Effects of Attention Tasks and Memory Association Devices on Name-Recall Abilities in Individuals with Dementia: Attention Alone Versus the Combination of Attention and Memory

Author

Jessica Lynn Frerking

Date of Graduation

Spring 2010

Degree

Master of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders

Department

Communication Sciences and Disorders

Committee Chair

Klaas Bakker

Abstract

Dementia is the breakdown of cognitive processes later in life. In the present study, the effects of an attention task versus the combination of an attention and memory task on name-recall abilities were studied in three individuals with dementia. During baseline, the participants were shown photos and told names associated with each photo. Free recall of the names was assessed for each. The experimental phase consisted of two conditions. The attention condition included an attention task followed by free recall. The combined condition included the attention task, a memory association video, and the free recall task. There was a trend for two participants in which scores increased with the experimental phases, particularly the combination condition. The third participant partially followed the trend in which scores increased with the combined condition. KEYWORDS: memory, dementia, attention tasks, name-recall abilities, Alzheimer's disease

Keywords

memory, dementia, attention tasks, name-recall abilities, Alzheimer's disease

Subject Categories

Communication Sciences and Disorders

Copyright

© Jessica Lynn Frerking

Recommended Citation

Frerking, Jessica Lynn, "Effects of Attention Tasks and Memory Association Devices on Name-Recall Abilities in Individuals with Dementia: Attention Alone Versus the Combination of Attention and Memory" (2010). MSU Graduate Theses. 2015.
https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/2015