Investigating the Longitudinal Relationship Between Subjective Cognitive Complaints and Objective Cognition

Abstract Research examining the relationship between subjective cognitive complaints and objective cognitive performance has been mixed. Despite the lack of clear evidence demonstrating an association, subjective cognitive complaints are used as a criterion for the diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment and is considered a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease. Cross-lagged panel analyses were used in the current study to examine the longitudinal relationships between subjective cognitive complaints (using the Memory Functioning Questionnaire) and objective cognition (e.g., reasoning, memory, spatial visualization, processing speed, and vocabulary) in healthy adults over 60 from the Virginia Cognitive Aging Project (N=441). Results indicated that objective and subjective cognition were only weakly related but that objective cognition is a stronger predictor of subjective cognitive complaints then vice versa. Although subjective cognitive complaints may be an early indicator of pathological aging, results indicate that subjective cognitive complaints may not be a valid predictor of objective cognitive decline.

The Virginia Cognitive Aging Project (VCAP) is a cross-sectional and longitudinal study of cognitive functioning in a large sample of healthy community-dwelling adults between the ages of18-99 years (Salthouse,2009). Data are collected on several domains of cognitive functioning and subjective ratings of cognition, as well as a myriad of individual difference characteristics including self-reports of physical activity, cognitive activity, social support, personality, well-being, and affective measures. This symposium focuses on findings from VCAP that examine cross-sectional and longitudinal links between individual difference characteristics, indicators of well-being, and objective and subjective cognition. These topics include the cross-sectional assessment of >5,000 participants on the mediating role of Need for Cognition on the relationship between cognition and well-being (Yazdani & Siedlecki) and the relationship between social support and ratings of subjective cognition (Mueller & Minahan). Jung uses cross-lagged analyses to assess temporal relationships between physical and cognitive activity and cognition. Falzarano et al. present findings regarding the longitudinal relationship between subjective and objective measures of cognition. Finally, Minahan and Siedlecki present findings examining the temporal relationship between ratings of loneliness and depression over time.
The symposium provides insights into the complex role of individual differences characteristics and cognitive functioning across the adult lifespan.

NEED FOR COGNITION PARTIALLY MEDIATES THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COGNITION AND SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING
Neshat Yazdani, 1 and Karen Siedlecki, 2 1. Fordham University,Bronx,New York,United States,2. Fordham University,New York,New York,United States Aspects of cognitive functioning have been linked to measures of subjective well-being both cross-sectionally (Jones et al., 2003) and over time (Enkvist et al., 2013) but the mechanisms underlying this relationship remain unclear. One potential mechanism may be individuals' need for cognition, or the dispositional tendency to enjoy and engage in effortful cognitive activities (Cacioppo & Petty, 1982). Analyses were conducted to examine need for cognition as a mediator of the relationship between five domains of cognition (episodic memory, processing speed, reasoning, spatial visualization, and vocabulary) and four dimensions of subjective well-being (life satisfaction, positive affect, negative affect, and depressive symptomatology) cross-sectionally in a large sample of healthy adults between the ages of 18-99. Results indicate that need for cognition partially mediates the relationship between all five domains of cognition and life satisfaction, negative affect, and depressive symptomatology, but does not mediate the relationship between cognition and positive affect.

THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL SUPPORT ON SUBJECTIVE COGNITION ACROSS ADULTHOOD
Annalee Mueller, 1 Jillian Minahan, 1 and Karen Siedlecki, 2 1. Fordham University,Bronx,New York,United States,2. Fordham University,New York,New York,United States Increased age is associated with declines in objective cognition (OC). A related but distinct construct is subjective cognition (SC), which is an individual's self-appraisal of their OC. Research shows that SC impairment is an important precursor to declines in OC (Sánchez-Benavidez et al., 2018). Research has also demonstrated a positive relationship between OC and social support (SS) across adulthood (La Fleur & Salthouse, 2017), but there is limited research on the relationship between SC and SS. Participants (N = 1,873; age range 18-99) from the Virginia Cognitive Aging Project completed assessments of multiple domains of SC, OC, and SS. Results from the current study showed a consistent, significant association between negative interactions with others and poorer SC (Betas ranged from -.077 to .103, p < .05), beyond the influence of sociodemographic, well-being, and health factors. Our findings suggest that negative interactions may adversely impact one's self-appraisal of cognitive functioning. Previous studies have shown that activity engagement is related to cognitive function. However, few studies have examined the temporal order between activity engagement and various domains of cognition. Using data from the Virginia Cognitive Aging Project (baseline N =5430, Mage =51.28, SD =18.12), we examined the temporal relationships between engagement in physical and cognitive activity and different cognitive domains (reasoning, spatial visualization, episodic memory, processing speed, vocabulary) after controlling for age, education, self-rated health and depression. Cross-lagged panel analyses indicate that very few of the temporal relationships between activity level and cognition were significant except higher levels of cognitive activity significantly predicted better future processing speed, but not the reverse. Findings suggest the importance of engaging in cognitively stimulating activities, which help adults preserve processing speed over time. This study also highlights the importance of longitudinal design on various domains of cognition to help develop domain-specific interventions.

INVESTIGATING THE LONGITUDINAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SUBJECTIVE COGNITIVE COMPLAINTS AND OBJECTIVE COGNITION
Francesca Falzarano, 1 Karen Siedlecki, 2 and Jillian Minahan, 3 1. Weill Cornell Medicine,New York,New York,United States,2. Fordham University,New York,New York,United States,3. Fordham University,Bronx,New York,United States Research examining the relationship between subjective cognitive complaints and objective cognitive performance has been mixed. Despite the lack of clear evidence demonstrating an association, subjective cognitive complaints are used as a criterion for the diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment and is considered a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease. Cross-lagged panel analyses were used in the current study to examine the longitudinal relationships between subjective cognitive complaints (using the Memory Functioning Questionnaire) and objective cognition (e.g., reasoning, memory, spatial visualization, processing speed, and vocabulary) in healthy adults over 60 from the Virginia Cognitive Aging Project (N=441). Results indicated that objective and subjective cognition were only weakly related but that objective cognition is a stronger predictor of subjective cognitive complaints then vice versa. Although subjective cognitive complaints may be an early indicator of pathological aging, results indicate that subjective cognitive complaints may not be a valid predictor of objective cognitive decline.

A CROSS-LAGGED PANEL ANALYSIS OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LONELINESS AND DEPRESSION
Jillian Minahan, 1 and Karen Siedlecki, 2 1. Fordham University,Bronx,New York,United States,2. Fordham University,New York,New York,United States Loneliness and depression have similar psychological features but are theoretically and statistically distinct (Hawkley et al., 2008). Most research has examined a unidirectional relationship between loneliness and depression (Cacioppo et al., 2006). Cacioppo et al. (2010), however, found that loneliness predicted subsequent depression, but depression did not predict subsequent loneliness. We extended this work by examining the reciprocal relationship between loneliness and depression in 1,560 healthy adults (ages ranging from 18-95 years at baseline) from the Virginia Cognitive Aging Project using cross-lagged panel analysis across three time points. Depression more strongly predicted subsequent loneliness (βs= 0.16 and 0.23, p < .05) than vice versa. These findings are consistent with the cognitive discrepancy theory, suggesting that affective processing, like depression, can negatively impact one's perception of their social environment (Burholt & Scharf, 2014). Our findings highlight the need for increased longitudinal research examining the relationships among indices of well-being across adulthood.

FORGOTTEN VARIABLES IN GERONTOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF RELIGIOSITY AND SPIRITUALITY Chair: Alex Bishop Discussant: Rosemary Blieszner
Despite the fact that religiosity and spirituality are commonly cited as essential elements of physical and mental health functioning in old and very old age, the conceptualization of religiosity and spirituality continues to present a quandary in contemporary gerontological inquiry and assessment. Identification of variables that best capture and truly define religious and spiritual constructs has remained relatively inconclusive over the past few decades. Recently, there has been a renewed interest among gerontologists to identify underlying religious and spiritual variables using alternative qualitative and quantitative methods of evaluation. Such methods have been used to further disentangle and understand the uniqueness of religion and spirituality as variables for studying human aging. This symposium will be used to communicate empirical results, methodological procedures, and conceptual insights concerning the identification of understudied and under-represented variables often absent within modern gerontological inquiry of religion and spirituality. Four presentations representing qualitative and quantitative studies will be used to report key religious and spiritual variables stemming from the context of personal narrative, oral storytelling, self-improvement behavior, and the disposition to seek forgiveness. Recommendations pertaining to future gerontological inquiry in the science of religion and spirituality, as well as applications within geriatric and gerontological practice will be highlighted and discussed.

FORGOTTEN VARIABLES IN GERONTOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF RELIGIOSITY AND SPIRITUALITY
Nadia Firdausya, 1 Alex Bishop, 2 and Tanya Finchum, 3 1. Oklahoma State University,stillwater,Oklahoma,United States,2. Oklahoma State University,Stillwater,Oklahoma,United States,3. Oklahoma Oral History Research Program;Oklahoma State University,Stillwater,Oklahoma,United States Data for this study originated from the Oklahoma 100 Life Project. The purpose of this investigation was to explore oral history storytelling surrounding centenarian religious practices in childhood. Thematic content analysis of oral narratives revealed three prominent themes surrounding the transmission, accessibility, and socialization of religion. Reflection upon the intergenerational transmission of religion, one centenarian recounted if her mother didn't go to church then, "the kids didn't go." Another centenarian noted the influence of rural opportunity structure stating, "Out there in the cotton patch, we didn't have no church." Finally, one centenarian participant highlighted value of social value of church during childhood by exclaiming, "We went to church all the time. . .we didn't know what it was to stay home from church." Findings will be used to further highlight how assessment of early life experiences is essential to gaining a fuller understanding of religiosity in human longevity.

DESIRE FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH: A NEGLECTED OUTCOME VARIABLE
Julie Hicks Patrick, 1 Alexandria Ebert, 1 and Amy Knepple Carney, 2 1. West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, United States, 2. University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, United States Social support facilitates reaching health-related goals, but has rarely been examined in relation to achieving religious/spiritual (R/S) goals. Using data from 300+ adults (M age = 40.3, range 18 to 87 yrs) , we examine the prevalence of R/S goals and the influence of age and social interactions on reaching these goals. Multinomial logistic regressions showed that adults who did not have a goal to be more religious/ spiritual reported fewer positive interactions, fewer negative interactions, and were younger than those who continued to work toward their R/S goals. Those who had the intention to become more R/S but were not working toward it were younger than those who persisted. The importance of R/S goals are discussed within the context of other self-improvement goals. Unique aspects of these goals and the ways in which social interactions support achieving these goals are highlighted.