Cognitive and Emotional Predictors of Disablement in Older Adults

This study focused on the association between aspects of emotional and cognitive functioning and two stages of the disablement process model, functional limitations, and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) disability. The age- and sex-stratfied sample aged 55 to 89 years consisted of 100 inhabitants of a small Dutch town who scored 24 or higher on the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE). Controlling for background factors (health problems, age, education, and gender), depressive symptoms and fluid intelligence were independently associated with functional limitations. Of the cognitive functions, only everyday memory was independently associated with IADL disability. Emotional functioning was not independently associated with IADL disability. These findings expand on the disablement process model and demonstrate the importance of emotional functioning, fluid intelligence, and everyday memory for the disablement process.