The Impact of Stereotype Threat on Memory and Cognition in Older Adults.
Graham J McDougall, Todd B Monroe, Keenan A Pituch and 2 others
PMID 34250870WHAT IT FOUND
In older adults, memory-related anxiety did not predict memory gains over 26 months, though it was linked to lower verbal memory and confidence at baseline.
Anxiety fell in the memory group, but not clearly more than health training.
Key findings
01Baseline memory-related anxiety was not associated with change in any memory outcome from baseline to 26 months.
02At baseline, higher memory-related anxiety was associated with lower verbal memory and lower memory self-efficacy after controlling for covariates.
03The memory training group showed a decline in memory-related anxiety, but the change was not significantly different from health training and was not significantly tied to memory gains.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Stereotype threat was not measured directly; the study used an anxiety subscale as a proxy. The supplied text describes a between-groups prospective cohort and does not clearly state how participants were assigned to groups. The memory training was a package of lectures, practice, booster sessions, and confidence building, so the study cannot identify which component affected anxiety or memory. The sample was 72% non-Hispanic White, 17% Hispanic, and 11% African American, and 77% female, so results may not apply equally to all older adults. The study excluded people with dementia or some cancers and required passing screening tests, so it says little about people with more severe cognitive or health problems. The analysis used an alpha level of .01, so associations with p values near .05 were not treated as significant.
Declared interests
The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest. The supplied metadata lists NIH extramural support.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the memory group's anxiety decline as proof that reducing stereotype threat improves memory in older adults. The between-group difference was not significant, and anxiety change did not predict memory gains.