Subjective (but not objective) prospective memory relates to depression, anxiety, and self-rated health in older adulthood: a latent profile analysis.

OBJECTIVES

This study used latent profile analysis to identify profiles of subjective prospective memory (PM) difficulty in older adults, examine associations with depressive symptoms, anxiety, and self-rated health, and determine whether profiles differed in objective time-based PM (TBPM) performance.

METHODS

Two hundred sixty-three community-dwelling older adults in Hong Kong (Mage = 69.20, SD = 5.48) completed the Prospective and Retrospective Memory Questionnaires's PM subscale , the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, a self-rated health measure, and a single-trial time-based PM task.

RESULTS

Three profiles emerged: Low PM Difficulties (47.9%), Moderate PM Difficulties (33.5%), and Severe PM Difficulties (18.6%). Profiles differed in event- and time-based PM patterning. Depressive and anxiety symptoms increased across profiles and self-rated health differed between profiles, with the lowest ratings in the Severe profile (overall ps < 0.001). Profiles did not differ in objective TBPM performance.

CONCLUSION

Subjective PM difficulty profiles differed in mental health and self-rated health but not objective TBPM performance. Even moderate difficulties were associated with higher depressive and anxiety symptoms. Findings suggest that subjective PM experience carries information not fully captured by objective performance and support routine assessment of PM complaints in older adults, alongside rather than only relying on objective performance.