Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/30443
Title: The association between activities of daily living and cognitive functioning in adults
Authors: Zerafa, Kelly Anne
Keywords: Ageing -- Malta
Lifestyles -- Malta
Cognition
Developmental psychology
Issue Date: 2017
Abstract: Epidemiological evidence show that individuals who have higher education, occupational attainment and engage in leisure activities, have reduced their risk of developing incident dementia (Stern, 2006). Research about the concept of cognitive reserve suggest that these factors reduce the risk of premature ageing, mild cognitive impairment, as well as contribute to successful ageing (Scarmeas & Stern, 2003). With the increase of the older adult population (He, Goodkind, & Kowal, 2016) it is an essential priority to promote coping strategies in order to delay cognitive impairment or protect against it. The aim of this study was to explore the activities that promote such strategies, thus, a quantitative methodology was adopted to analyse data. A dementia screening test was administered as a hypothetical measure of cognitive functioning and an activities-of-daily-living questionnaire that measures independence while looking at activity level and type. The sample consisted of participants aged between 60 and 88. Further relevant demographic information was collected and data was analysed using a nonparametric correlational method. Results showed a significant positive correlation between leisure activity and cognitive functioning, which suggests that those individuals with higher levels of leisure activity have higher levels of cognitive functioning. When looking at which type of leisure activity had the highest association, results showed that intellectual activity was significantly positively correlated with cognitive functioning. Furthermore, education and occupation were also shown to be significantly positively correlated with higher cognitive functioning. The results produced by this study offer support to the cognitive reserve hypothesis that such activities can provide the individual with a guard against cognitive impairment.
Description: B.PSY.(HONS)
URI: https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar//handle/123456789/30443
Appears in Collections:Dissertations - FacSoW - 2017
Dissertations - FacSoWPsy - 2017

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