Assessing prospective memory in children using the Memory for Intentions Screening Test for Youth (MISTY)

Prospective memory in the developmental age: a systematic review to synthesize the evaluation tools and the main cognitive functions involved

Prospective memory (PM) is the ability to remember and realize one's intentions in the future; therefore, it is crucial for the daily functioning of children and adolescents and their ability to become independent from caregivers. PM errors can have repercussions during childhood, such as influencing school performance and social relationships. The aim of this systematic review was to synthesize studies analysing PM in children and adolescents (age range: 0-16 years) following PRISMA guidelines. The goal was to outline the most commonly used tasks, offering information on the development of PM, and-through a detailed analysis of the assessment of specific cognitive processes carried out in the primary studies included-providing information on the main cognitive processes involved in PM within this age group. Forty-nine studies were selected that examined PM in children and adolescents with typical development. The studies used many different tasks that can be traced back to eleven different main paradigms to evaluate PM, each structured into a PM and an ongoing task. Older children performed better on PM targets than younger children, suggesting a developmental trajectory of PM that follows a J-shaped function. Children as young as 2 years old exhibited the first signs of PM, while adolescents performed similarly to adults on PM tasks. Several factors are involved in PM development: retrospective memory, executive functions (planning, working memory, inhibitory control, monitoring), attention, metamemory, and motivation. This review May be considered a starting point to summarize the most used tools to evaluate PM in children and adolescents, and to shed light on the primary cognitive functions involved in PM, potentially offering indications to researchers in selecting optimal tasks for measuring PM across different age groups. Additionally, it underscores the importance of developing standardized measures for potential clinical applications.

Prospective memory instruments for the assessment of children and adolescents: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Prospective memory is the ability to engage in an intention to be performed in the future. The main objective of this study was to identify instruments that assess both time-based and event-based prospective memory in children and adolescents and that have the potential to be clinically applicable.

METHOD

Three databases (PubMed, Scopus, and PsycINFO) were searched to identify existing PM measures in original articles published until 2022. Literature searches were conducted using the following terms: (prospective memor* OR memor* for intentions) AND (neuropsychological assessment) AND (test* OR instrument* OR questionnaire* OR task*) AND (psychometric properties) AND (child* OR adolescen*). Relevant studies identified in the reference lists were also included in the review.

RESULTS

Ten instruments were identified and classified into three categories: (a) test batteries, (b) experimental procedures, and (c) questionnaires. All the instruments identified were described concerning their content and the psychometric properties available. Some of the instruments presented empirical evidence regarding validity and reliability, but no one provided normative data.

CONCLUSION

Besides the recent progress regarding studies publishing the development of a variety of novel measures, there are still many limitations surrounding the assessment of PM in the youth population because of the yet incipient psychometric properties presented by the majority of the PM instruments. Recommendations for a gold-standard PM instrument for assessing children and adolescents are provided.

Episodic and prospective memory difficulties in 13-year-old children born very preterm

OBJECTIVES

Children born very preterm (VP) are susceptible to a range of cognitive impairments, yet the effects of VP birth on long-term, episodic, and prospective memory remains unclear. This study examined episodic and prospective memory functioning in children born VP compared with their term-born counterparts at 13 years.

METHOD

VP (n = 81: born <30 weeks' gestation) and term (n = 26) groups were aged between 12 and 14 years. Children completed: (i) standardized verbal and visuospatial episodic memory tests; and (ii) an experimental time- and event-based prospective memory test that included short-term (within assessment session) and long-term (up to 1-week post-session) tasks. Parents completed a questionnaire assessing memory functions in everyday life.

RESULTS

The VP group performed worse on all measures of verbal and visuospatial episodic memory than the term group. While there were no group differences in event-based or long-term prospective memory, the VP group performed worse on time-based and short-term prospective memory tasks than term-born counterparts. Parents of children born VP reported more everyday memory difficulties than parents of children born at term, with parent-ratings indicating significantly elevated rates of everyday memory challenges in children born VP.

CONCLUSIONS

Children born VP warrant long-term surveillance, as challenges associated with VP birth include memory difficulties at 13 years. This study highlights the need for greater research and clinical attention into childhood functional memory outcomes.