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This study tested moderators of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) based on geographical region, gender, race, and income among adolescents in an exercise context using multigroup path analyses. Participants were eighth- and ninth-grade students from Louisiana (LA; N = 448, M[subscript age] = 14.37 years) and Pennsylvania (PA; N = 681, M[subscript age] = 14.28 years). They completed measures of intention, attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, and exercise behavior. Based on two path analyses, geographical region was a significant moderator (p less than 0.001); therefore, the moderating effects of gender, race, and income were analyzed separately for each state. Gender was a significant moderator for LA (p less than 0.001) but not for PA (p = 0.90). Race and income did not moderate the TPB relationships within each state. Findings support the moderating effect of geographical region on the TPB construct relationships and indicate that gender moderates the TPB construct relationships in LA youth. (Contains 2 tables.)

We examined the measurement properties of fall-related psychological instruments with a sample of 133 older adults (M age = 74.4 years, SD = 9.4). Measures included the Comprehensive Falls Risk Screening Instrument, Falls-efficacy Scale-International (FES-I), Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC), modified Survey of Activities and Fear of Falling in the Elderly (mSAFFE), Consequences of Falling (CoF), Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE), and 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36). The FES-I, ABC, mSAFFE, and CoF were significantly correlated with each other, with SF-36, and with mobility. The ABC and mSAFFE were significantly correlated with PASE. The ABC differentiated between fallers and nonfallers and predicted total falls risk. Findings can assist with the selection of psychological instruments in a falls risk screening context. (Contains 3 tables.)

The purpose of this study was to establish validity evidence of four physical activity (PA) questionnaires in culturally diverse older adults by comparing self-report PA with performance-based physical function. Participants were 54 older adults who completed the Continuous Scale Physical Functional Performance 10-item Test (CS-PFP10), Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE), CHAMPS Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Adults, Yale Physical Activity Survey (YPAS), and modified Baecke questionnaire. The total PASE score, three outcome scores for the CHAMPS, and three summary indices for the YPAS were significantly correlated with total CS-PFP10 score. The modified Baecke exhibited no correlations with CS-PFP10 scores. The PASE, CHAMPS, and YPAS appear to be the most valid PA self-report questionnaires for culturally diverse older adults. (Contains 3 tables.)

Objective: Prior work with older adults has shown that participating in a range of physical, social, and cognitive activities provides great benefits, such as improved mood and cognitive functioning. These activities can protect against common cognitive problems associated with aging (e.g., poor working memory and processing speed) and lower the risk of developing dementia, thus supporting the cognitive reserve hypothesis. Cognitive reserve refers to the preservation of an individual's cognitive abilities over time despite changes in the brain that allows them to be resilient in performing daily and complex tasks (Stern, 2012). Historical factors such as education, life experiences, and occupational complexity, as well as current lifestyle behaviors such as cognitive and social activities may serve as proxies for cognitive reserve. It is not clear whether historical proxies of cognitive reserve (e.g., educational attainment) interact with more proximal lifestyle factors (e.g., recent cognitive stimulation) to impact cognitive functioning. In this study, we examined if education, recent cognitive activity, and their interaction predicted enhanced immediate memory and visual and verbal working memory in middle-aged to older adults. Participants and Methods: Participants were 62 middle-aged to older adults (age 45-93; mean age = 65.9 years; 80.6% female; 70.9% Black; ∼75.0% with high school education or higher) recruited from a Louisiana housing facility for seniors with low or fixed incomes and a local community center. Data collection included the CHAMPS Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Adults, Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale subtests (Digit Span Forward and Digit Span Backward), and the Size Judgment Span Task. Mixed-effects regression analyses were performed with education (less than high school, high school, college), the CHAMPS cognitive activity composite (Weaver & Jaeggi, 2021), and an education * cognitive activity interaction term as independent variables and cognitive test scores as the outcome variables. All models controlled for age and race/ethnicity. Results: Significant education by cognitive activity effects were observed for Digit Span Backward and Size Judgment Span, but not for Digit Span Forward. The interactions reflected a positive association between cognitive activity and cognitive functioning in people with at least a high school education, but not in people with less than a high school education. Conclusions: Our results support previous findings that education level and engagement in cognitive activity may serve as protective factors against cognitive decline in later life. The finding that cognitive activity was not associated with better cognitive functioning at lower levels of education suggest that earlier life experiences may moderate the benefit of lifestyle interventions later in life. Future studies should examine whether other lifestyle interventions, such as exercise, are more beneficial for people with less cognitive reserve from earlier life experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this investigation was to determine associations among race, education, and income and falls risk scores from the Comprehensive Falls Risk Screening Instrument (CFRSI). Participants (N = 626) were Black (n = 318) and White (n = 308) older adults (M age = 72.62, SD = 9.31). The CFRSI assessed history, physical functioning, medication, vision, and home environment, and produced an average total falls risk score. A 3 (Income) × 3 (Education) × 2 (Race) MANCOVA showed main effects for income and race. Univariate tests revealed that low-income participants had greater scores for history, physical functioning, and total falls risk than high income participants. Similarly, Black participants had greater scores on history, physical functioning, medication, and total falls risk than White participants. Low income and Black race were associated with greater falls risk, and professionals should consider these disparities when designing community-based falls prevention programs. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This study tested moderators of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) based on geographical region, gender, race, and income among adolescents in an exercise context using multigroup path analyses. Participants were eighth- and ninth-grade students from Louisiana (LA; N = 448, M age = 14.37 years) and Pennsylvania (PA; N = 681, M age = 14.28 years). They completed measures of intention, attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, and exercise behavior. Based on two path analyses, geographical region was a significant moderator (p < .001); therefore, the moderating effects of gender, race, and income were analyzed separately for each state. Gender was a significant moderator for LA (p < .001) but not for PA (p = .90). Race and income did not moderate the TPB relationships within each state. Findings support the moderating effect of geographical region on the TPB construct relationships and indicate that gender moderates the TPB construct relationships in LA youth.

Social support has been shown to influence health outcomes in later life. In this study, we focus on social engagement as an umbrella construct that covers select social behaviors in a life span sample that included oldest-old adults, a segment of the adult population for whom very little data currently exist. We examined relationships among social engagement, positive health behaviors, and physical health to provide new evidence that addresses gaps in the extant literature concerning social engagement and healthy aging in very old adults. Participants were younger (21-59 years), older (60-89 years), and oldest-old (90-97 years) adults (N = 364) in the Louisiana Healthy Aging Study (LHAS). Linear regression analyses indicated that age, gender, and hours spent outside of the house were significantly associated with self-reported health. The number of clubs and hours outside of home were more important factors in the analyses of objective health status than positive health behaviors, after considering age group and education level. These data strongly suggest that social engagement remains an important determinant of physical health into very late adulthood. The discussion focuses on practical applications of these results including social support interventions to maintain or improve late-life health.