The findings suggest a relatively simple manipulation may circumvent the use of decision-making heuristics in patients.

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OBJECTIVES Examine the performance MCI and non-MCI participants on an objective measure of everyday or real-world memory and subjective items assessing competency within the same instrumental domains. In addition, determine whether ECB can uniquely predict MCI status. DESIGN Cross-sectional SETTING Independently-living sample of urban dwelling elders in Baltimore MD. PARTICIPANTS The sample consisted of 555 ranging in age from 50 to 95 years (M = 68.75, SD = 9.61) MEASUREMENTS Objective performance in three instrumental domains (i.e., medication use, financial management, nutrition/food preparation) was assessed by the Everyday Cognition Battery ECB Memory Test. Subjective performance with in the same instrumental domains was also assessed. RESULTS No difference was found between MCI and Non-MCI elders on the subjective items of IADL competency. A significant multivariate effect for cognitive status group [F(3, 507) = 21.88, p < .05, 2 =.12] was observed for the objective measure, with MCI participants performing, on average, significantly worse than Non-MCI participants on all thee instrumental domain subscales. The medicine use (OR = .96, 95% CI = .94–.99) and financial management (OR = .93, 95% CI = .91–.96) subscales of the ECB Memory Test were both unique and significant predictors of MCI. CONCLUSION This study adds to the growing body of literature suggesting that cognitively complex instrumental activities of daily living might be compromised in elders with MCI. Moreover, the ECB Memory Test might be a clinically useful tool in evaluating real-world competency.

This study examined the associations among chronic health conditions, sociodemographic factors, and depressive symptomatology in older married couples. Data from the 2004 wave of the Health and Retirement Study (n = 2,184 couples) were analyzed. Results indicated a reciprocal relationship in depressive symptoms between spouses. Additionally, post hoc analyses indicated that husbands' stroke and high blood pressure were related to increased depressive symptomatology among wives. Beyond the reciprocal relationship, husbands were unaffected by wives' health. These results suggest sex differences underlying psychological distress in the context of physical health among older adults and that older women with husbands who have high levels of depressive symptomatology, high blood pressure, or a history of stroke may be at particular risk of experiencing depressive symptoms.

This study tests the associations of self-efficacy, outcome expectancies, perceived barriers, self-regulatory behaviors and social support with physical activity. Data from 116 married community-dwelling middle-aged and young-old couples (M = 58.86 years, SD = 7.16, range = 50 to 75) were collected via mail-in survey. The model indicated that self-efficacy was directly and indirectly related to physical activity through outcome expectancies, perceived barriers and self-regulatory behaviors. The results clarify the associations among the social cognitive constructs and physical activity, and suggest that interventions targeting multiple social cognitive constructs could increase the activity levels of middle-aged and young-old adults.