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Papers by Jason Allaire

Research paper thumbnail of Intraindividual variability in psychometrically defined mild cognitive impairment status in older African Americans

Psychology and Aging, 2012

This study examines day-to-day variability in psychometrically defined mild cognitive impairment ... more This study examines day-to-day variability in psychometrically defined mild cognitive impairment (MCI) status and potential predictors of changes in MCI status in an independent-living sample of urban dwelling older adults in Baltimore, Maryland. The participant sample consisted of 50 older adults, ranging in age from 50 to 80 years. Participants completed health and cognitive measures (i.e., executive function, language, memory, and global cognition) over 8 occasions within a 2-3-week period. After each testing occasion, a post hoc classification of MCI status was determined using psychometrically defined criteria based on cognitive performance. Participants who classified as MCI after one assessment often did not meet MCI criteria at subsequent occasions. Daily fluctuations in sleep duration were associated with an increased risk for MCI classification. These results demonstrate that changes in sleep may explain changes in MCI status, particularly for African Americans.

Research paper thumbnail of Education Desegregation and Cognitive Change in African American Older Adults

The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences, Jan 31, 2014

The present study examined the relationship between desegregated schooling and cognitive change i... more The present study examined the relationship between desegregated schooling and cognitive change in a sample of 420 community-dwelling African American elders (mean age = 68.6; SD = 9.1). Participants were recruited for the Baltimore Study of Black Aging-Patterns of Cognitive Aging. Cognitive measures from six domains of function were administered at baseline and follow-up 33 months later. Repeated measures multivariate analysis of covariance was conducted; the between subjects factors were schooling type and age cohort, and the within subjects factor was time. Analyses controlled for age, years of education, and sex, and follow-up univariate analyses were used to determine which individual cognitive scores drove the multivariate effects. There were significant multivariate within-group, between-group, and interaction effects (p < .05). Univariate analyses indicated that the desegregated schooling group scored significantly better on Language and Perceptual Speed (p < .01), and...

Research paper thumbnail of Cognition and health in African American men

Journal of aging and health, 2015

Despite high rates of poor health outcomes, little attention has been focused on associations bet... more Despite high rates of poor health outcomes, little attention has been focused on associations between prominent health factors and cognitive function in African American men, exclusively. The objective was to examine relationships between cardiovascular and pulmonary health, and cognitive function in African American men. Data from 257 men were pooled from two studies of African American aging. The mean age of participants was 58.15 and mean educational attainment was 11.78 years. Participants provided self-reported health and demographic information, completed cognitive measures, and had their blood pressure and peak expiratory flow assessed. After adjustment, significant relationships were found between average peak expiratory flow rate (APEFR) and cognitive performance measures. Results suggest that lung function is important to consider when examining cognitive function in African American men. Understanding the role of health in cognition and implications for quality of life in...

Research paper thumbnail of How blood pressure affects the aging mind

Ethnicity & disease, 2008

Research paper thumbnail of BLOOD PRESSURE AND MEMORY IN OLDER AFRICAN AMERICANS

The rates of high blood pressure among African Americans, as a group, are the highest in the worl... more The rates of high blood pressure among African Americans, as a group, are the highest in the world. The implications for higher average blood pressure include complications for many major chronic conditions, such as cardiovas- cular disease and diabetes. Less well studied is the effect of blood pressure on the cognitive functioning of African Americans. The purpose of this study

Research paper thumbnail of Examining the association between lung functioning and cognitive performance in African American adults

Journal of aging and health, 2007

The current study examined the extent to which pulmonary functioning, as measured by average peak... more The current study examined the extent to which pulmonary functioning, as measured by average peak expiratory flow, was related to performance on seven cognitive measures. Analyses were conducted on a sample of 396 African American adults ranging in age from 22 to 89 years. Lung functioning was not uniquely associated with cognitive performance in the younger adults, though it emerged as a significant predictor of individual differences in performance on the Telephone Interview of Cognitive Status even after controlling for age, education, and smoking history. Biobehavioral assessments such as the one presented here appear to provide important new insights into the sources of individual differences in cognition observed in this understudied population.

Research paper thumbnail of Defining the Relationships Between Web Ability, Age, and Web Experience Across the Adult Life Span

Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting, 1999

The use of computer technology, particularly Web applications, has grown dramatically over the la... more The use of computer technology, particularly Web applications, has grown dramatically over the last five years. Once the primary domain of young adults, the Web is now being used by individuals across the life span. The current study examined the relationships among age, Web ...

Research paper thumbnail of Sleep complaints in older blacks: do demographic and health indices explain poor sleep quality and duration?

Journal of clinical sleep medicine : JCSM : official publication of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, Jan 15, 2014

To examine the relationship between measures of sleep quality and the presence of commonly encoun... more To examine the relationship between measures of sleep quality and the presence of commonly encountered comorbid and sociodemographic conditions in elderly Black subjects. Analyses included participants from the Baltimore Study of Black Aging (BSBA; n = 450; mean age 71.43 years; SD 9.21). Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) measured overall sleep pattern and quality. Self-reported and objective measures of physical and mental health data and demographic information were collected for all participants. Sociodemographic and comorbid health factors were significantly associated with sleep quality. Results from regression analyses revealed that older age, current financial strain, interpersonal problems, and stress were unique predictors of worse sleep quality. Sleep duration was significantly correlated with age, depressive affect, interpersonal problems, and stress; only age was a unique significant predictor. While participants 62 years or younger had worse sleep quality with incre...

Research paper thumbnail of Investigation Into the Human Factors of Motivated Engagement in Complex Activity by Older Adults

Research paper thumbnail of Fear of failure

Proceedings of the International Conference on the Foundations of Digital Games - FDG '12, 2012

In this poster, we examine gender differences in older adults playing an off-the-shelf puzzle gam... more In this poster, we examine gender differences in older adults playing an off-the-shelf puzzle game (Boom Blox, EA 2008). Game design research for the elderly is an under-developed area, even though one-fifth of adults over the age of sixty-five reported playing video games and those that do so play more often that their younger counterparts. Gender differences in older adult gamers are even less understood. We use quantitative and qualitative techniques to identify gender differences in older adult game players and we discuss ramifications for cognitive game design.

Research paper thumbnail of Peripheral muscle endurance and the oxidative profile of the quadriceps in patients with COPD

Thorax, 2004

Background: Based on previously reported changes in muscle metabolism that could increase suscept... more Background: Based on previously reported changes in muscle metabolism that could increase susceptibility to fatigue, we speculated that patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have reduced quadriceps endurance and that this will be correlated with the proportion of type I muscle fibres and with the activity of oxidative enzymes. Methods: The endurance of the quadriceps was evaluated during an isometric contraction in 29 patients with COPD (mean (SE) age 65 (1) years; forced expiratory volume in 1 second 37 (3)% predicted) and 18 healthy subjects of similar age. The electrical activity of the quadriceps was recorded during muscle contraction as an objective index of fatigue. The time at which the isometric contraction at 60% of maximal voluntary capacity could no longer be sustained was used to define time to fatigue (TF). Needle biopsies of the quadriceps were performed in 16 subjects in both groups to evaluate possible relationships between TF and markers of muscle oxidative metabolism (type I fibre proportion and citrate synthase activity). Results: TF was lower in patients with COPD than in controls (42 (3) v 80 (7) seconds; mean difference 38 seconds (95% CI 25 to 50), p,0.001). Subjects in both groups had evidence of electrical muscle fatigue at the end of the endurance test. In both groups significant correlations were found between TF and the proportion of type I fibres and citrate synthase activity. Conclusion: Isometric endurance of the quadriceps muscle is reduced in patients with COPD and the muscle oxidative profile is significantly correlated with muscle endurance.

Research paper thumbnail of The Relationship Between Reported Problems Falling Asleep and Cognition Among African American Elderly

Research on Aging, 2008

... DOI: 10.1177/0164027508322576 2008 30: 752 originally published online 18 August 2008 Researc... more ... DOI: 10.1177/0164027508322576 2008 30: 752 originally published online 18 August 2008 Research on Aging Alyssa A. Gamaldo, Jason C. Allaire and Keith E. Whitfield Cognition Among African American Elderly The Relationship Between Reported Problems Falling Asleep ...

Research paper thumbnail of Change in Cognitive Capabilities in the Oldest Old: The Effects of Proximity to Death in Genetically Related Individuals Over a 6-Year Period

Psychology and Aging, 2004

Change in cognitive abilities was assessed over a 6-year period in a sample of monozygotic and sa... more Change in cognitive abilities was assessed over a 6-year period in a sample of monozygotic and same-sex dizygotic twin pairs (N ϭ 507 individuals), aged 80 and older (mean age ϭ 83.3 years; SD ϭ 3.1), who remained nondemented over the course of the study. Latent growth models (LGMs) show that chronological age and time to death are consistent predictors of decline in measures of memory, reasoning, speed, and verbal abilities. Multivariate LGM analysis resulted in weak and often negative correlations among rates of change between individuals within twin pairs, indicating greater differential change within twin pairs than occurs on average across twin pairs. These findings highlight several challenges for estimating genetic sources of variance in the context of compromised health and mortality-related change.

Research paper thumbnail of Intraindividual Variability May Not Always Indicate Vulnerability in Elders' Cognitive Performance

Psychology and Aging, 2005

This study examined consistency of performance, or intraindividual variability, in older adults' ... more This study examined consistency of performance, or intraindividual variability, in older adults' performance on 3 measures of cognitive functioning: inductive reasoning, memory, and perceptual speed. Theoretical speculation has suggested that such intraindividual variability may signal underlying vulnerability or neurologic compromise. Thirty-six participants aged 60 and older completed selfadministered cognitive assessments twice a day for 60 consecutive days. Intraindividual variability was not strongly correlated among the 3 cognitive measures, but, over the course of the study, intraindividual variability was strongly intercorrelated within a task. Higher average performance on a measure was associated with greater performance variability, and follow-up analyses revealed that a higher level of intraindividual variability is positively associated with the magnitude of a person's practice-related gain on a particular measure. The authors argue that both adaptive (practice-related) and maladaptive (inconsistency-related) intraindividual variability may exist within the same individuals over time.

Research paper thumbnail of Everyday cognition and mortality: Performance differences and predictive utility of the Everyday Cognition Battery

Psychology and Aging, 2008

In this article, the authors examine the relationship between everyday cognition and mortality. D... more In this article, the authors examine the relationship between everyday cognition and mortality. Data were initially collected in 1996-1997 from 171 community-dwelling older people ranging in age from 60 to 92 years old (M = 74 years, SD = 7.38). Participants completed the Everyday Cognition Battery (ECB; J. C. Allaire &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp; M. Marsiske, 1999, 2002) as well as basic cognitive ability tests. Results indicated that participants who died since testing (n = 56) had performed significantly worse than did still-living participants on all measures. Additionally, performance on the ECB Knowledge Test was a significant predictor of death even after controlling for basic cognitive abilities, demographics, and self-rated health.

Research paper thumbnail of Exploring the within-person coupling of sleep and cognition in older African Americans

Psychology and Aging, 2010

This study examined the within-person relationship between sleep and cognitive functioning. Fifty... more This study examined the within-person relationship between sleep and cognitive functioning. Fifty community-dwelling African Americans (age range = 50 -80 years) were asked to report their sleep duration and quality the previous evening and to complete cognitive measures over 8 occasions within a 2-3 week period. A within-person daily change in sleep duration was significantly associated with worse global cognitive performance. The greater an individual deviated away from his/her average sleep duration on a particular day, the more likely his/her performance would decline. These results demonstrate that the sleep-cognition relationship can be observed at a within-person level of analysis.

Research paper thumbnail of Well- and ill-defined measures of everyday cognition: Relationship to older adults' intellectual ability and functional status

Psychology and Aging, 2002

The present study examined 2 approaches to the measurement of everyday cognition in older adults.... more The present study examined 2 approaches to the measurement of everyday cognition in older adults. Measures differing in the degree of structure offered for solving problems in the domains of medication use, financial management, and food preparation and nutrition were administered to a sample of 130 community-dwelling older adults ranging in age from 60 to 90 (M ϭ 73 years, SD ϭ 7.02 years). Well-defined and ill-defined everyday problem-solving measures, which varied in the amount of means-end-related information provided to participants, were used. The study found that (a) well-and ill-defined measures were moderately interrelated, (b) the 2 approaches were differentially related to basic cognitive abilities, and (c) together the 2 approaches explained over half of the variance in older adults' everyday instrumental functioning and were in fact better predictors of everyday functioning than traditional psychometric cognitive measures. Discussion focuses on the differential importance of both methods for assessing older adults' everyday cognitive functioning.

Research paper thumbnail of Everyday cognition: Age and intellectual ability correlates

Psychology and Aging, 1999

The primary aim of this study was to examine the relationship between a new battery of everyday c... more The primary aim of this study was to examine the relationship between a new battery of everyday cognition measures, which assessed 4 cognitive abilities within 3 familiar real-world domains, and traditional psychometric tests of the same basic cognitive abilities. Several theoreticians have argued that everyday cognition measures are somewhat distinct from traditional cognitive assessment approaches, and the authors investigated this assertion correlationally in the present study. The sample consisted of 174 community-dwelling older adults from the Detroit metropolitan area, who had an average age of 73 years. Major results of the study showed that (a) each everyday cognitive test was strongly correlated with the basic cognitive abilities; (b) several basic abilities, as well as measures of domain-specific knowledge, predicted everyday cognitive performance; and (c) everyday and basic measures were similarly related to age. The results suggest that everyday cognition is not unrelated to traditional measures, nor is it less sensitive to age-related differences.

Research paper thumbnail of I think I can, I think I can: Examining the within-person coupling of control beliefs and cognition in older adults

Psychology and Aging, 2012

We examined short-term intraindividual variability in control beliefs (competence and locus of co... more We examined short-term intraindividual variability in control beliefs (competence and locus of control) and cognitive performance and the extent to which the constructs travel together over time. Thirty-six older adults (M ϭ 74 years, SD ϭ 5.51) completed questionnaires and cognitive tests twice each day for 60 consecutive days. Results indicated that control beliefs fluctuate within people across time. Multilevel models revealed that control and competence are coupled with concurrent and subsequent performance, but the benefit of occasion-level increases in control depends on individuals' average control. These findings underscore the importance of examining constructs using a within-person approach to identify dynamic processes in cognitive aging.

Research paper thumbnail of Variability in performance: Identifying early signs of future cognitive impairment

Neuropsychology, 2012

The current study examined whether year-to-year variability in cognitive performance differ betwe... more The current study examined whether year-to-year variability in cognitive performance differ between individuals cognitively unimpaired and individuals who subsequently develop dementia. Method: Analyses included a case-control sample of Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA; mean [M] age ϭ 69.90, standard deviation [SD] ϭ 8.92) participants. One hundred and 35 clinically diagnosed demented participants were matched with 135 nondemented participants based on age at initial testing and sex. Cognitive performance was examined using measures of memory, executive function, attention, language, and global mental status performance. Cognitive performance was examined from baseline to 5 years before cognitive impairment (M, assessments ϭ 3.03, SD ϭ 2.80). Results: As compared with unimpaired individuals, individuals diagnosed with dementia had greater variability on measures of attention, executive function, language, and semantic memory at least 5 years before the estimated onset of cognitive impairment, which may be indicative of maladaptive cognitive functioning. The dementia cases, however, had less variability on visual memory than the unimpaired group, which may suggest that these cases had more difficulty learning. Conclusions: These results demonstrate that performance variability indexed over annual or biennial visits may be useful in identifying early signs of subsequent cognitive impairment.

Research paper thumbnail of Intraindividual variability in psychometrically defined mild cognitive impairment status in older African Americans

Psychology and Aging, 2012

This study examines day-to-day variability in psychometrically defined mild cognitive impairment ... more This study examines day-to-day variability in psychometrically defined mild cognitive impairment (MCI) status and potential predictors of changes in MCI status in an independent-living sample of urban dwelling older adults in Baltimore, Maryland. The participant sample consisted of 50 older adults, ranging in age from 50 to 80 years. Participants completed health and cognitive measures (i.e., executive function, language, memory, and global cognition) over 8 occasions within a 2-3-week period. After each testing occasion, a post hoc classification of MCI status was determined using psychometrically defined criteria based on cognitive performance. Participants who classified as MCI after one assessment often did not meet MCI criteria at subsequent occasions. Daily fluctuations in sleep duration were associated with an increased risk for MCI classification. These results demonstrate that changes in sleep may explain changes in MCI status, particularly for African Americans.

Research paper thumbnail of Education Desegregation and Cognitive Change in African American Older Adults

The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences, Jan 31, 2014

The present study examined the relationship between desegregated schooling and cognitive change i... more The present study examined the relationship between desegregated schooling and cognitive change in a sample of 420 community-dwelling African American elders (mean age = 68.6; SD = 9.1). Participants were recruited for the Baltimore Study of Black Aging-Patterns of Cognitive Aging. Cognitive measures from six domains of function were administered at baseline and follow-up 33 months later. Repeated measures multivariate analysis of covariance was conducted; the between subjects factors were schooling type and age cohort, and the within subjects factor was time. Analyses controlled for age, years of education, and sex, and follow-up univariate analyses were used to determine which individual cognitive scores drove the multivariate effects. There were significant multivariate within-group, between-group, and interaction effects (p < .05). Univariate analyses indicated that the desegregated schooling group scored significantly better on Language and Perceptual Speed (p < .01), and...

Research paper thumbnail of Cognition and health in African American men

Journal of aging and health, 2015

Despite high rates of poor health outcomes, little attention has been focused on associations bet... more Despite high rates of poor health outcomes, little attention has been focused on associations between prominent health factors and cognitive function in African American men, exclusively. The objective was to examine relationships between cardiovascular and pulmonary health, and cognitive function in African American men. Data from 257 men were pooled from two studies of African American aging. The mean age of participants was 58.15 and mean educational attainment was 11.78 years. Participants provided self-reported health and demographic information, completed cognitive measures, and had their blood pressure and peak expiratory flow assessed. After adjustment, significant relationships were found between average peak expiratory flow rate (APEFR) and cognitive performance measures. Results suggest that lung function is important to consider when examining cognitive function in African American men. Understanding the role of health in cognition and implications for quality of life in...

Research paper thumbnail of How blood pressure affects the aging mind

Ethnicity & disease, 2008

Research paper thumbnail of BLOOD PRESSURE AND MEMORY IN OLDER AFRICAN AMERICANS

The rates of high blood pressure among African Americans, as a group, are the highest in the worl... more The rates of high blood pressure among African Americans, as a group, are the highest in the world. The implications for higher average blood pressure include complications for many major chronic conditions, such as cardiovas- cular disease and diabetes. Less well studied is the effect of blood pressure on the cognitive functioning of African Americans. The purpose of this study

Research paper thumbnail of Examining the association between lung functioning and cognitive performance in African American adults

Journal of aging and health, 2007

The current study examined the extent to which pulmonary functioning, as measured by average peak... more The current study examined the extent to which pulmonary functioning, as measured by average peak expiratory flow, was related to performance on seven cognitive measures. Analyses were conducted on a sample of 396 African American adults ranging in age from 22 to 89 years. Lung functioning was not uniquely associated with cognitive performance in the younger adults, though it emerged as a significant predictor of individual differences in performance on the Telephone Interview of Cognitive Status even after controlling for age, education, and smoking history. Biobehavioral assessments such as the one presented here appear to provide important new insights into the sources of individual differences in cognition observed in this understudied population.

Research paper thumbnail of Defining the Relationships Between Web Ability, Age, and Web Experience Across the Adult Life Span

Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting, 1999

The use of computer technology, particularly Web applications, has grown dramatically over the la... more The use of computer technology, particularly Web applications, has grown dramatically over the last five years. Once the primary domain of young adults, the Web is now being used by individuals across the life span. The current study examined the relationships among age, Web ...

Research paper thumbnail of Sleep complaints in older blacks: do demographic and health indices explain poor sleep quality and duration?

Journal of clinical sleep medicine : JCSM : official publication of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, Jan 15, 2014

To examine the relationship between measures of sleep quality and the presence of commonly encoun... more To examine the relationship between measures of sleep quality and the presence of commonly encountered comorbid and sociodemographic conditions in elderly Black subjects. Analyses included participants from the Baltimore Study of Black Aging (BSBA; n = 450; mean age 71.43 years; SD 9.21). Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) measured overall sleep pattern and quality. Self-reported and objective measures of physical and mental health data and demographic information were collected for all participants. Sociodemographic and comorbid health factors were significantly associated with sleep quality. Results from regression analyses revealed that older age, current financial strain, interpersonal problems, and stress were unique predictors of worse sleep quality. Sleep duration was significantly correlated with age, depressive affect, interpersonal problems, and stress; only age was a unique significant predictor. While participants 62 years or younger had worse sleep quality with incre...

Research paper thumbnail of Investigation Into the Human Factors of Motivated Engagement in Complex Activity by Older Adults

Research paper thumbnail of Fear of failure

Proceedings of the International Conference on the Foundations of Digital Games - FDG '12, 2012

In this poster, we examine gender differences in older adults playing an off-the-shelf puzzle gam... more In this poster, we examine gender differences in older adults playing an off-the-shelf puzzle game (Boom Blox, EA 2008). Game design research for the elderly is an under-developed area, even though one-fifth of adults over the age of sixty-five reported playing video games and those that do so play more often that their younger counterparts. Gender differences in older adult gamers are even less understood. We use quantitative and qualitative techniques to identify gender differences in older adult game players and we discuss ramifications for cognitive game design.

Research paper thumbnail of Peripheral muscle endurance and the oxidative profile of the quadriceps in patients with COPD

Thorax, 2004

Background: Based on previously reported changes in muscle metabolism that could increase suscept... more Background: Based on previously reported changes in muscle metabolism that could increase susceptibility to fatigue, we speculated that patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have reduced quadriceps endurance and that this will be correlated with the proportion of type I muscle fibres and with the activity of oxidative enzymes. Methods: The endurance of the quadriceps was evaluated during an isometric contraction in 29 patients with COPD (mean (SE) age 65 (1) years; forced expiratory volume in 1 second 37 (3)% predicted) and 18 healthy subjects of similar age. The electrical activity of the quadriceps was recorded during muscle contraction as an objective index of fatigue. The time at which the isometric contraction at 60% of maximal voluntary capacity could no longer be sustained was used to define time to fatigue (TF). Needle biopsies of the quadriceps were performed in 16 subjects in both groups to evaluate possible relationships between TF and markers of muscle oxidative metabolism (type I fibre proportion and citrate synthase activity). Results: TF was lower in patients with COPD than in controls (42 (3) v 80 (7) seconds; mean difference 38 seconds (95% CI 25 to 50), p,0.001). Subjects in both groups had evidence of electrical muscle fatigue at the end of the endurance test. In both groups significant correlations were found between TF and the proportion of type I fibres and citrate synthase activity. Conclusion: Isometric endurance of the quadriceps muscle is reduced in patients with COPD and the muscle oxidative profile is significantly correlated with muscle endurance.

Research paper thumbnail of The Relationship Between Reported Problems Falling Asleep and Cognition Among African American Elderly

Research on Aging, 2008

... DOI: 10.1177/0164027508322576 2008 30: 752 originally published online 18 August 2008 Researc... more ... DOI: 10.1177/0164027508322576 2008 30: 752 originally published online 18 August 2008 Research on Aging Alyssa A. Gamaldo, Jason C. Allaire and Keith E. Whitfield Cognition Among African American Elderly The Relationship Between Reported Problems Falling Asleep ...

Research paper thumbnail of Change in Cognitive Capabilities in the Oldest Old: The Effects of Proximity to Death in Genetically Related Individuals Over a 6-Year Period

Psychology and Aging, 2004

Change in cognitive abilities was assessed over a 6-year period in a sample of monozygotic and sa... more Change in cognitive abilities was assessed over a 6-year period in a sample of monozygotic and same-sex dizygotic twin pairs (N ϭ 507 individuals), aged 80 and older (mean age ϭ 83.3 years; SD ϭ 3.1), who remained nondemented over the course of the study. Latent growth models (LGMs) show that chronological age and time to death are consistent predictors of decline in measures of memory, reasoning, speed, and verbal abilities. Multivariate LGM analysis resulted in weak and often negative correlations among rates of change between individuals within twin pairs, indicating greater differential change within twin pairs than occurs on average across twin pairs. These findings highlight several challenges for estimating genetic sources of variance in the context of compromised health and mortality-related change.

Research paper thumbnail of Intraindividual Variability May Not Always Indicate Vulnerability in Elders' Cognitive Performance

Psychology and Aging, 2005

This study examined consistency of performance, or intraindividual variability, in older adults' ... more This study examined consistency of performance, or intraindividual variability, in older adults' performance on 3 measures of cognitive functioning: inductive reasoning, memory, and perceptual speed. Theoretical speculation has suggested that such intraindividual variability may signal underlying vulnerability or neurologic compromise. Thirty-six participants aged 60 and older completed selfadministered cognitive assessments twice a day for 60 consecutive days. Intraindividual variability was not strongly correlated among the 3 cognitive measures, but, over the course of the study, intraindividual variability was strongly intercorrelated within a task. Higher average performance on a measure was associated with greater performance variability, and follow-up analyses revealed that a higher level of intraindividual variability is positively associated with the magnitude of a person's practice-related gain on a particular measure. The authors argue that both adaptive (practice-related) and maladaptive (inconsistency-related) intraindividual variability may exist within the same individuals over time.

Research paper thumbnail of Everyday cognition and mortality: Performance differences and predictive utility of the Everyday Cognition Battery

Psychology and Aging, 2008

In this article, the authors examine the relationship between everyday cognition and mortality. D... more In this article, the authors examine the relationship between everyday cognition and mortality. Data were initially collected in 1996-1997 from 171 community-dwelling older people ranging in age from 60 to 92 years old (M = 74 years, SD = 7.38). Participants completed the Everyday Cognition Battery (ECB; J. C. Allaire &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp; M. Marsiske, 1999, 2002) as well as basic cognitive ability tests. Results indicated that participants who died since testing (n = 56) had performed significantly worse than did still-living participants on all measures. Additionally, performance on the ECB Knowledge Test was a significant predictor of death even after controlling for basic cognitive abilities, demographics, and self-rated health.

Research paper thumbnail of Exploring the within-person coupling of sleep and cognition in older African Americans

Psychology and Aging, 2010

This study examined the within-person relationship between sleep and cognitive functioning. Fifty... more This study examined the within-person relationship between sleep and cognitive functioning. Fifty community-dwelling African Americans (age range = 50 -80 years) were asked to report their sleep duration and quality the previous evening and to complete cognitive measures over 8 occasions within a 2-3 week period. A within-person daily change in sleep duration was significantly associated with worse global cognitive performance. The greater an individual deviated away from his/her average sleep duration on a particular day, the more likely his/her performance would decline. These results demonstrate that the sleep-cognition relationship can be observed at a within-person level of analysis.

Research paper thumbnail of Well- and ill-defined measures of everyday cognition: Relationship to older adults' intellectual ability and functional status

Psychology and Aging, 2002

The present study examined 2 approaches to the measurement of everyday cognition in older adults.... more The present study examined 2 approaches to the measurement of everyday cognition in older adults. Measures differing in the degree of structure offered for solving problems in the domains of medication use, financial management, and food preparation and nutrition were administered to a sample of 130 community-dwelling older adults ranging in age from 60 to 90 (M ϭ 73 years, SD ϭ 7.02 years). Well-defined and ill-defined everyday problem-solving measures, which varied in the amount of means-end-related information provided to participants, were used. The study found that (a) well-and ill-defined measures were moderately interrelated, (b) the 2 approaches were differentially related to basic cognitive abilities, and (c) together the 2 approaches explained over half of the variance in older adults' everyday instrumental functioning and were in fact better predictors of everyday functioning than traditional psychometric cognitive measures. Discussion focuses on the differential importance of both methods for assessing older adults' everyday cognitive functioning.

Research paper thumbnail of Everyday cognition: Age and intellectual ability correlates

Psychology and Aging, 1999

The primary aim of this study was to examine the relationship between a new battery of everyday c... more The primary aim of this study was to examine the relationship between a new battery of everyday cognition measures, which assessed 4 cognitive abilities within 3 familiar real-world domains, and traditional psychometric tests of the same basic cognitive abilities. Several theoreticians have argued that everyday cognition measures are somewhat distinct from traditional cognitive assessment approaches, and the authors investigated this assertion correlationally in the present study. The sample consisted of 174 community-dwelling older adults from the Detroit metropolitan area, who had an average age of 73 years. Major results of the study showed that (a) each everyday cognitive test was strongly correlated with the basic cognitive abilities; (b) several basic abilities, as well as measures of domain-specific knowledge, predicted everyday cognitive performance; and (c) everyday and basic measures were similarly related to age. The results suggest that everyday cognition is not unrelated to traditional measures, nor is it less sensitive to age-related differences.

Research paper thumbnail of I think I can, I think I can: Examining the within-person coupling of control beliefs and cognition in older adults

Psychology and Aging, 2012

We examined short-term intraindividual variability in control beliefs (competence and locus of co... more We examined short-term intraindividual variability in control beliefs (competence and locus of control) and cognitive performance and the extent to which the constructs travel together over time. Thirty-six older adults (M ϭ 74 years, SD ϭ 5.51) completed questionnaires and cognitive tests twice each day for 60 consecutive days. Results indicated that control beliefs fluctuate within people across time. Multilevel models revealed that control and competence are coupled with concurrent and subsequent performance, but the benefit of occasion-level increases in control depends on individuals' average control. These findings underscore the importance of examining constructs using a within-person approach to identify dynamic processes in cognitive aging.

Research paper thumbnail of Variability in performance: Identifying early signs of future cognitive impairment

Neuropsychology, 2012

The current study examined whether year-to-year variability in cognitive performance differ betwe... more The current study examined whether year-to-year variability in cognitive performance differ between individuals cognitively unimpaired and individuals who subsequently develop dementia. Method: Analyses included a case-control sample of Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA; mean [M] age ϭ 69.90, standard deviation [SD] ϭ 8.92) participants. One hundred and 35 clinically diagnosed demented participants were matched with 135 nondemented participants based on age at initial testing and sex. Cognitive performance was examined using measures of memory, executive function, attention, language, and global mental status performance. Cognitive performance was examined from baseline to 5 years before cognitive impairment (M, assessments ϭ 3.03, SD ϭ 2.80). Results: As compared with unimpaired individuals, individuals diagnosed with dementia had greater variability on measures of attention, executive function, language, and semantic memory at least 5 years before the estimated onset of cognitive impairment, which may be indicative of maladaptive cognitive functioning. The dementia cases, however, had less variability on visual memory than the unimpaired group, which may suggest that these cases had more difficulty learning. Conclusions: These results demonstrate that performance variability indexed over annual or biennial visits may be useful in identifying early signs of subsequent cognitive impairment.