TitleMediators of the relationship between life events and memory functioning in a community sample of adults.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2014
AuthorsKorten, NCM, Sliwinski, MJ, Comijs, HC, Smyth, JM
JournalAppl Cogn Psychol
Volume28
Issue5
Pagination626-633
Date Published2014 September-October
ISSN0888-4080
Abstract

<p>The present study examines the association of frequency and severity of life events with memory functioning in a community sample of adults. We tested the hypothesis that stress-related cognitive interference mediated the effects of recent life events on cognition, in addition to examining the potential roles of fatigue, sleep disturbances, and depression. The sample consisted of 310 adults (age range 19-83) who received a battery of cognitive tests assessing their primary memory, episodic memory, and working memory. Individuals rated how stressful previous life events were when they occurred, as well as how stressful the events were for them currently. Ratings of current, but not past severity were negatively associated with working memory performance. Both stress-related cognitive interference and depressive symptoms independently mediated this association. These findings highlight the importance of intrusive and avoidant thinking as a potential focus of psychosocial treatment for remediating stress-related memory dysfunction.</p>

DOI10.1002/acp.3043
Alternate JournalAppl Cogn Psychol
PubMed ID25729155
PubMed Central IDPMC4339058
Grant ListR01 AG026728 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
R01 AG039409 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States