Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Longitudinal correspondence between subjective and objective memory in the oldest old: A parallel process model by gender

  • Original Investigation
  • Published:
European Journal of Ageing Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Subjective memory and objective memory performance have predictive utility for clinically relevant outcomes in older adults. Previous research supports certain overlap between objective performance and subjective ratings of memory. These studies are typically cross-sectional or use baseline data only to predict subsequent change. The current study uses a parallel process model to examine concurrent changes in objective memory and subjective memory. We combined data from two population-based Swedish studies of individuals aged 80 + years, assessed every 2 years (OCTO—3 measurement occasions, OCTO-Twin—5 measurement occasions) yielding 607 participants (66% female). The results confirmed that both objective and subjective memory declined over time. The association between the slope of objective memory and subjective memory was statistically significant for women but not for men. This pattern remained after accounting for age and depressive symptoms. Our findings suggest that, in population-based samples of the oldest old, women seem to show better metacognitive abilities in detecting and reporting changes in memory. Memory changes for men may be better identified by objective performance as their self-assessment of memory changes is not associated with actual change in memory performance.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bassett SS, Folstein MF (1993) Memory complaint, memory performance, and psychiatric diagnosis: a community study. J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol 6:105–111

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burmester B, Leathem J, Merrick P (2016) Subjective cognitive complaints and objective cognitive function in aging: a systematic review and meta-analysis of recent cross-sectional findings. Neuropsychol Rev 26:376–393

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carayanni V, Stylianopoulou C, Koulierakis G, Babatsikou F, Koutis C (2012) Sex differences in depression among older adults: are older women more vulnerable than men in social risk factors? The case of open care centers for older people in Greece. Eur J Ageing 9:177–186

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Castel AD, Middlebrooks CD, McGillivray S (2015) Monitoring memory in old age: impaired, spared, and aware. In: Dunlosky J, Tauber SK (eds) The Oxford handbook of metamemory, pp 463–483

  • Crumley JJ, Stetler CA, Horhota M (2014) Examining the relationship between subjective and objective memory performance in older adults: a meta-analysis. Psychol Aging 29:250–263

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dahl M, Allwood CM, Hagberg B (2009) The realism in older people’s confidence judgments of answers to general knowledge questions. Psychol Aging 24:234–238

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fauth EB, Gerstorf D, Ram N, Malmberg B (2014) Comparing changes in late-life depressive symptoms across aging, disablement, and mortality processes. Dev Psychol 50:1584–1593

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fiske A, Gatz M (2007) The Apartment Test: validity of a memory measure. Aging Neuropsychol Cognit 14:441–461

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gagnon M, Dartigues JF, Mazaux JM, Dequae L, Letenneur L, Giroire JM, Barberger-Gateau P (1994) Self-reported memory complaints and memory performance in elderly French community residents: results of the PAQUID Research Program. Neuroepidemiology 13:145–154

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hertzog C, Dunlosky J (2011) Metacognition in later adulthood: spared monitoring can benefit older adults’ self-regulation. Curr Dir Psychol Sci 20:167–173

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hertzog C, Dixon RA, Hultsch DF (1990) Relationships between metamemory, memory predictions, and memory task performance in adults. Psychol Aging 5:215–227

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hertzog C, Sinclair SM, Dunlosky J (2010) Age differences in the monitoring of learning: cross-sectional evidence of spared resolution across the adult life span. Dev Psychol 46:939–948

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hohman TJ, Beason-Held LL, Lamar M, Resnick SM (2011) Subjective cognitive complaints and longitudinal changes in memory and brain function. Neuropsychology 25:125–130

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Horhota M, Lineweaver T, Ositelu M, Summers K, Hertzog C (2012) Young and older adults’ beliefs about effective ways to mitigate age-related memory decline. Psychol Aging 27:293–317

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johansson B, Zarit SH (1995) Prevalence and incidence of dementia in the oldest old: a longitudinal study of a population-based sample of 84–90-year-olds in Sweden. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 10:359–366

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johansson B, Allen-Burge R, Zarit SH (1997) Self-reports on memory functioning in a longitudinal study of the oldest old: relation to current, prospective, and retrospective performance. J Gerontol Ser B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 52:139–146

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johansson B, Whitfield K, Pedersen NL, Hofer SM, Ahern F, McClearn GE (1999) Origins of individual differences in episodic memory in the oldest-old: a population-based study of identical and same-sex fraternal twins aged 80 and older. J Gerontol Ser B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 54:173–179

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johansson B, Hofer SM, Allaire JC, Maldonado-Molina MM, Piccinin AM, Berg S, Pedersen NL, McClearn GE (2004) Change in cognitive capabilities in the oldest old: the effects of proximity to death in genetically related individuals over a 6-year period. Psychol Aging 19:145–156

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jungwirth S, Fischer P, Weissgram S, Kirchmeyr W, Bauer P, Tragl KH (2004) Subjective memory complaints and objective memory impairment in the Vienna-Transdanube aging community. J Am Geriatr Soc 52:263–268

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kohout FJ, Berkman LF, Evans DA, Cornoni-Huntley J (1993) Two shorter forms of the CES-D depression symptoms index. J Aging Health 5:179–193

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mascherek A, Zimprich D (2011) Correlated change in memory complaints and memory performance across 12 years. Psychol Aging 26:884–890

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McClearn GE, Johansson B, Berg S, Pedersen NL, Ahern F, Petrill SA, Plomin R (1997) Substantial genetic influence on cognitive abilities in twins 80 or more years old. Science 276:1560–1563

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McDonald-Miszczak L, Hertzog C, Hultsch DF (1995) Stability and accuracy of metamemory in adulthood and aging: a longitudinal analysis. Psychol Aging 10:553–564

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Montejo P, Montenegro M, Fernández-Blázquez MA, Turrero-Nogués A, Yubero R, Huertas E, Maestú F (2014) Association of perceived health and depression with older adults’ subjective memory complaints: contrasting a specific questionnaire with general complaints questions. Eur J Ageing 11:77–87

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Neubauer AB, Wahl HW, Bickel H (2013) Depressive symptoms as predictor of dementia versus continuous cognitive decline: a 3-year prospective study. Eur J Ageing 10:37–48

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pedro MC, Mercedes MP, Ramón LH, Borja MR (2016) Subjective memory complaints in elderly: relationship with health status, multimorbidity, medications, and use of services in a population-based study. Int Psychogeriatr 28:1903–1916

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Perrig-Chiello P, Perrig WJ, Stahelin HB (2000) Differential aspects of memory self-evaluation in old and very old people. Aging Ment Health 4:130–135

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Radloff LS (1977) The CES-D scale: a self-report depression scale for research in the general population. Appl Psychol Meas 1:385–401

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Radloff LS, Teri L (1986) Use of the center for epidemiological studies-depression scale with older adults. Clin Gerontol 5:119–136

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reid LM, MacLullich AM (2006) Subjective memory complaints and cognitive impairment in older people. Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord 22:471–485

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rönnlund M, Nyberg L, Bäckman L, Nilsson LG (2005) Stability, growth, and decline in adult life span development of declarative memory: cross-sectional and longitudinal data from a population-based study. Psychol Aging 20:3–18

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Saczynski JS, Beiser A, Seshadri S, Auerbach S, Wolf PA, Au R (2010) Depressive symptoms and risk of dementia The Framingham Heart Study. Neurology 75:35–41

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Simmons SF, Johansson B, Zarit SH, Ljungquist B, Plomin R, Mcclearn GE (1997) Selection bias in samples of older twins? A comparison between octogenarian twins and singletons in Sweden. J Aging Health 9:553–567

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sliwinski MJ, Hofer SM, Hall C, Buschke H, Lipton RB (2003) Modeling memory decline in older adults: the importance of preclinical dementia, attrition, and chronological age. Psychol Aging 18:658–671

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Soderstrom NC, McCabe DP, Rhodes MG (2012) Older adults predict more recollective experiences than younger adults. Psychol Aging 27:1082–1088

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor JL, Miller TP, Tinklenberg JR (1992) Correlates of memory decline: a 4-year longitudinal study of older adults with memory complaints. Psychol Aging 7:185–193

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Willis SL, Tennstedt SL, Marsiske M, Ball K, Elias J, Koepke KM, Morris JN, Rebok GW, Unverzagt FW, Stoddard AM, Wright E (2006) Long-term effects of cognitive training on everyday functional outcomes in older adults. JAMA 296:2805–2814

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilson RS, Barnes LL, De Leon CM, Aggarwal NT, Schneider JS, Bach J, Pilat J, Beckett LA, Arnold SE, Evans DA, Bennett DA (2002) Depressive symptoms, cognitive decline, and risk of AD in older persons. Neurology 59:364–370

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zelinski EM, Burnight KP, Lane CJ (2001) The relationship between subjective and objective memory in the oldest old: comparisons of findings from a representative and a convenience sample. J Aging Health 13:248–266

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zimprich D, Martin M, Kliegel M (2003) Subjective cognitive complaints, memory performance, and depressive affect in old age: a change-oriented approach. Int J Aging Hum Dev 57:339–366

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Utah State University, Logan, UT, USA

    Joseph W. Jones

  2. Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Utah State University, Logan, UT, USA

    Elizabeth B. Fauth

  3. Institute of Gerontology, Jönköping University, Jönköping, Sweden

    Marie Ernsth Bravell

  4. Department of Psychology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden

    Boo Johansson

  5. Department of Family and Child Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA

    Thomas Ledermann

Authors
  1. Joseph W. Jones
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Elizabeth B. Fauth
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Marie Ernsth Bravell
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Boo Johansson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Thomas Ledermann
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Joseph W. Jones.

Additional information

Responsible editor: Matthias Kliegel.

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Jones, J.W., Fauth, E.B., Ernsth Bravell, M. et al. Longitudinal correspondence between subjective and objective memory in the oldest old: A parallel process model by gender. Eur J Ageing 16, 317–326 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10433-019-00500-6

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10433-019-00500-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation