Memory for action: from cognitive models to clinical evaluation

Mathieu Hainselin (1)

1 CRP-CPO - Centre de Recherche en Psychologie : Cognition, Psychisme et Organisations - UR UPJV 7273

Objective The autonomy of individuals is linked to the achievement of instrumental activities of daily living that require complex behavior. In the elderly, the assessment of autonomy is usually based on questionnaires that have strong subjective constraints. Considering this fact, we tested elderly healthy adults and Alzheimer disease patients using a new measure, the S-IADL (Simulation of Instrumental Activities for Daily Living), to assess the ability to perform effectively activities of daily living. Method The S-IADL shares many items with the well-known IADL questionnaire proposed by Lawton & Brody (1969). However, as opposed to the IADL, the assessment of autonomy is not based on the completion of a questionnaire but requires the realization or simulation of various activities of daily living. Eighty-three participants (69 healthy elderly, and 14 Alzheimer Disease patients) completed the IADL and performed the S-IADL assessment. Results Results revealed that, like the IADL, the S-IADL is able to identify AD patients who are likely to encounter difficulties in performing everyday activities, and no major differences were found between the IADL and the S-IADL. Conclusions We outlined some advantages for prefering, in certain situation, this new tool based on simulation of activities in functional evaluation. Finally, we discuss the main limits of the S-IADL that should be investigated prior to its utilization by clinicians.

Domaines: Psychologie et comportements; Education; Psychologie; Psychiatrie et santé mentale; Sciences cognitives

Mathieu Hainselin. Memory for action: from cognitive models to clinical evaluation. Socioaffective Neuroscience and Psychology, 2015, 5 (1), pp.26091. ⟨10.3402/snp.v5.26091⟩. ⟨hal-03377899⟩