Empowering cognitive flexibility in aging: The effects of a training

Journal title RICERCHE DI PSICOLOGIA
Author/s Sabrina Rago, Valentina Rita Andolfi, Alessandro Antonietti, Giuseppe Iannoccari, Nicoletta Porcu, Chiara Valenti
Publishing Year 2020 Issue 2020/2 Language Italian
Pages 22 P. 691-712 File size 267 KB
DOI 10.3280/RIP2020-002011
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The increase in life prospects calls for reflection about the issue of aging and underlines the importance of taking care of elderly persons fostering their well-being. In this context, cognitive flexibility plays a fundamental role for the nu-merous benefits it produces in the elderly. This study was aimed at testing the effectiveness of "Flexi-train − Cognitive flexibility empowerment program in ag-ing" training, addressed to healthy elderly people, comparing an experimental group involved in the empowering intervention with a control group. Results showed that in the post-test the experimental group achieved higher cognitive flexibility scores than the control group did. Furthermore, greater reflexive capac-ity and higher critical awareness was observed in the first as compared to the second group. Findings support the notion that the training is effective in stimu-lating cognitive strategies and prompting reflection about the mental functioning in elder people to enable them to face everyday-life situations.

Keywords: Active aging, cognitive flexibility, creativity, empowerment, well-being.

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Sabrina Rago, Valentina Rita Andolfi, Alessandro Antonietti, Giuseppe Iannoccari, Nicoletta Porcu, Chiara Valenti, Potenziare la flessibilità cognitiva in età anziana: gli effetti di un training in "RICERCHE DI PSICOLOGIA " 2/2020, pp 691-712, DOI: 10.3280/RIP2020-002011