Feasibility of a Home-Based Task-Switching Training in Middle-Aged Caregivers

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

Abstract

The current study aimed at investigating feasibility of a self-administered task-switching training in a middle-aged working population. Eighty-one caregivers (41-62 years old) were instructed to train at home 8 times either within a 7- or 14-day interval. Only 56.7% performed more than 50% of the instructed number of training sessions. However, compliant caregivers (who completed more than 4 training sessions) showed significant training gains and transfer to an untrained task-switching task. Although transfer effects to other cognitive tasks were not found, trained participants tended to report fewer everyday memory failures than a control group. In conclusion, the implementation of a home-based task-switching training in everyday life of caregivers is possible. However, there is only limited evidence for generalization of results of previous laboratory studies. Adherence and transfer to other cognitive tasks are discussed as important challenges in conveying laboratory findings into real life.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)295-315
Number of pages21
JournalJournal of cognitive enhancement
Volume6
Issue number3
Early online date7 Jan 2022
Publication statusPublished - 7 Jan 2022
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

unpaywall 10.1007/s41465-021-00237-0
Mendeley ab727b1d-6f5f-3be4-8dcc-03600bff12f7
PubMed 35966367
ORCID /0000-0002-0015-5120/work/142239823
Scopus 85169145159

Keywords

Keywords

  • Executive control, Task-switching, Real life, Middle age, Training, Adherence, MILD COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT, PROSPECTIVE MEMORY PERFORMANCE, NO CONVINCING EVIDENCE, HEALTHY OLDER-ADULTS, WORKING-MEMORY, IMPLEMENTATION INTENTIONS, EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS, FLUID INTELLIGENCE, METAANALYSIS, INTERVENTIONS