Research - 2018 Thesis Study
OVERVIEW
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The 2018 thesis study builds upon the 2015 pilot study to: provide a larger sample; include participants with MCI; and allow participants to choose goals (other than social events). |
PROCEDURE
The 2018 thesis study included 3 sessions. The first session started with the informed consent procedure followed by a demographics questionnaire. Memory measures included the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA), Prospective and Retrospective Memory Questionnaire (PRMQ), and a memory recall test for recent daily events.
Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA). The MOCA is a cognitive test that takes about 10 minutes. It includes tasks such as naming objects and repeating words.
Prospective and Retrospective Memory Questionnaire (PRMQ). The PRMQ is a questionnaire that asks about memory difficulties. This may be useful in determining memory related goals.
The participant used the work folder over the seven days between sessions to use work forms for checklists, diary note taking, and goal attainment. Participants also used topic forms to keep track of any topics that they may have wanted to remember (e.g., gardening).
Session two and session three were similar to session one. Session two and three had the additional step of a goal assessment for the previous week. During session three the participant provided feedback on the study.
RESULTS
It was anticipated that the simple memory tool would be effective for assisting with memory and memory related goals.
SIMPLE MEMORY TOOL
A common work form was used for all work forms: goals forms, checklists forms, diary forms, or topics forms. Work forms included the common fields: title field (i.e., indicated the type of forms it was, and the content on the form), items field (i.e., key or summary field for the row), and details field (i.e., notes or details for the row).
On a daily basis, participants would use note taking to write detailed descriptions of what they wanted to remember for events over the seven days. On a daily basis, participants would use checklists that corresponded to information that they may have wanted to remember or goals.
The below figures have examples of work forms for checklists, goals, diaries, and topic forms (i.e., gardening).
