In-home cognitive training with older married couples: individual versus collaborative learning.
Research has demonstrated that older adults' cognitive performance can be enhanced via formal intervention, as well as more informal intervention including collaboration or working with a partner. The current study investigated the effects of an inductive reasoning training program adapted for in-home use among older adults assigned to individual training (n = 30), collaborative training (n = 34), or a no-treatment control group (n = 34). The training consisted of 10 sessions, and all participants completed a pretest followed by a post-test 6 weeks later. Findings suggest that older adults could effectively "train themselves" without the guidance of a formal instructor. The results, however, did not indicate immediate added benefit in reasoning performance for collaborative versus individual training using the current reasoning program.
Margrett
Jennifer A
JA
Department of Psychology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, USA. Jennifer.Margrett@mail.wvu.edu
Willis
Sherry L
SL
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D001076:Aptitude; D003071:Cognition; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D005260:Female; D006699:Home Care Services; D006801:Humans; D008128:Logic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011340:Problem Solving; D011380:Programmed Instructions as Topic; D012691:Serial Learning; D018454:Spouses / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology