Evaluation of the Online Memory & Aging Program and Online Goal Management Training

Evaluation of Online Cognitive Fitness Programs

The current study is designed to test the effectiveness of online programs for memory and executive functions in healthy aging. The investigators are testing online adaptations of two cognitive interventions that have been extensively studied, validated, and implemented in clinical settings: The Memory & Aging Program (MAP) targets normal memory change in healthy aging, and Goal Management Training (GMT) targets executive functioning deficits in a variety of cognitive and neurological conditions including healthy aging. Both programs combine psycho-education, targeted skills training and clinical support to empower participants with knowledge and strategies to harness their cognitive faculties. These programs are being tested against a waitlist control as well as against a commercial/research brain training platform (Cambridge Brain Sciences) in a design comparing performance on memory and executive functioning measures before and after the interventions/controls. The main hypothesis is that MAP will lead to memory-specific improvements above control conditions, whereas GMT will lead to greater improvements in measures of executive functions relative to controls.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Available to participate in all testing and intervention sessions and access to a computer
• Computer familiarity
• Cognitive complaint/concern/frustration

Exclusion Criteria:

• Health conditions with major effects on cognition, including a current or previous history of stroke, brain surgery, or diagnosed neurological disorder;
• Dependence in instrumental activities of daily living
• Cognitive impairment, defined as performance below cutoff for cognitive impairment on a standardized cognitive screening measure, the modified Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (Welsh et al., 1993)
• Affective impairment, defined as performance below cutoff for depression on standardized depression screen, the PHQ 2/9 (Yesavage et al., 1983)