ISSN 0439-755X
CN 11-1911/B
主办:中国心理学会
   中国科学院心理研究所
出版:科学出版社

心理学报 ›› 2012, Vol. 44 ›› Issue (4): 469-477.

• • 上一篇    下一篇

老年人加工速度的干预研究

王大华;黄一帆;彭华茂;陈晓敏   

  1. (1北京师范大学发展心理研究所, 北京 100875) (2江西科技师范学院教育学院, 南昌 330013)
    (3宁波教育学院, 宁波 315016)
  • 收稿日期:2010-06-25 修回日期:1900-01-01 出版日期:2012-04-28 发布日期:2012-04-28
  • 通讯作者: 王大华

Can Older Adults Promote Their Processing Speed by Training?

WANG Da-Hua;HUANG Yi-Fan;PENG Hua-Mao;CHEN Xiao-Min   

  1. (1 Institute of Developmental Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China)
    (2 School of Education, Jiangxi Science & Technology Normal University, Nanchang, 330013, China)
    (3 Ningbo Institute of Education, Ningbo, 315016, China)
  • Received:2010-06-25 Revised:1900-01-01 Published:2012-04-28 Online:2012-04-28
  • Contact: WANG Da-Hua

摘要: 对老年人加工速度进行干预, 旨在考察加工速度在老年期的可塑性。首先对46名60~79岁城市社区老年人实施前测, 包括两项加工速度测验(数字比较、图形匹配)、成套基本心理能力测验和老年人日常智力自我效能感问卷。然后, 干预组25名老年人接受每周一期(每期50min)共计5期的加工速度训练。训练内容为图形模式比较。所有被试在训练周期结束后接受后测, 并在后测结束4个月后接受追踪测验。结果表明, 能够通过加工速度干预显著提高老年人图形匹配测验成绩, 并对词汇流畅测验成绩有迁移作用, 但干预和迁移效果并未保持到4个月。与数字比较测验相比, 图形匹配测验能够更稳定地反映干预的效果。

关键词: 老年, 加工速度, 认知干预, 可塑性

Abstract: The slowing of processing speed with aging is one of the most influential causes that can explain the age-related decline of cognitive abilities. It’s reasonable to assume that older adults’ cognition might be maintained or promoted through processing speed training. However, whether processing speed can be enhanced or not is still questionable for older people. Thus, the present study aims at examine the plasticity of processing speed in later life.
Overall, 46 community-dwelling older adults, ranging in age from 60 to 79 years, participated in this study. For the baseline test, a kit of primary mental ability tests, the intellectual self-efficacy questionnaire, and two perceptual speed tests were administered to all the participants. There were 25 participants in the experimental condition (cognitive training). For this condition, the baseline test was followed with additional computerized exercises involving pattern comparison. Each participant received five 50-minute sessions of training over a five-week period. There were 21 participants in the control group condition and these participants received no additional training after baseline test. All the participants completed a post-training test using the same measures at baseline. At four months follow-up, 31 participants completed assessments once more.
In this study, the two perceptual speed test, namely number comparison test (NCT) and picture matching test (PMT) were used to examine the training effects. And, the primary mental ability tests, including word fluency, number, reasoning, spatial orientation, and vocabulary, were used to explore the transferring effects of training. Repeated MANOVA analyses, with group (intervention vs. control) and time (pre-training vs. post-training) as independent variables, were conducted for performances on NCT and PMT respectively. A significant group and time interaction was found for PMT (F(1,44)=4.34, p=0.043) but not for NCT. Repeated MANOVA were also conducted for the five primary mental abilities respectively. The results indicated significant group and time interaction effect on the performance of word fluency test, F(1,44)=7.70, p=0.008. MANOVA were employed to analyze effect at four month follow-up, however, no interactions of group and time were found for either PMT or word fluency test.
In conclusion, processing speed, as measured by reaction time, would appear to be improved through a short-term training intervention. However it cannot be discounted that changes in processing speed could be influenced by secondary rather than primary aging processes. Different processing speed indices may exhibit differential training effects. Compared to NCT, PMT would appear to be more reliable to reflect the training effects.

Key words: older adult, processing speed, cognitive intervention, plasticity