Browsing by Author "Ääpälä, Jarno"

Objectives Objective of this study is to investigate if the results Richards and Sacker got from their research about cognitive reserve (CR), will replicate with Finnish data. In addition, a new model resembling their model with new cognitively stimulating hobbies variables added to the model will be tested. Model is a description of regression connections between variables. Objective of this study is to find out if the model will fit to data, will the coefficient of determination of the variable CR increase and are there any mediating connections between variables. Methods and results The data (N = 1073) gathered from Finnish people born between 1971 and 1974 at the Kätilöopisto hospital in Helsinki. Most of them had some complications concerning birth (n = 879) but there were also a group of healthy controls (n = 194). Variables used in this research were: participants fathers SES, childhood cognition, highest acquired education, own SES, cognitively stimulating hobbies and CR. Connections between variables were analyzed using structural equation modelling. Results that Richards and Sacker got were replicated. Model which was based to model Richards and Sacker made and had the variable cognitively stimulating hobbies, fit to data and coefficient of determination was increased. Effects of father's SES, childhood cognition and highest education to cognitively stimulating hobbies were mediated through own SES. Discussion This research validated the model Richards and Sacker made about connections to CR. According to this research, cognitively stimulating hobbies is good variable for predicting CR. This research can't predict anything about causation. Cognitively stimulating hobbies may increase CR or high CR may lead to cognitively stimulating hobbies. Experimental research is needed to find out more about causation.