The purpose of the present investigation is to add to existing research on functional ability as it relates to the diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) by modifying a report-based measure, me Scales of Independent Behavior-Revised (SIB-R), to use in an elderly population. Self- and informant-reports (e.g. spouse) of participants' functional status were obtained on the modified SIB-R (mSIB-R) from a sample of community-dwelling, non-demented older adults, ranging in age from 66 to 92. Participants also completed various measures of motor skills, cognitive functioning and a performance-based measure of functional ability. The mSlB-R demonstrated sound psychometric properties as a comprehensive measure of functional ability in this population, but the nature of functional ability measured is impacted by the mode of report (self. other).
Higher cognitive functioning is associated with functional independence; however. the functional ability-cognition relationship differed depending on the mode of report and the aspect of functional ability examined. When baseline mSIB-R and an index of one-year functional decline were used in longitudinal analysis. both baseline and decline scores were useful in predicting cognitive status in three years. However, baseline functional ability did not provide additive information over and above cognitive measures in this regard. Similarly, born baseline and decline scores did not predict changes in cognitive status over three years. Using attrition as me outcome measure, functional ability and cognitive measures both predicted attrition from the study three years later. These. results suggest that functional disability is observed among community-dwellers with varying
degrees of cognitive impairment, but the inclusion of functional disability in the diagnostic criteria of MCI do not appear to improve the prediction of long term cognitive status changes. Moreover, characteristics of individuals who drop out of studies differed from those who remained, suggesting that attrition effects need to be considered in longitudinal studies. / Graduate
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:uvic.ca/oai:dspace.library.uvic.ca:1828/3310 |
| Date | 25 May 2011 |
| Creators | Tan, Jing Ee |
| Contributors | Strauss, Esther, Hultsch, David F. |
| Source Sets | University of Victoria |
| Language | English, English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | Available to the World Wide Web |
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