title: A longitudinal investigation of perceived control and cognitive performance in young, midlife and older adults.
abstract: Longitudinal associations between generalized control beliefs (one's perceived capacity to influence events) and cognitive test performance were examined in a population-based sample of young, midlife and older adults. Participants provided measures of perceived control, self-assessed health, education and depression and anxiety symptoms, and completed cognitive tests at two assessments, 4 years apart. For each age group, baseline (between-person) control was positively related to performance on tests of memory (immediate recall and digits backwards), speed (Symbol Digit Modalities Test and choice reaction time) and verbal intelligence (Spot-the-Word). Interaction effects indicated stronger associations of between-person control beliefs with indices of speed for the older age group relative to the younger groups. Within-person changes in control were not significantly associated with changes in cognitive test performance over the study interval. Implications of the findings for self-efficacy based interventions designed to promote cognitive functioning are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Mental Health Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia. Tim.Windsor@anu.edu.au
authors.forename: Tim D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Windsor
authors.forename: Kaarin J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Anstey
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003469:Culture; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D014706:Verbal Learning / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult