Effect of age on forward and backward span tasks

The central executive component of working memory has been argued to play an important role in the performance of span tasks, particularly backward span. Age-related decline in central executive function has also been reported, and yet there have been inconsistent findings to indicate that with increasing age, the discrepancy between forward and backward span increases. A secondary analysis of the Wechsler Memory Scale-Third Edition standardization sample (N = 1030) was performed to investigate this relationship. It was hypothesized on the basis of past research indicating an age-related decline in central executive performance, that backward digit and spatial span performance would decrease at a greater rate than forward span performance. However, the results indicated that the rate of age-related performance decline was equivalent for both measures. It is proposed that both forward and backward span tasks recruit central executive resources for successful task performance

PSYCHO-ONCOLOGY DEVELOPMENT AND INITIAL VALIDATION OF A FAMILY APPRAISAL OF CAREGIVING QUESTIONNAIRE FOR PALLIATIVE CARE

SUMMARY This article describes the derivation and initial psychometric validation of a multi-dimensional Family Appraisal of Caregiving Questionnaire for Palliative Care (FACQ-PC). The 25-item measure consists of four theoretically derived subscales: (i) caregiver strain, (ii) positive caregiving appraisals, (iii) caregiver distress, and (iv) family well-being. Based on a sample of 160 family caregivers of a relative with cancer receiving palliative care, reliability analyses demonstrated the subscale scores to be internally consistent and factor analysis revealed evidence of factorial validity. Correlations of the four subscales with measures of family functioning, positive and negative affect, and subjective burden provided evidence of convergent and discriminant validity. The FACQ-PC provides a measure of the family's appraisal of caregiving that can be used in clinical assessment, and has potential utility for evaluating the effectiveness of palliative care interventions

Hopkins Verbal Learning Test: Normative data for older Australian adults

Normative data from 203 community-dwelling older Australian adults are presented in relation to performance on the Hopkins Verbal Learning Test. Age and years of education were identified as significantly impacting on performance. Therefore, data are presented for three separate age groups (60-69 years; 70-79 years; 80-89 years) and two different lengths of education groups. Comparison between the performance of the Australian sample and an available U.S. sample indicates a generally comparable profile of performance on the Hopkins Verbal Learning Test

Clinical and Blood Biomarker Trajectories after Concussion: New Insights from a Longitudinal Pilot Study of Professional Flat-Track Jockeys

Clinical and Blood Biomarker Trajectories after Concussion: New Insights from a Longitudinal Pilot Study of Professional Flat-Track Jockey