An investigation of cognitive function in relation to psychosocial variables in institutionalized old people.

Administered a cognitive test battery and tests of personal control, activity, and stress to 40 females and 11 males (mean age 80.7 yrs) on 2 occasions separated by about 10 mo. Findings indicate that cognitive performance was positively related with control and activity measures, but the main finding was a strong association between changes in cognitive performance and changes in personal control and activity level. Stress did not correlate meaningfully with other measures. The results, which extend the importance of psychosocial variables to cognitive function, highlight the important relation between perceived control and health-related behaviors in the elderly. (French abstract) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)