Prinsen, Emma (2022) A Neuropsychological Evaluation of Driving Performance of Older Adults. Master thesis, Psychology.
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Abstract
Sustained attention plays an important role in daily functioning (e.g. driving) and might help mitigate age-dependent cognitive decline. This study investigated how sustained attention abilities underlie age-dependent cognitive decline and how sustained attention performance is related to driving behaviour. Participants were recruited and assessed as part of research projects conducted at the Department of Psychology of the University of Groningen, the Netherlands, and the University of Regensburg, Germany. The sample consisted of slightly more female (56%) than male (44%) participants, with age ranging between 18 and 95 years (N = 160, M = 42.70, SD = 20.98). Spearman’s correlations and multiple regressions were used to analyse the data that was collected with a computerized test battery and a driving simulator. The analysis show no significant association between sustained attention and age. Multiple regressions do show that sustained attention underlies age-dependent cognitive decline, although short-term attention also underlies age-dependent cognitive decline and explains a larger proportion of the variance (R2 = .117, R2 = .416). Moreover, sustained attention is related to driving behaviour. Furthermore, driving behaviour is weakly associated to age. Further research could repeat the current research with a larger sample size to further define the predictive value in a larger and more heterogeneous sample regarding age. In addition, the effects of improving sustained attention on age-dependent cognitive decline and driving behaviour should be research to give a conclusion on whether a sustained attention training specifically developed for those two topics is relevant and helpful.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Master) |
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| Supervisor name: | Fuermaier, A.B.M. |
| Degree programme: | Psychology |
| Differentiation route: | Clinical Neuropsychology (CN) [Master Psychology] |
| Date Deposited: | 14 Mar 2022 07:59 |
| Last Modified: | 14 Mar 2022 07:59 |
| URI: | http://gmwpublic.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/309 |
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