INS NYC 2024 Program

Poster	Poster Session 08 Program Schedule 02/16/2024 01:45 pm - 03:00 pm Room: Majestic Complex (Posters 61-120) Poster Session 08: Cognition \| Cognitive Reserve Variables Final Abstract #64 Psychological Resilience is Associated with Better Cognition Across the Intersection of Race and Gender Kiana Scambray, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States Emily Morris, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States Jordan Palms, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States Ji Hyun Lee, Montana State University, Bozeman, United States Ketlyne Sol, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States Laura Zahodne, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States Category: Aging Keyword 1: aging (normal) Keyword 2: diversity Keyword 3: cognitive functioning Objective: Psychological resilience has been linked to better mental and physical health, yet little is known about its relationship with cognition. Among the studies that have looked at psychological resilience, few have assessed differences across race or at the intersection of gender and race. Understanding the association between psychological resilience and cognition across racial and gender groups is important given disproportionate stress exposure in marginalized groups. Our study addresses these gaps by examining the relationship between psychological resilience and cognition within intersectional groups of race and gender. Participants and Methods: 453 participants (19% Black men, 32% Black women, 22% White men, 27% White women) from the Michigan Cognitive Aging Project (MCAP) were included in this cross-sectional study. MCAP is a representative, community-based sample of adults transitioning to late life in and around Detroit, MI (M_age= 63.5; M_education= 13.98 years). Participants completed the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS) and a comprehensive neuropsychological battery assessing episodic memory, executive function, language, visuospatial skills, and processing speed. Global cognition was a composite of standardized factor scores corresponding to each domain. ANCOVAs estimated differences in resilience across race and gender. A linear regression controlling for age, gender, education, and race estimated the relationship between psychological resilience and cognition in the total sample. Stratified regressions estimated relationships between psychological resilience and cognition across gender, race, and their intersection. Results: Self-reported psychological resilience was similar across racial, gender, and intersectional groups. In the overall sample, more psychological resilience was associated with better global cognition and better performance across all cognitive domains. These findings were consistent across men, women, and Black, but not White, individuals. Within intersectional groups, more psychological resilience was most consistently associated with better cognition among Black men: global cognition (β=0.56, p<0.001), episodic memory (β=0.56, p<0.001), executive functioning (β=0.58, p<0.001), language (β=0.53, p<0.001), visuospatial skills (β=0.56, p<0.001), and processing speed (β=0.55, p<0.001). Among White women, more psychological resilience was associated with better cognition across fewer domains: global cognition (β= 0.19, p<0.05), executive function (β= 0.21, p<0.05), visuospatial skills (β=0.21, p<0.05), and processing speed (β=0.26, p<0.05). Among Black women, more psychological resilience was associated only with better processing speed (β=0.19, p<0.05). Psychological resilience was not associated with cognition among White men. Conclusions: Across race and gender groups, individuals report similar psychological resilience. While there was evidence that higher psychological resilience may be beneficial for cognition across domains in the entire sample, taking an intersectional lens revealed that psychological resilience may play a different role across social groups that differ in their experiences of marginalization. Lower psychological resilience may be particularly deleterious for cognition among Black men, while the cognitive benefits of higher psychological resilience may be most salient for White women. Longitudinal research is needed to clarify the potential implications of these findings for targeted dementia prevention and the reduction of racial disparities.

Poster

02/16/2024
01:45 pm - 03:00 pm
Room: Majestic Complex (Posters 61-120)

Poster Session 08: Cognition | Cognitive Reserve Variables

Final Abstract #64

Psychological Resilience is Associated with Better Cognition Across the Intersection of Race and Gender

Kiana Scambray, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States
Emily Morris, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States
Jordan Palms, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States
Ji Hyun Lee, Montana State University, Bozeman, United States
Ketlyne Sol, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States
Laura Zahodne, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States

Category: Aging

Keyword 1: aging (normal)
Keyword 2: diversity
Keyword 3: cognitive functioning

Objective:

Psychological resilience has been linked to better mental and physical health, yet little is known about its relationship with cognition. Among the studies that have looked at psychological resilience, few have assessed differences across race or at the intersection of gender and race. Understanding the association between psychological resilience and cognition across racial and gender groups is important given disproportionate stress exposure in marginalized groups. Our study addresses these gaps by examining the relationship between psychological resilience and cognition within intersectional groups of race and gender.

Participants and Methods:

453 participants (19% Black men, 32% Black women, 22% White men, 27% White women) from the Michigan Cognitive Aging Project (MCAP) were included in this cross-sectional study. MCAP is a representative, community-based sample of adults transitioning to late life in and around Detroit, MI (M_age= 63.5; M_education= 13.98 years). Participants completed the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS) and a comprehensive neuropsychological battery assessing episodic memory, executive function, language, visuospatial skills, and processing speed. Global cognition was a composite of standardized factor scores corresponding to each domain. ANCOVAs estimated differences in resilience across race and gender. A linear regression controlling for age, gender, education, and race estimated the relationship between psychological resilience and cognition in the total sample. Stratified regressions estimated relationships between psychological resilience and cognition across gender, race, and their intersection.

Results:

Self-reported psychological resilience was similar across racial, gender, and intersectional groups. In the overall sample, more psychological resilience was associated with better global cognition and better performance across all cognitive domains. These findings were consistent across men, women, and Black, but not White, individuals. Within intersectional groups, more psychological resilience was most consistently associated with better cognition among Black men: global cognition (β=0.56, p<0.001), episodic memory (β=0.56, p<0.001), executive functioning (β=0.58, p<0.001), language (β=0.53, p<0.001), visuospatial skills (β=0.56, p<0.001), and processing speed (β=0.55, p<0.001). Among White women, more psychological resilience was associated with better cognition across fewer domains: global cognition (β= 0.19, p<0.05), executive function (β= 0.21, p<0.05), visuospatial skills (β=0.21, p<0.05), and processing speed (β=0.26, p<0.05). Among Black women, more psychological resilience was associated only with better processing speed (β=0.19, p<0.05). Psychological resilience was not associated with cognition among White men.

Conclusions:

Across race and gender groups, individuals report similar psychological resilience. While there was evidence that higher psychological resilience may be beneficial for cognition across domains in the entire sample, taking an intersectional lens revealed that psychological resilience may play a different role across social groups that differ in their experiences of marginalization. Lower psychological resilience may be particularly deleterious for cognition among Black men, while the cognitive benefits of higher psychological resilience may be most salient for White women. Longitudinal research is needed to clarify the potential implications of these findings for targeted dementia prevention and the reduction of racial disparities.