title: Aging memory self-efficacy: elders share their thoughts and experience.
abstract: Twenty-six elders responded to an open-ended question as part of a study that examined the relationships among depression, health, memory self-efficacy, and metamemory. Participants rated their overall memory function as fair to average (M = 4.26, standard deviation [SD] = 1.29). The average memory efficacy scores were high (M = 51.35, SD = 23.56). The final question invited participants to share any additional information they thought might be important to this item. This article represents a content analysis of these comments. The mean age of responders was 68.78; all had high perceived health and no depression. No differences on memory self-efficacy arose among age groups. Themes included memory management, rationalization, reflection, information seeking, and correlation establishment. Therefore, it is important for clinicians to ask elders about memory function during routine health care encounters, as individuals are interested in memory assessment and management.
authors.affiliation: University of Texas at Austin School of Nursing, USA.
authors.forename: Graham J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: McDougall
authors.forename: Kristen S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Montgomery
authors.forename: Nelda
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Eddy
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.forename: Erin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.forename: Tesa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Stark
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Thomsen
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D005851:Geriatric Nursing; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D011788:Quality of Life; D020377:Self Efficacy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires