Psychological Dimensions That Explain Integrity in Older Adults: Examination of a Structural Model.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this research was to confirm whether internal coping strengths, depressive symptomatology and gratitude disposition are significant predictors of integrity in older adults. METHODS: Participated 394 Ecuadorian older adults with ages between 60 and 91 years old. Self-report were applied to assess the different variables under study. Specifically, integrity, coping, resilience, self-efficacy, mood and gratitude were assessed. RESULTS: A confirmatory model was estimated to predict ego-integrity. A personal adjustment factor composed of problem-focused coping strategies, resilience and self-efficacy, and gratitude showed positive and significant relationships with ego-integrity, whereas negative mood negatively predicted integrity. CONCLUSIONS: Integrity is a key variable to strengthen a coherent view of one's life history and highly relevant during ageing. Having personal strengths and dispositions that facilitate adaptation to ageing and maintaining a positive mood predicts the attainment of integrity. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Integrity is an adjustment factor that facilitates adaptation to the stressors of ageing and to major life changes and loss of control indifferent areas of life.

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Intervention in Alzheimer's Disease and Its Follow-Up.

BACKGROUND: Alzheimer's disease (AD) stands as the prevailing type of dementia, marked by gradual memory loss and cognitive decline. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive method used to regulate cortical brain function and has been explored as a potential treatment for cognitive impairment. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to compare the effects of daily home-based active or sham tDCS on cognitive function in patients with early-stage AD and its follow-up after one month. METHODS: The study involved a randomized, blinded, and controlled-placebo design, with 18 participants enrolled. The primary outcome measures were general cognitive function, immediate, and delayed recall, and executive function. Participants included in the study were randomly assigned to the anodal and sham tDCS groups. Participants were assessed before and after the intervention and one month after the end of treatment. The home-based intervention was applied for 5 consecutive days, daily. RESULTS: The results showed a significant interaction between the active and sham groups; in particular, improvements in MMSE scores, immediate memory and delayed recall were observed at one-month follow-up in the active group. CONCLUSIONS: The positive effects of tDCS on cognitive function in AD patients observed suggest that tDCS may induce long-term neuroplastic changes, leading to sustained improvements in cognitive abilities.

Prediction of psychopathology during the COVID-19 pandemic using linear and non-linear methodologies: importance of COVID-19 threat perception, emotional competencies and resilience.

The presence of a mental or physical illness prior to the pandemic, the perceived threat from COVID-19, resilience or emotional intelligence may influence the onset or increase of psychopathology during the COVID-19 lockdown. The aim was to assess predictors of psychopathology by comparing two statistical methodologies (one linear and one non-linear). METHOD: A total of 802 Spanish participants (65.50% female) completed the questionnaires independently after signing informed consent. Psychopathology, perceived threat, resilience and emotional intelligence were assessed. Descriptive statistics, hierarchical regression models (HRM) and fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) were conducted. RESULTS: The data obtained through the HRM showed that the presence of a previous mental illness, low resilience and emotional clarity, high emotional attention and repair, and COVID-19 threat perception predicted 51% of the variance in psychopathology. Results obtained from QCA showed that different combinations of these variables explained 37% of high levels of psychopathology and 86% of low levels of psychopathology, highlighting how the presence of prior mental illness, high emotional clarity, high resilience, low emotional attention and low perceived COVID-19 threat play a key role in explaining psychopathology. CONCLUSIONS: These aspects will help promote personal resources to buffer psychopathology in lockdown situations.

La présence d'une maladie mentale ou physique avant la pandémie, la menace perçue du COVID-19, la résilience ou l'intelligence émotionnelle peuvent influencer l'apparition ou l'augmentation de la psychopathologie pendant le confinement lié au COVID-19. L'objectif était d'évaluer les prédicteurs de la psychopathologie en comparant deux méthodologies statistiques (linéaire et non linéaire).Méthode: Un total de 802 participants espagnols (65,50% de femmes) ont rempli les questionnaires de manière indépendante après avoir donné leur consentement éclairé. La psychopathologie, la menace perçue, la résilience et l'intelligence émotionnelle ont été évaluées. Des statistiques descriptives, des modèles de régression hiérarchique (HRM) et une analyse qualitative comparative floue (fsQCA) ont été effectués.Résultats: Les données obtenues grâce au HRM ont montré que la présence d'une maladie mentale antérieure, une faible résilience et une clarté émotionnelle réduite, une attention et une réparation émotionnelles élevées, ainsi que la perception de la menace COVID-19, ont prédit 51% de la variance de la psychopathologie. Les résultats obtenus à partir de QCA ont montré que différentes combinaisons de ces variables expliquaient 37% des niveaux élevés de psychopathologie et 86% des niveaux faibles de psychopathologie, mettant en évidence l'importance de la présence d'une maladie mentale antérieure, d'une clarté émotionnelle élevée, d'une résilience élevée, d'une attention émotionnelle réduite et d'une menace perçue de COVID-19 faible dans l'explication de la psychopathologie.Conclusions: Ces aspects aideront à promouvoir les ressources personnelles pour atténuer la psychopathologie dans les situations de confinement.

Emotional intelligence predicting ego integrity in healthy older adults.

OBJECTIVES: A characteristic task in aging is the process of reevaluating and reflecting on one's life in order to give it meaning. The successful resolution of this task is defined as ego-integrity, and it is related to various psychological phenomena that foster the person's adaptation to change. The objective was to adapt an ego-integrity scale in a sample of older adults and study the relationships between emotional intelligence, coping strategies, and mood to find out whether they are predictors of ego-integrity. METHODS: The sample included 401 healthy older adults (241 women; ages 65-95, M = 73.69, SD = 6.83). Statistical analyses included structural equation models. Northwestern Ego-integrity Scale 9-item was tested showing that a structure with two unrelated factors fitted the data well. The internal consistency was satisfactory (.82 integrity and .72 despair). RESULTS: Emotional intelligence positively predicted problem-focused adaptive coping strategies (problem solving and positive reassessment) and negatively predicted state of mind (depression and hopelessness), whereas adaptive coping positively predicted integrity, and mood predicted it negatively. CONCLUSION: Emotional intelligence skills, adaptive coping strategies, and mood largely determine the successful resolution of the ego integrity conflict and are relevant resources in successful aging.

Is acceptance and commitment therapy helpful in reducing anxiety symptomatology in people aged 65 or over? A systematic review.

Anxiety-related mental health problems constitute a health challenge, especially in the elderly population. At present, there are few psychological treatments to reduce anxiety adapted to this group. The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review of the literature to determine the therapeutic effects of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on anxiety in older adults, using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocol. Two blinded reviewers participated in the search, selection and methodological quality assessment processes; reaching satisfactory levels of agreement between reviewers (κ > 0.70). The search was performed in PubMed, Proquest Central, Scopus and Web of Science; making use of standardized terms for the construction of the algorithm. In the general search 348 studies were found. After applying the eligibility criteria and excluding duplicates, seven articles were extracted for qualitative analysis. The total number of subjects was 633, with an average age of 68.89 years (68.94% women). The analysis of methodological rigor showed moderate indices on average. The publications focused primarily on samples with a diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder, proposing a variety of assessment tests for related dependent variables, especially depressive symptoms and psychological flexibility. Critical analysis of the findings provides evidence for the efficacy of ACT in reducing anxious and depressive symptoms in older adults. This study proposes the use of this procedure as a non-pharmacological alternative for a group usually underrepresented in the scientific literature on this topic.

Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy to Improve Sleep Quality in Older Adults with Insomnia

There is a high prevalence of insomnia in older adults, which has negative consequences for their well-being and quality of life. The recommendation for first-line treatments is to administer non-pharmacological interventions. The objective of this research was to verify the effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in older adults with subclinical and moderate insomnia, studying its impact on sleep quality. One hundred and six older adults participated and were assigned to the subclinical insomnia (n = 50) or moderate insomnia (n = 56) groups; subsequently, they were randomly assigned to the control and intervention groups. Subjects were evaluated at two times with the Insomnia Severity Index and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Significant results were obtained on both scales, with a reduction in insomnia symptoms in the subclinical and moderate intervention groups. The administration of a treatment that combines mindfulness and cognitive therapy is effective for treating insomnia in older adults. (AU)

Existe una alta prevalencia de insomnio en los adultos mayores, lo que tiene consecuencias negativas para su bienestar y calidad de vida. La recomendación para los tratamientos de primera línea es administrar intervenciones no farmacológicas. El objetivo de esta investigación fue verificar la efectividad de la terapia cognitiva basada en mindfulness en adultos mayores con insomnio subclínico y moderado, estudiando su impacto en la calidad del sueño. Participaron 106 adultos mayores que fueron asignados a los grupos de insomnio subclínico (n = 50) o de insomnio moderado (n = 56); posteriormente, fueron asignados aleatoriamente a los grupos de control y de intervención. Los sujetos fueron evaluados antes y después de la intervención con el índice de gravedad del insomnio y el índice de calidad del sueño de Pittsburgh. Se obtuvieron resultados significativos en ambas escalas, con una reducción de los síntomas de insomnio en los grupos de intervención subclínica y moderada. La administración de un tratamiento que combina mindfulness y terapia cognitiva es eficaz para tratar el insomnio en adultos mayores. (AU)

Analysis of predictors of stress during confinement by COVID-19 in Spain.

Confinement has had a great emotional impact on the population, especially in terms of stress. Factors such as the presence of previous mental or physical illness, resilience or emotional intelligence may influence the occurrence or increase of stress. The aim was to assess predictors of stress by comparing two statistical methodologies (one linear and one non-linear).

Análisis de los predictores delestrés durante el confinamiento porCOVID-19 en España / Analysis of predictors of stress during stress during confinement by COVID-19 in Spain

Introducción: El confinamiento ha supuesto un gran impacto emocional en la población observándose, especialmente, el padecimiento de estrés. Factores como la presencia de enfermedades mentales o físicas previas, la resiliencia o la inteligencia emocional, pueden influir en la aparición o el aumento del estrés. El objetivo fue evaluar los predictores del estrés mediante la comparación de dos metodologías estadísticas (una lineal y otra no lineal). Método: Participaron 802 españoles (65,50% mujeres), que rellenaron de manera autónoma los cuestionarios tras la firma del consentimiento informado. Se valoró el estrés (PSPP), la percepción de amenaza del COVID-19 (BIPQ5), la resiliencia (CD-RISC-10) y la inteligencia emocional (TMMS-24). Se llevaron a cabo estadísticos descriptivos, regresiones jerárquicas (MRJ) y análisis cualitativos comparativos de conjuntos difusos (fsQCA).Resultados: Los datos obtenidos por MRJ evidenciaron que la presencia de una enfermedad mental previa, unabaja resiliencia y claridad emocional, una alta atención emocional y percepción de amenaza del COVID-19, predijeron el 51% de la varianza del estrés. Por su parte, los resultados del QCA mostraron que las diferentes combinaciones de estas variables explicaron el 71% de los casos de altos niveles de estrés y, el 56%, de los bajos niveles de estrés, señalando como la presencia de una enfermedad mental previa, la alta resiliencia, la alta claridad y reparación emocional, la baja atención emocional y la baja percepción de amenaza del COVID-19, juegan un papel fundamental en la explicación del estrés.Conclusiones: Estos aspectos ayudarán a promover los recursos personales para amortiguar el estrés en situaciones de confinamiento. (AU)

Introduction: Confinement has had a great emotional impact on the population, especially in terms of stress. Factors such as the presence of previous mental or physical illness, resilience or emotional intelligence may influence theoccurrence or increase of stress. The aim was to assess predictors of stress by comparing two statistical methodologies (one linear and one non-linear).Method: 802 Spaniards (65.50% women) who completed the questionnaires autonomously after signing the informed consent form participated. Stress (PSPP), COVID-19 threat perception (BIPQ-5), resilience (CD-RISC-10) and emotional intelligence (TMMS-24) were assessed. Descriptive statistics,hierarchical regression (HRM) and fuzzy set comparative qualitative analysis (fsQCA) were conducted.Results: Data obtained by HRM showed that the presence of previous mental illness, low resilience and emotional clarity, high emotional alertness and COVID-19 threat perceptionpredicted 51% of the variance in stress. On the other hand, the results of the QCA showed that different combinations of these variables explained 71% of high stress and 56% oflow stress. Pointing out how the presence of previous mental illness, high resilience, high emotional clarity and repair, low emotional alertness and low COVID-19 threat perception play a key role in explaining stress. Conclusions: These aspects will help to promote personal resources to buffer stress in confinement situations. (AU)

Are Coping Strategies, Emotional Abilities, and Resilience Predictors of Well-Being? Comparison of Linear and Non-Linear Methodologies.

Emotional intelligence (EI), problem-oriented coping, and resilience have been deeply studied as psychological predictors of wellbeing in stressful daily situations. The aim was to find out whether coping, EI, and resilience are predictors of well-being, using two statistical methodologies (hierarchical regression models and comparative qualitative models). With this objective in mind, we built an online evaluation protocol and administered it to 427 Spanish people, exploring these variables through a selection of validated tests. The extracted data were studied using linear predictive tests (hierarchical regression models), as well as fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis. We found that EI variables had important associations with coping, positive affect, negative affect, and life satisfaction, and also acted as relevant predictors for all of them, together with resilience and problem-oriented coping. The fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis showed a series of logical combinations of conditional causes and results of each potential configuration for these variables. The interaction between the presence of EI, resilience, and coping resulted in high levels of well-being. On the other hand, the presence of high emotional attention in interaction with low resilience and low coping abilities resulted in low well-being. These results increase knowledge about protective factors and allow for the creation of intervention programmes to enhance them.

La desesperanza como predictora de la soledad en adultos mayores / Hopelessness as a predictor of loneliness in older adults

Antecedentes y objetivo: La desesperanza se caracteriza por un conjunto de esquemas cognitivos negativos sobre el futuro, conceptualizándose en base a 3 dimensiones: afectiva, motivacional y cognitiva. Este constructo se encuentra vinculado a la soledad cuya incidencia en adultos mayores es cada vez más alta. El objetivo de esta investigación es comprobar si los factores de desesperanza predicen los niveles de soledad en adultos mayores.Material y método: Participaron 138 personas no institucionalizados de la ciudad de Valencia con edades entre los 65 y 90 años, y con una edad media de 73,67 (DE=4,8), siendo el 59,4% mujeres. Se aplicó para evaluar a los participantes la escala de desesperanza de Beck (BHS) y la escala de soledad de la Universidad de California (UCLA).Resultados: Los factores motivacional y cognitivo actúan como predictores estadísticamente significativos de la soledad, mientras que el factor afectivo no se presenta como un factor significativo. El modelo final obtuvo una R2adj=0,442, F(3, 87)=23,97; p<0,001.Conclusiones: La soledad es un fenómeno de gran preocupación en el ámbito de la gerontología debido a su alta incidencia y repercusión. Los resultados señalan que la desesperanza, concretamente la pérdida de motivación y las expectativas negativas sobre el futuro, son cuestiones críticas para el desarrollo de sentimientos de soledad en los adultos mayores. De este modo, resulta relevante atender a estas variables para poder aplicar programas de prevención de la soledad. (AU)

Background and objective: Hopelessness is characterized by a set of negative cognitive schemas about the future, conceptualized on the basis of three dimensions: affective, motivational and cognitive. This construct is linked to loneliness, the incidence of which in older adults is increasingly high. The aim of this research is to test whether hopelessness factors predict levels of loneliness in older adults.Material and methods: 138 non-institutionalized persons from Valencia city between 65-90 years old participated, with a mean age of 73.67 (SD=4.8), and 59.4% were women. The Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS) and University of California Los Angeles Loneliness Scale (UCLA) were administered to assess participants.Results: The motivational and cognitive factors acted as statistically significant predictors of loneliness, while the affective factor was not presented as a significant factor. The final model obtained an R2adj=.442, F(3, 87)=23.97, p<.001.Conclusions: Loneliness is a phenomenon of great concern in the field of gerontology due to its high incidence and impact. The results indicate that hopelessness, specifically loss of motivation and negative expectations about the future, are critical issues for the development of feelings of loneliness in older adults. Thus, it is relevant to pay attention to these variables in order to apply loneliness prevention programs. (AU)

[Hopelessness as a predictor of loneliness in older adults]. / La desesperanza como predictora de la soledad en adultos mayores.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Hopelessness is characterized by a set of negative cognitive schemas about the future, conceptualized on the basis of three dimensions: affective, motivational and cognitive. This construct is linked to loneliness, the incidence of which in older adults is increasingly high. The aim of this research is to test whether hopelessness factors predict levels of loneliness in older adults. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 138 non-institutionalized persons from Valencia city between 65-90 years old participated, with a mean age of 73.67 (SD=4.8), and 59.4% were women. The Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS) and University of California Los Angeles Loneliness Scale (UCLA) were administered to assess participants. RESULTS: The motivational and cognitive factors acted as statistically significant predictors of loneliness, while the affective factor was not presented as a significant factor. The final model obtained an R2adj=.442, F(3, 87)=23.97, p<.001. CONCLUSIONS: Loneliness is a phenomenon of great concern in the field of gerontology due to its high incidence and impact. The results indicate that hopelessness, specifically loss of motivation and negative expectations about the future, are critical issues for the development of feelings of loneliness in older adults. Thus, it is relevant to pay attention to these variables in order to apply loneliness prevention programs.

Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy to Improve Sleep Quality in Older Adults with Insomnia.

There is a high prevalence of insomnia in older adults, which has negative consequences for their well-being and quality of life. The recommendation for first-line treatments is to administer non-pharmacological interventions. The objective of this research was to verify the effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in older adults with subclinical and moderate insomnia, studying its impact on sleep quality. One hundred and six older adults participated and were assigned to the subclinical insomnia (n = 50) or moderate insomnia (n = 56) groups; subsequently, they were randomly assigned to the control and intervention groups. Subjects were evaluated at two times with the Insomnia Severity Index and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Significant results were obtained on both scales, with a reduction in insomnia symptoms in the subclinical and moderate intervention groups. The administration of a treatment that combines mindfulness and cognitive therapy is effective for treating insomnia in older adults.

Existe una alta prevalencia de insomnio en los adultos mayores, lo que tiene consecuencias negativas para su bienestar y calidad de vida. La recomendación para los tratamientos de primera línea es administrar intervenciones no farmacológicas. El objetivo de esta investigación fue verificar la efectividad de la terapia cognitiva basada en mindfulness en adultos mayores con insomnio subclínico y moderado, estudiando su impacto en la calidad del sueño. Participaron 106 adultos mayores que fueron asignados a los grupos de insomnio subclínico (n = 50) o de insomnio moderado (n = 56); posteriormente, fueron asignados aleatoriamente a los grupos de control y de intervención. Los sujetos fueron evaluados antes y después de la intervención con el índice de gravedad del insomnio y el índice de calidad del sueño de Pittsburgh. Se obtuvieron resultados significativos en ambas escalas, con una reducción de los síntomas de insomnio en los grupos de intervención subclínica y moderada. La administración de un tratamiento que combina mindfulness y terapia cognitiva es eficaz para tratar el insomnio en adultos mayores.

Home-based transcranial direct current stimulation in mild neurocognitive disorder due to possible Alzheimer's disease. A randomised, single-blind, controlled-placebo study.

Introduction: Mild neurocognitive disorder (mNCD), a pre-dementia stage close to Mild Cognitive Impairment, shows a progressive and constant decline in the memory domain. Of the non-pharmacological therapeutic interventions that may help to decelerate the neurodegenerative progress, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) shows beneficial effects on the learning curve, immediate recall, immediate verbal memory and executive functions. The purpose of this research was to study the effect of tDCS on general cognition, immediate and delayed memory and executive functions by comparing an active group with a placebo group of mNCD patients. Methods: Participants were 33 mNCD due to possible AD, randomly assigned to two groups: 17 active tDCS and 16 placebo tDCS. Ten sessions of tDCS were conducted over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Several neuropsychological scales were administered to assess the primary outcome measures of general cognitive function, immediate and delayed memory and learning ability, whereas the secondary outcome measures included executive function tests. All participants were evaluated at baseline and at the end of the intervention. Mixed ANOVAs were performed. Results: Significant effects were obtained on general cognitive function, immediate and delayed memory and learning ability, with increases in scores in the active tDCS group. However, there were no significant effects on executive function performance. Conclusion: The present study demonstrated the effectiveness of tDCS in an active tDCS group, compared to a placebo group, in improving general cognition and immediate and delayed memory, as previous studies found. Taken together, our data suggest that tDCS is a simple, painless, reproducible and easy technique that is useful for treating cognitive alterations found in neurodegenerative diseases.

Emotional intelligence intervention in older adults to improve adaptation and reduce negative mood.

OBJECTIVES: Emotional intelligence (EI) is a strong predictor of negative mood. Applying emotional skills correctly can help to increase positive emotional states and reduce negative ones. This study aims to implement EI intervention designed to improve clarity, repair EI dimensions and coping strategies, and reduce negative mood in older adults. DESIGN: Participants were randomly assigned to the treatment or control group. SETTING: Participants were evaluated individually before and after the intervention. PARTICIPANTS: Participants included 111 healthy older adults; 51 in the treatment group and 60 in the control group. INTERVENTION: An EI program was implemented. The program was administered over 10 sessions lasting 90 min each. MEASUREMENTS: EI dimension (attention, clarity, and repair), coping strategies, hopelessness, and mood were assessed. RESULTS: Analysis of variance for repeated measures was applied. In the treatment group, scores on clarity and emotional repair increased and attention to emotions decreased; problem-focused coping (problem-solving, positive reappraisal, and seeking social support) showed significant increases, whereas emotion-focused coping (negative self-focused and overt emotional expression) obtained significant decreases; scores on negative mood measures declined significantly. CONCLUSIONS: An intervention based on EI is effective in older adults. After the EI intervention, the participants showed significant increases in their levels of clarity and emotional repair and intermediate levels of attention. In addition, the intervention was found to influence adaptation results, increasing the use of adaptive coping strategies and decreasing the use of maladaptive strategies, as well as reducing hopelessness and depressive symptoms.

Coping and Life Satisfaction in Colombian Older Adults.

BACKGROUND: Effective coping strategies facilitate older adults' optimal adaptation and contribute to their well-being. Problem-focused strategies are associated with active styles and enhance well-being. This study analyzes the role of coping strategies in Colombian older adults' subjective well-being (SWB) using structural equation modelling. Additionally, Confirmatory Factor Analyses of the Life Satisfaction Scale and Coping Strategies Questionnaires are performed. METHOD: A cross-sectional study is conducted with 455 Colombian older adults, ranging from 65 to 92 years old. RESULTS: The results show that problem-focused coping has a positive effect on SWB, whereas emotion-focused coping has a negative effect on SWB. CONCLUSIONS: This article highlights the relationship between effective coping and life satisfaction by showing that problem-focused coping strategies are adaptative and enhance well-being during aging.

A Longitudinal Study of Episodic and Semantic Autobiographical Memory in aMCI and Alzheimer's Disease Patients.

BACKGROUND: The main objective of this study was to analyze the evolution of autobiographical memory (both episodic and semantic) in patients with mild cognitive impairment, patients with Alzheimer's disease, and a healthy control group. We compared these groups at two time points: first, at baseline, and in a follow-up after 18 months. METHOD: Twenty-six healthy older adults, 17 patients with mild amnestic cognitive impairment, and 16 patients with Alzheimer's disease, matched on age and educational level, were evaluated at both time points with the Autobiographical Memory Interview. RESULTS: The results showed significant longitudinal deterioration in episodic and semantic autobiographical memory in patients with mild cognitive impairment and in patients with Alzheimer's disease, but not in healthy older adults. CONCLUSIONS: The deterioration of episodic and semantic autobiographical memory in AD is confirmed; however, although the episodic was impaired in aMCI, a pattern that evolved toward deterioration over a period of eighteen months was observed for the semantic autobiographical memory.

Effectiveness of tDCS at Improving Recognition and Reducing False Memories in Older Adults.

BACKGROUND: False memories tend to increase in healthy and pathological aging, and their reduction could be useful in improving cognitive functioning. The objective of this study was to use an active-placebo method to verify whether the application of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) improved true recognition and reduced false memories in healthy older people. METHOD: Participants were 29 healthy older adults (65-78 years old) that were assigned to either an active or a placebo group; the active group received anodal stimulation at 2 mA for 20 min over F7. An experimental task was used to estimate true and false recognition. The procedure took place in two sessions on two consecutive days. RESULTS: True recognition showed a significant main effect of sessions (p < 0.01), indicating an increase from before treatment to after it. False recognition showed a significant main effect of sessions (p < 0.01), indicating a decrease from before treatment to after it and a significant session × group interaction (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Overall, our results show that tDCS was an effective tool for increasing true recognition and reducing false recognition in healthy older people, and suggest that stimulation improved recall by increasing the number of items a participant could recall and reducing the number of memory errors.

Effects of a simple reminiscence intervention program on the reminiscence functions in older adults.

OBJECTIVES: Reminiscence promotes the acceptance of oneself and others, a sense of meaning, and the integration of the present and the past. The currently accepted classification contains eight reminiscence functions grouped in three broader functions: self-positive functions (identity, problem-solving, and death preparation); self-negative functions (bitterness revival, boredom reduction, and intimacy maintenance); and prosocial functions (conversation and teach-inform). The main objective of this study was to investigate how the eight dimensions change over time in a sample of healthy older adults after an intervention based on simple reminiscence and subsequent follow-up. DESIGN: Participants were randomly assigned to the treatment or control group. SETTING: Participants were evaluated individually before, immediately after, and 3 months after the intervention. PARTICIPANTS: Participants included 139 healthy older adults (71 intervention group and 68 control group). INTERVENTION: Ten weekly sessions lasting 2 hours each were administered, based on a simple reminiscence program. MEASUREMENTS: Participants were assessed with the Reminiscence Functions Scale. RESULTS: After the intervention, in the treatment group, there was a significant increase in the self-positive functions of problem-solving and death preparation, and these effects were maintained even at the follow-up; there was a significant reduction in the self-negative functions of bitterness revival and intimacy maintenance; and there was a significant increase in the prosocial function of conversation. CONCLUSIONS: When applying an intervention based on reminiscence, it is important to evaluate how it influences these functions because this information can help us to modify the objectives of the intervention and increase its effectiveness.

Can we improve emotional skills in older adults?. Emotional intelligence, life satisfaction, and resilience / ¿Podemos mejorar las habilidades emocionales en adultos mayores sanos?. La inteligencia emocional, la satisfacción vital y la resiliencia

Emotional intelligence has been shown to be a relevant resource associated with better personal and social adaptation. In older adults, it has been associated with constructs such as life satisfaction and resilience, which are of interest in the field of gerontology because of their impact during the aging process. The objective of this study is to test an intervention based on emotional intelligence in order to find out whether the levels of these abilities improve, and whether the intervention has an effect on resilience and life satisfaction. The sample was composed of 125 healthy older adults (treatment, n = 57 and control, n = 68). The variables studied were homogeneous between groups. These variables were evaluated using the TMMS-24, SWLS, and BRCS self-report tests. The results showed significant effects of the intervention on the treatment group. Attention levels decreased significantly, whereas clarity and repair increased. In addition, the average scores on resilience and life satisfaction increased. An emotional intelligence-based intervention improves skills of older adults in its three dimensions. In addition, after the intervention, there is an increase in life satisfaction and resilience. Emotional intelligence skills are considered to generate positive, cognitive and behavioral outcomes for adaptation during aging. Thus interventions of this type could contribute to the quality of life of older adults, a topic of great relevance today due to increased longevity

Se ha demostrado que la inteligencia emocional es un recurso relevante asociado a una mejor adaptación personal y social. En adultos mayores se ha asociado con constructos tales como la satisfacción vital y la resiliencia, que son de interés en el campo de la gerontología debido a su impacto durante el proceso de envejecimiento. El objetivo de este estudio es evaluar una intervención basada en inteligencia emocional para determinar si los niveles de estas habilidades mejoran y si la intervención tiene efecto sobre la resiliencia y la satisfacción vital. La muestra estuvo compuesta por 125 adultos mayores sanos (tratamiento, n = 57 y control, n = 68). No existían diferencias entre los grupos al iniciar la intervención en las variables estudiadas. Estas variables se evaluaron mediante las pruebas de autoinforme TMMS-24, SWLS y BRCS. Los resultados mostraron un efecto significativo de la intervención en el grupo tratamiento. El nivel de atención disminuyó significativamente, mientras que la claridad y la reparación aumentaron. Además, aumentó la puntuación media en resiliencia y satisfacción vital del grupo tratamiento. La intervención basada en inteligencia emocional mejora las habilidades de los adultos mayores en sus tres dimensiones. Además, después de la intervención, aumenta la puntuación en satisfacción vital y resiliencia. Se considera que las habilidades de inteligencia emocional generan resultados cognitivos y conductuales positivos para la adaptación durante el envejecimiento. Así, esta intervención puede contribuir a la calidad de vida en adultos mayores, siendo este un tema de gran importancia debido al aumento en la longevidad

Las estrategias de afrontamiento: relación con la integridad y la desesperación en adultos mayores / Coping strategies: Relationship with integrity and despair in older adults

ANTECEDENTES Y OBJETIVO: Adaptarse con éxito al envejecimiento facilita la consecución de la integridad. Las estrategias de afrontamiento son clave en este proceso de adaptación, y dependiendo del tipo de estrategias que se apliquen, se puede conseguir la integridad o bien caer en la desesperación. El objetivo de este estudio fue analizar la relación entre las estrategias de afrontamiento y la edad con las dimensiones de integridad y desesperación en una muestra de adultos mayores. MATERIALES Y MÉTODOS: Se evaluaron las estrategias de afrontamiento, la integridad y la desesperación en una muestra de 325 adultos mayores sanos. Se realizaron regresiones lineales múltiples para estudiar qué variables estaban relacionadas con la integridad y la desesperación. RESULTADOS: La integridad mostró relaciones significativas y positivas con las estrategias reevaluación positiva, focalización en solución de problemas y género, y negativa con la búsqueda de apoyo; la desesperación mostró relaciones positivas con la autofocalización negativa y la expresión emocional abierta y negativa con la edad. CONCLUSIONES: Las estrategias orientadas al problema facilitan la consecución de la integridad facilitando el proceso adaptativo, mientras que algunas estrategias orientadas a la emoción son desadaptativas y fomentan la desesperación

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Adapting successfully to aging facilitates the achievement of integrity. Coping strategies are key in this adaptation process and, depending on the type of strategies applied, integrity or despair can be achieved. The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between coping strategies and age with the dimensions of integrity and despair in a sample of older adults. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Coping strategies, integrity and despair were assessed in a sample of 325 healthy older adults. Multiple linear regressions were performed to study which variables were related to integrity and despair. RESULTS: Integrity showed significant and positive relationships with positive reappraisal and focusing on the problem strategies and gender, and negative with seeking social support; despair showed positive relationships with negative self-focus and over emotional expression, and negative with age. CONCLUSIONS: Problem-oriented strategies facilitate the achievement of integrity by facilitating the adaptive process, while some emotion-oriented strategies are maladaptive and encourage despair