INTERRELATIONS OF AGE, SELF-REPORTED HEALTH, SPEED, AND MEMORY

Contributions of self-reported health to adult age differences in perc eptual speed and memory were assessed for 301 adults ages 20-90. Parti cipants were asked 4 health status questions, given 3 perceptual speed tests, 2 working memory tests, and 2 memory tests. Self-reported heal th was found to predict speed better than it predicted memory. Covaria nce structural equation modeling was used to assess the relations amon g age, self-reported health, perceptual speed, working memory, and mem ory. The results support the hypothesis that any effects of self-repor ted health on age differences in memory are mediated by perceptual spe ed.