True performance: reducing stereotype threat effect in older adults' clinical assessment of memory.

Empirical studies suggest that memory loss with age is based not only on biological, but also on contextual factors. In line with the stereotype threat (ST) theory, it is argued that the features of the standard clinical situation may contribute to an underestimation of memory performance in older adults (OA). To prevent these shortcomings, we proposed and tested two different interventions that are easy to implement in clinical settings: individuation and self-handicapping. Results indicate that the individuation intervention appears to be a promising solution to alleviate the ST burden in clinical assessment of memory.

Daily life functioning of community-dwelling elderly couples: an investigation of the feasibility and validity of Ecological Momentary Assessment.

Although ambulatory data collection techniques have been used in elderly populations, their feasibility and validity amongst elderly individuals with cognitive impairment and amongst couples remains unexplored. The main objective of this study is to examine the validity of Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) in elderly persons with or without cognitive impairment and their spouses. The sample included 58 retired farmers (mean 77.3 years, standard deviation [SD] 5.5) with or without cognitive impairment, recruited within a French cohort and 60 spouses (mean 73.4 years, SD 6.9). The presence of cognitive impairment determining by a panel of specialized neurologists permitted to define two groups: "The Cognitive Impairment Group" and "The Control Group". EMA procedures consisted of repeated telephone interviews five times per day during four days for each spouse. Our results demonstrate the validity of EMA procedures through a 92.1% level of compliance, the absence of fatigue effects, and the lack of evidence for major reactivity to the methods. However, the specificity of our sample may explain the acceptance (42%) and response (75%) rates and may reduce the generalizability of the results to the general population of elderly individuals. Finally, the validation of such techniques may contribute to future research examining community-dwelling elderly individuals and their spouses.

The role of experimentation in the daily practice of neuropsychological assessment: advantages and disadvantages.

In some situations, satisfactory neuropsychological assessment of a patient is not possible using conventional methods of investigation such as standardized tests, clinical interview, or neurological methods of examination. This is the case when interfering variables or complex cases in which there is a mixture of impaired function preclude the use of some standardized tests. Under certain conditions, the use of experimentation (i.e., experimental designs) can be of interest and can complement classical neuropsychological assessment. Even if it entails a number of constraints, experimentation may lead to a better understanding of the abilities of a patient and make it possible to set up a more effective program of rehabilitation.