记忆（未来记忆和执行任务的能力）随着年龄的增长而下降，对老年人的日常生活活动和生活质量产生重大影响。前瞻性记忆干预主要侧重于前瞻性记忆的回顾性部分（例如，实施意图）。然而，执行功能障碍也与年龄相关的前瞻记忆衰退有关。

方法：社区老年人被随机分配接受目标管理培训、实施意向或不干预。在干预之前和之后，使用经过充分验证的基于实验室的前瞻性记忆测量来评估前瞻性记忆。 

结果：与预测相反，目标管理培训和实施意图均未成功改善健康老年人的前瞻记忆。接受过目标管理培训的参与者更有可能难以理解干预措施。事后分析表明，实施意图改善了前瞻记忆，特别是对于基线前瞻记忆较差的参与者。 

结论：这些结果代表了关于目标管理培训在改善老年人前瞻性记忆方面可能存在的局限性的重要警示性发现。未来的研究还应考虑基线前瞻性记忆能力在影响对补偿性干预的反应中的作用。