PREDICTORS OF PERCEIVED MEMORY IMPAIRMENT - DO THEY DIFFER IN ALZHEIMERS-DISEASE VERSUS NORMAL AGING

Predictors of perceived memory impairment were investigated in 40 elde rly normal adults and 28 individuals with Alzheimer's disease. Measure s of perceived memory impairment, global cognitive functioning, memory , use of memory strategies, memory strategy efficacy, and depressive s ymptomatology were obtained for all participants. The elderly normal a nd Alzheimer's disease groups did not differ in the extent to which th ey reported perceived memory impairment. For both participant groups, more frequent use of memory strategies and lower perceived memory stra tegy efficacy were significant predictors of perceived memory impairme nt. Depressive symptomatology was an additional, significant determina nt of perceived memory impairment for the elderly normal group.