Scott B. Maitland

Selective adult age differences in an age-invariant multifactor model of declarative memory.

Confirmatory factor analysis was used to test competing models of declarative memory. Data from middle-aged participants provided support for a model comprised of 2 2nd-order (episodic and semantic memory) and 4 1st-order (recall, recognition, fluency, and knowledge) factors. Extending this model across young-old and old-old participants established support for age invariance. Tests of group differences showed an age deficit in episodic memory that was more pronounced for recall than for recognition. For semantic memory, there was an increase in knowledge from middle to young-old age and thereafter a decrease. Overall, the results support the view that episodic memory is more age sensitive than semantic memory, but they also indicate that aging has differential effects within these 2 forms of memory.

Gender differences and changes in cognitive abilities across the adult life span

Gender differences in the covariance structure and latent means of cognitive abilities across the adult life span are explored. A multiply marked, six-factor measurement model examining 982 participants from the Seattle Longitudinal Study tested gender and longitudinal invariance over 7 years. Substantive invariance tests on the factor correlations were also examined. Longitudinal results for the entire sample indicated the best fit was a partial invariance solution supporting time and gender invariance. Individual analyses showed younger and middle age groups to be metrically invariant for all factor loadings as well as time and gender invariance of factor variances and intercorrelations. A metric model also fit best for the older group, although factor variances and intercorrelations only demonstrated gender invariance. Latent mean structures revealed gender differences with women outperforming men for Verbal Recall, and in younger and middle age groups Perceptual Speed, whereas men consistently outperformed women for Spatial Orientation. Results demonstrate gender equivalence in covariance structures across the adult life span and within separate age groups, and reveal gender differences and changes over 7 years in cognitive abilities at the latent mean level.

Episodic memory change in late adulthood: Generalizability across samples and performance indices

Younger adults recall more information from episodic memory tasks than do older adults. Because longitudinal studies are rare and often incompatible, the extent of actual late-life memory change is not well established. We assemble two different longitudinal samples of normal older adults, each of which is tested twice at a 3-year interval, using a large battery of episodic memory indicators. Together, two-wave data from both the Victoria Longitudinal Study in Canada (n=400) and the Kungsholmen Project in Sweden (n=168) cover a 40-year span of adulthood, ranging from 54 to 94 years of age. Principal memory tasks include categorizable word lists, story recall, and random word lists, as well as indicators of cognitive support. Overall, an examination of performance on sets of common and complementary episodic tasks reveals that, for both samples, actual 3-year changes are modest and that, when decline occurs, it is gradual. The exception—greater decline for more supported tasks—suggests that these may be especially sensitive to late-life changes.

Selective sex differences in declarative memory

Sex invariance of a six-factor, higher order model of declarative memory (two second-order factors: episodic and semantic memory; and four first-order factors: recall, recognition, fluency, and knowledge) was established for 1,796 participants (35–85 years). Metric invariance of first- and second-order factor loadings across sex was demonstrated. At the second-order level, a female advantage was observed for both episodic and semantic memory. At the first-order level, sex differences in episodic memory were apparent for both recall and recognition, whereas the differences in semantic memory were driven by a female superiority in fluency. Additional tests of sex differences in three age groups (35–50, 55–65, and 70–85 years of age) indicated that the female superiority in declarative memory diminished with advancing age. The factor-specific sex differences are discussed in relation to sex differences in hippocampal function.

Sampling and generalisability in developmental research: Comparison of random and convenience samples of older adults

Research in the developmental sciences is based largely on samples of convenience rather than samples drawn at random from the population. The important question of whether results observed in samples of convenience generalise to the larger population has not been studied directly. Because of demographic growth in the proportion of older adults in the population and increases in diversity across the lifespan, it is especially important to address this issue in aging adults. We compared the performance of older adults (65–100 years) on demographic and psychological measures for a random sample of community dwelling adults and two samples of convenience. Significant differences were observed on less than half the variables. When differences were present, participants in the convenience samples were advantaged compared to participants from the random sample. Differences were larger in some domains than others but remained small to moderate in magnitude. There were minimal differences in between-person variability and patterns of correlations among variables between the convenience and random samples. Results indicate the need for additional studies contrasting random and convenience samples to explore the parameters of external validity in psychological aging research.

Validation of the sexual excitation/sexual inhibition inventory for women and men

The purpose of the current investigation was to develop a scale that would assess propensity for sexual arousal in response to a broad range of stimuli and sexual situations in both men and women. In Study 1, data from a nonclinical sample of 481 male and female students (graduate and undergraduate) were submitted to exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses in order to develop the Sexual Excitation/Sexual Inhibition Inventory for Women and Men (SESII-W/M), and gender differences on the subscales were tested. In Study 2, construct validity and test–retest reliability of the SESII-W/M were assessed with a second sample of undergraduate students. The resultant measurement tool was comprised of six subscales: Inhibitory Cognitions, Relationship Importance, Arousability, Partner Characteristics and Behaviors, Setting (Unusual or Unconcealed), and Dyadic Elements of the Sexual Interaction. The measure demonstrated good test–retest reliability and discriminant and convergent validity. The SESII-W/M will likely be a useful measure in investigations in which sexual inhibition and sexual excitation must be assessed identically for men and women.

Sexual consent behaviors in same-sex relationships.

Consent is a key issue in defining sexual coercion yet few researchers have analyzed sexual consent attitudes and behaviors and, to date, there has been no published research examining sexual consent within same-sex relationships. The main objective of this study was to identify which behaviors people use to ask for and to indicate sexual consent to their same-sex partner(s). A Same-Sex Sexual Consent Scale was developed to measure both initiating and responding consent behaviors in same-sex relationships. Data were collected using an on-line survey from 257 participants (127 men, 130 women). The participants reported using nonverbal behaviors significantly more frequently than verbal behaviors to indicate consent. Exploratory factor analysis for the Initiating and Responding subscales resulted in four factors for each subscale. The four factors for the Initiating Subscale were nonverbal behaviors involving touch, no resistance behaviors, verbal behaviors, and nonverbal behaviors without touch. The factors for the Responding Subscale were no resistance behaviors, verbal behaviors, nonverbal behaviors, and undressing behaviors. There were no significant differences in the initiating behaviors used by men who have sex with men (MSM) and women who have sex with women (WSW); however, when responding to initiating behavior, MSM reported using significantly more nonverbal signals than did WSW. The scale that was developed in this study should be useful for other researchers who wish to study the topic of sexual consent.

A Prospective Duplex Doppler Ultrasonographic Study in Women with Sexual Arousal Disorder to Objectively Assess Genital Engorgement Induced by EROS Therapy

The EROS therapy device is FDA-approved for the treatment of women with sexual dysfunction and has been shown to improve sexual function and satisfaction. The aim of this study was to obtain objective information regarding the ability of the EROS Therapy device to induce clitoral and corpus spongiosum volumetric and hemodynamic changes following therapeutic use in women with sexual arousal disorder. Seven patients with sexual arousal disorder formed the study population. All seven subjects met inclusion and exclusion criteria, including having normal hormonal values at the time of the study. All seven subjects were able to comfortably operate the device. All seven reported either slight-to-moderate pleasure or orgasm at home with the device. We observed no adverse events. This study shows that EROS therapy is associated with significant increases in clitoral and corpus spongiosum diameter as well as with clitoral and corpus spongiosum peak systolic and enddiastolic velocity values.

The Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE) Questionnaire; Does It Predict Physical Health?

A lack of physical activity is common in older adults. With the increasing Canadian senior population, identifying the minimum amount of physical activity required to maintain the health of older adults is essential. This study determined whether relationships existed between the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE) questionnaire scores and health-related measurements in community-dwelling older adults who were meal delivery volunteers. Based on observed relationships between PASE scores and health parameters, the study attempted to predict an optimal PASE score that would ensure health parameters fell in desired ranges for older adults. 297 community-dwelling older adults (61.3% female) 60–88 years (72.1 ± 6.5) completed the PASE and were measured for body composition, cardiovascular and blood parameters, flexibility, and handgrip strength. Significant regression models using PASE were produced for the health-related measures, but the relationships were not meaningful due to low predictive capacity. However, correlational data suggested that a minimum PASE score of ~140 for males and ~120 for females predicted a favorable waist circumference. In conclusion, findings demonstrated that PASE scores cannot be used to predict healthy physical measures, although the relationships between PASE and WC could be used to encourage older adults to become more physically active.

Sexual Identity and Sexual Well-Being in Female Heterosexual University Students

Sexual identity has generally been studied with a focus on sexual orientation and has not incorporated a general identity framework. Low levels of identity exploration and commitment have been shown to predict poor well-being in adolescents, but the relationship between sexual identity and sexual well-being has not been examined. The current cross-sectional survey was administered to 293 heterosexual female undergraduate students from a mid-sized university in Ontario, Canada. Participants completed the Measure of Sexual Identity Exploration and Commitment (Worthington, Navarro, Savoy, & Hampton, 2008), as well as several measures to assess sexual well-being. These included the Sexuality Scale (Snell & Papini, 1989), the Sexual Awareness Questionnaire (Snell, Fisher, & Miller, 1991), the Body Esteem Scale for Adolescents and Adults (Mendelson, Mendelson, & White, 2001; Mendelson, White, & Mendelson, 1997), and four individual items assessing sexual satisfaction (Laumann et al., 2006). Confirmatory factor analysis was used to test the measurement models of sexual identity and sexual well-being, and structural equation modeling was used to examine the relationship between sexual identity and sexual well-being. Results indicated that higher levels of sexual identity exploration and commitment predicted sexual well-being. However, other aspects of sexual identity, such as synthesis and sexual orientation identity, were not predictive of sexual well-being. The implications of using an identity framework for measuring sexual identity are discussed.