The impact of memory support strategies on patient recall for treatment content in individuals with and without cognitive impairment

The Memory Support Intervention was developed to improve poor memory for treatment by incorporating two different strategies into treatment: (1) constructive, where patients construct new ideas, inferences, or connections related to treatment content, and (2) non-constructive, which only highlight treatment content. The current study investigated the effects of delivering these strategies alongside treatment for midlife and older adults (≥ 60 years) with sleep difficulties, either experiencing cognitive impairment (CI; n  = 29) or not ( n  = 30). Participants viewed video modules from the Transdiagnostic Intervention for Sleep and Circadian Dysfunction (TSC) and then received memory support. Aim 1 examined the effects of CI group and memory support type on recall. As expected, individuals with CI had poorer recall, but constructive memory supports reduced the difference between groups, suggesting constructive supports may be more effective than non-constructive memory supports in buffering against decline in recall for those with CI. Aim 2 evaluated the effects of CI and memory supports on thoughts and application of treatment content, but found no significant effects. Aim 3 examined how the number of treatment points affected recall. While an increase in points generally decreased recall, this was moderated by CI status and support type. Specifically, the decline in recall was most pronounced for the CI group following non-constructive supports. In contrast, constructive supports mitigated this impairment, resulting in comparable recall between groups when a larger amount of content was presented. Overall, constructive strategies may be particularly effective for helping individuals with CI better remember treatment content.