Relation between subjective and objective (working) memory in young and older adults

Abstract

Introduction/Aims: The relation between autobiographical memory and memory complaints has been widely studied. Results has been inconsistent and explained by several factors (e.g., age, emotional state, nature of the tasks). On other hand, the relation between subjective memory complaints and working memory is sparsely studied. The current work aimed to understand the relation between subjective memory complaints and objective memory tasks, specifically visuospatial tasks and immediate evocation. Method: The sample consisted of 80 participants: 40 young adults aged between 18 and 35 years and 40 older adults aged 65 years or over. The following instruments and tasks were applied: Sociodemographic Questionnaire, Subjective Memory Complaints Questionnaire, Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), objective memory tasks (i.e., digit span; word span; colors span and corsi blocks), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI).Results: The results indicated the existence of significant differences in subjective memory complaints between young adults and older adults. The results also indicated that individuals with higher levels of depression had more subjective memory complaints, and this fact was particularly evident in the older adults. Conclusion: The study indicates that there is a relation between subjective memory complaints and results obtained in objective tasks among young adults and older adults. It also indicates that there are differences between age groups in subjective memory complaints. However, the depression variable may be a contributing factor to the emergence of these subjective memory complaints.