Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA.
Psychol Aging. 2012 Jun;27(2):364-74. doi: 10.1037/a0025212. Epub 2011 Aug 29.
We examined the relationship of cognitive and functional measures with life space (a measure of spatial mobility examining extent of movement within a person's environment) in older adults, and investigated the potential moderating role of personal control beliefs. Internal control beliefs reflect feelings of competence and personal agency, while attributions of external control imply a more dependent or passive point of view. Participants were 2,737 adults from the ACTIVE study, with a mean age of 74 years. Females comprised 76% of the sample, with good minority representation (27% African American). In multiple regression models controlling for demographic factors, cognitive domains of memory, reasoning, and processing speed were significantly associated with life space (p < .001 for each), and reasoning ability appeared most predictive (B = .117). Measures of everyday function also showed significant associations with life space, independent from the traditional cognitive measures. Interactions between cognitive function and control beliefs were tested, and external control beliefs moderated the relationship between memory and life space, with the combination of high objective memory and low external control beliefs yielding the highest life space (t = -2.07; p = .039). In conclusion, older adults with better cognitive function have a larger overall life space. Performance-based measures of everyday function may also be useful in assessing the functional outcome of life space. Additionally, subjective external control beliefs may moderate the relationship between objective cognitive function and life space. Future studies examining the relationships between these factors longitudinally appear worthwhile to further elucidate the interrelationships of cognitive function, control beliefs, and life space.
我们研究了认知和功能测量与老年人生活空间（衡量个人环境中移动程度的指标）之间的关系，并探讨了个人控制信念的潜在调节作用。内部控制信念反映了能力和个人能动性的感觉，而外部控制归因则暗示了更依赖或被动的观点。参与者为 ACTIVE 研究中的 2737 名成年人，平均年龄为 74 岁。该样本中女性占 76%，少数族裔代表性良好（27%为非裔美国人）。在控制人口统计学因素的多元回归模型中，记忆、推理和处理速度等认知领域与生活空间显著相关（p <.001），推理能力的预测作用最为显著（B =.117）。日常功能测量也与生活空间独立相关，与传统认知测量无关。我们测试了认知功能与控制信念之间的相互作用，并发现外部控制信念调节了记忆与生活空间之间的关系，高客观记忆和低外部控制信念的结合产生了最大的生活空间（t = -2.07；p =.039）。总之，认知功能较好的老年人拥有更大的整体生活空间。基于表现的日常功能测量在评估生活空间的功能结果方面可能也很有用。此外，主观外部控制信念可能会调节客观认知功能与生活空间之间的关系。未来的研究应该进一步探讨这些因素之间的纵向关系，以阐明认知功能、控制信念和生活空间之间的相互关系。
