AGE-RELATED DIFFERENCES IN PROSPECTIVE MEMORY: TURKISH VIRTUAL WEEK (VW-TR)

Abstract

Introduction: Prospective memory, which involves remembering intended future actions, is a vital function in terms of autonomy, quality of life, and everyday functioning. The primary aim of this study is to examine how aging affects prospective memory performance; its secondary aim is to adapt a laboratory-based prospective memory task, Virtual Week, to the Turkish culture and investigate its efficacy across young and old age groups. Materials and Method: The study was conducted with 60 young (18–25 years) and 60 old (60–87 years) participants. Participants were included based on their results on cognitive screening tests (Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Activities of Daily Living Scale, Geriatric Depression Scale, and the Beck Depression Inventory). In addition, the Stroop and Trail Making tests were administered to measure executive functions. Finally, the laboratory-based prospective memory task Virtual Week was performed. Results: Virtual Week has been adapted to Turkish culture and shown to be reliable (Spearman–Brown: 0.82). ANOVA was conducted to analyze the effect of aging on the Virtual Week task, and the results showed that young adults were more successful than older adults in prospective memory tasks (p < .05). Conclusion: The results support the theory of the aging paradox in prospective memory, which suggests that older adults exhibit lower performance in laboratory-based prospective memory tasks. The findings are discussed in the context of the relevant literature. Keywords: Memory; Cognitive Aging; Executive Function; Young Adult; Aged.