Future thinking instructions improve prospective memory performance in adolescents

Altgassen, Mareike; Kretschmer, Anett; Schnitzspahn, Katharina M.

doi:10.1080/09297049.2016.1158247

Cited by 32 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 67 publications

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“…Although Altgassen, Rendell [ 25 ] did not directly assess retrospective memory, they found better plan adherence following EFT instructions, which may point to deeper task encoding rather than a stronger cue-action link. Consistently, Altgassen, Kretschmer [ 48 ] found adolescents to improve their PM performance following the instruction of future thinking, but also when participants were repeatedly exposed with the PM cues (repeated-encoding condition). The authors concluded that stronger memory traces might be the driving mechanism underlying the effects of future thinking in PM.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 69%

“…Results of both studies suggest that future thinking skills are not sufficiently developed in younger children to significantly support PM. Older children and adolescents, whose future thinking abilities are known to be further developed [ 43 ] seem to be able to benefit more from EFT instructions, and consequently were able to improve their PM (see [ 48 ] for evidence on adolescents). Interestingly, Altgassen, Rendell [ 25 ] investigated the effects of EFT on PM in younger and older adults and showed that even though older adults’ abilities to imagine future situations are diminished (e.g.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This omission is surprising, given that explicitly instructing EFT as an encoding strategy might help children to succeed in PM tasks, as they may not automatically make use of EFT while encoding the future intention. To date, studies on the effects of EFT encoding on PM performance have mostly addressed adult populations and only one recent study investigated effects of EFT encoding on adolescents’ PM [ 48 ]. Specifically, this study tested effects of future thinking on adolescents’ and young adults’ PM and contrasted this encoding condition with a repeated-encoding (i.e., repeatedly presenting the ongoing task and the PM cues for two minutes) and a standard encoding condition.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effects of Episodic Future Thinking and Self-Projection on Children’s Prospective Memory Performance

Kretschmer-Trendowicz

Ellis

Altgassen

2016

PLoS ONE

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The present study is the first to investigate the benefits of episodic future thinking (EFT) at encoding on prospective memory (PM) in preschool (age: M = 66.34 months, SD = 3.28) and primary school children (age: M = 88.36 months, SD = 3.12). A second aim was to examine if self-projection influences the possible effects of EFT instructions. PM was assessed using a standard PM paradigm in children with a picture-naming task as the ongoing activity in which the PM task was embedded. Further, two first- and two second-order ToM tasks were administered as indicator of children’s self-projection abilities. Forty-one preschoolers and 39 school-aged children were recruited. Half of the participants in each age group were instructed to use EFT as a strategy to encode the PM task, while the others received standard PM instructions. Results revealed a significant age effect, with school-aged children significantly outperforming preschoolers and a significant effect of encoding condition with overall better performance when receiving EFT instructions compared to the standard encoding condition. Even though the interaction between age group and encoding condition was not significant, planned comparisons revealed first evidence that compared to the younger age group, older children’s PM benefitted more from EFT instructions during intention encoding. Moreover, results showed that although self-projection had a significant impact on PM performance, it did not influence the effects of EFT instructions. Overall, results indicate that children can use EFT encoding strategies to improve their PM performance once EFT abilities are sufficiently developed. Further, they provide first evidence that in addition to executive functions, which have already been shown to influence the development of PM across childhood, self-projection seems to be another key mechanism underlying this development.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 69%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effects of Episodic Future Thinking and Self-Projection on Children’s Prospective Memory Performance

Kretschmer-Trendowicz

Ellis

Altgassen

2016

PLoS ONE

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“…Similarly, people with better future thinking ability show better PM performance (Nigro et al 2014) and explicit instructions during intention formation to vividly imagine performing the PM task later (i.e. to engage in episodic future thinking during intention encoding), increases PM performance as compared to standard instructions (Altgassen et al 2014c(Altgassen et al , 2017Kretschmer-Trendowicz et al 2016). However, future studies are needed that directly test whether episodic future thinking indeed creates the link between PM and procrastination.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prospective memory (partially) mediates the link between ADHD symptoms and procrastination

Altgassen

Scheres

Edel³

2019

ADHD Atten Def Hyp Disord

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Individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often show poor planning and poor organization of tasks and activities which has been related to reduced memory for delayed intentions (prospective memory) and procrastination-in addition to other cognitive or motivational factors. This study set out to bring the fields of prospective memory and procrastination research together and to explore possible relations between the two constructs in ADHD. Twenty-nine adults with ADHD and 24 healthy controls performed several laboratory-based and real-life prospective memory tasks and filled in questionnaires measuring their symptom severity and procrastination behaviour. Overall, individuals' with ADHD showed clear deficits in everyday prospective memory performance. Individuals with ADHD recalled and executed less of their own real-life intentions. Moreover, there were clear links between everyday prospective memory performance and reported procrastination behaviour, and everyday prospective memory performance mediated the link between ADHD symptoms and procrastination behaviour.

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“…As mentioned previously, further research is needed to explore the contribution of working memory deficits to PM in dyslexia under higher cognitive load. Altgassen, Kretschmer, and Schnitzspahn (2016) have investigated how PM can be improved through the use of repeated-encoding techniques to strengthen memory traces or through episodic future thinking (in which individuals are encouraged to project themselves into their personally experienced future, envisaging themselves performing the PM action). The latter technique proved best for adolescents, whilst the former was more effective in young adults.…”

Section: Supporting the Pm Of People With Dyslexiamentioning

confidence: 99%

A review of prospective memory impairments in developmental dyslexia: evidence, explanations, and future directions

Smith‐Spark

2017

The Clinical Neuropsychologist

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PM deficits in dyslexia are considered in terms of the retrospective and prospective components of PM function. Less efficient access to verbal information in long-term memory, problems with time perception, and poorer executive functions are all considered as potential explanations for less accurate PM in dyslexia. The findings from the research program are linked to broader dyslexia theory and research. Some potential means for supporting individuals with dyslexia are considered.

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Future thinking instructions improve prospective memory performance in adolescents

Cited by 32 publications

References 67 publications

Effects of Episodic Future Thinking and Self-Projection on Children’s Prospective Memory Performance

Effects of Episodic Future Thinking and Self-Projection on Children’s Prospective Memory Performance

Prospective memory (partially) mediates the link between ADHD symptoms and procrastination

A review of prospective memory impairments in developmental dyslexia: evidence, explanations, and future directions

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