Remote assessment for cognitive screening and monitoring in the elderly has many potential advantages, including improved convenience/access and ease of repeat testing. As remote testing becomes more feasible and common, it is important to examine what factors might influence performance and adherence with these new methods. Personal beliefs about one’s ability to remember effectively have been shown to impact memory performance, especially in older adults (Lineweaver & Hertzog, 1998). The perception of a low level of personal control over memory may impact a person’s use of memory strategies which might otherwise enhance performance, as well as their beliefs about the efficacy of those strategies (Lineweaver et al., 2021). The present study examined the relationship between perceived memory self-efficacy and performance and adherence on self-administered, smartphonebased remote cognitive assessments.

Participants were 123 cognitively unimpaired adults (ages 55-80, 68.3% female, 87% White, M= 16.5 years of education) recruited from the Butler Hospital Alzheimer’s Prevention Registry as part of an ongoing study evaluating novel cognitive assessment methods. A cutoff of score of ≥34 on the modified Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (TICSm) was required for enrollment. Perceived memory self-efficacy was assessed using two subscales of the Personal Beliefs about Memory Instrument (PBMI; Lineweaver et al., 1998): “prospective control”, the perception of control one currently has to influence future memory functioning, and “future control”, the perception of the amount of control over memory function one will have in the future. Participants completed three brief self-administered cognitive testing sessions per day for 8 consecutive days using a mobile app-based platform developed as part of the National Institute of Aging’s Mobile Toolbox initiative. Cognitive tasks assessed visual working memory (WM), processing speed (PS), and episodic memory (EM)(see Thompson et al., 2022).

Statistical analyses were conducted using univariate ANOVA tests to look for main effects of each PBMI subscale score on remote assessment adherence and average performance on each task over 8 days. After adjusting for aging, we found a higher rate of false alarms (proportion of misidentified stimuli) on the WM task was associated with higher levels of both self-reported prospective control (F(2, 86) = 4.188, p = .018) and future control (F(2, 96) = 5.003, p = .009). Increased response time on the PS task was also associated with higher levels of future control when adjusted for aging (F(2, 96) = 6.075, p = .003). There was no main effect of memory self-efficacy ratings on EM. We found no main effects of memory self-efficacy ratings on assessment adherence.

These findings suggest perceptions of high prospective and future control are associated with positive response bias on a forced-choice WM task, and high perceptions of future control are also associated with slower response times on PS tasks. Future research should examine whether this is due to increased deliberation, cautiousness, or other factors. Limitations include the potentially limited generalizability of this largely White, highly educated, and motivated sample self-selected for AD research. Next steps for this research include comparing these results with the effects of perceived self-efficacy on in-person cognitive assessments.

Aging older adults and individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) experience changes in ability to self-monitor errors. Difficulties with accurate self-monitoring of errors can negatively impact everyday functioning. Without proper error recognition, individuals will continue to make mistakes and not implement compensatory strategies to prevent future errors. A modified Sustained Attention to Response Task (SART; Robertson et al., 1997) has previously been used to assess self-monitoring by the number of errors individuals were able to recognize. The current study sought to examine the relationship of this laboratory-based error-awareness task with everyday functional abilities as assessed by informants and with real-world error-monitoring. We hypothesized that self-monitoring would be significantly related to real-world error-monitoring and everyday functional abilities.

135 community-dwelling participants (110 healthy older adults (HOA) and 25 individuals with MCI) were included from a larger parent study (mean age = 67.73, SD = 8.89). A modified SART was used to measure error-monitoring and create a self-monitoring variable by dividing accurately recognized errors by the total number of errors. Participants also completed simple and complex everyday tasks of daily living (e.g., making lemonade, cooking oatmeal, cleaning, filling medication pillbox) in a university campus apartment. Examiners coded both number of errors committed and self-corrections that were made during task completion. To examine real world error awareness, total self-correct errors were divided by the total number of errors. Knowledgeable informants (KI) completed the Everyday Cognition (ECog) scale, where they rated the participant on domains of memory, language, spatial abilities, planning, organization, and divided attention, to capture changes in everyday function. Pearson correlations were used to examine the relationship between SART self-monitoring and real-world error-monitoring, and changes in everyday functions as rated by their informants.

As self-monitoring scores on the SART increased, so too did real-world error awareness scores, r(133) = .18, p = .04. Higher self-monitoring scores on the SART were also significantly positively associated with functional performance abilities on the Ecog total (r(96) = -.24, p = .02). Further, higher self-monitoring on the SART was related to better functional performance within the Ecog domains of everyday memory (r(96) = -.23, p = .02), everyday language (r(96) = -.24, p = .02), everyday spatial abilities (r(96) = -.23, p = .02), and everyday planning (r(96) = -.21, p = .04). SART self-monitoring was not significantly related to everyday organization or divided attention domains.

The findings revealed that better error-monitoring performance on a laboratory-based task was related to better error-monitoring when completing real-world activities, and less overall impairment in everyday function as reported by informants. Results support the ecological validity of the SART error-monitoring score and suggest that error-monitoring performance on the modified SART may have important clinical implications in predicting real-world error-monitoring and everyday function. Future research should consider how SART error-monitoring may predict everyday functioning, over and above other clinical measures.

Inducing hallucinations under controlled experimental conditions in non-hallucinating individuals represents a novel research avenue oriented toward understanding complex hallucinatory phenomena, avoiding confounds observed in patients. Auditory-verbal hallucinations (AVH) are one of the most common and distressing psychotic symptoms, whose etiology remains largely unknown. Two prominent accounts portray AVH either as a deficit in auditory-verbal self-monitoring, or as a result of overly strong perceptual priors.

In order to test both theoretical models and evaluate their potential integration, we developed a robotic procedure able to induce self-monitoring perturbations (consisting of sensorimotor conflicts between poking movements and corresponding tactile feedback) and a perceptual prior associated with otherness sensations (i.e. feeling the presence of a non-existing another person).

Here, in two independent studies, we show that this robotic procedure led to AVH-like phenomena in healthy individuals, quantified as an increase in false alarm rate in a voice detection task. Robotically-induced AVH-like sensations were further associated with delusional ideation and to both AVH accounts. Specifically, a condition with stronger sensorimotor conflicts induced more AVH-like sensations (self-monitoring), while, in the otherness-related experimental condition, there were more AVH-like sensations when participants were detecting other-voice stimuli, compared to detecting self-voice stimuli (strong-priors).

By demonstrating an experimental procedure able to induce AVH-like sensations in non-hallucinating individuals, we shed new light on AVH phenomenology, thereby integrating self-monitoring and strong-priors accounts.

“Subsyndromal” obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms (OCDSs) are common and cause impaired psychosocial functioning. OCDSs are better captured by dimensional models of psychopathology, as opposed to categorical diagnoses. However, such dimensional approaches require a deep understanding of the underlying neurocognitive drivers and impulsive and compulsive traits (ie, neurocognitive phenotypes) across symptoms. This study investigated inhibitory control and self-monitoring across impulsivity, compulsivity, and their interaction in individuals (n = 40) experiencing mild–moderate OCDSs.

EEG recording concurrent with the stop-signal task was used to elicit event-related potentials (ERPs) indexing inhibitory control (ie, N2 and P3) and self-monitoring (ie, error-related negativity and correct-related negativity (CRN): negativity following erroneous or correct responses, respectively).

During unsuccessful stopping, individuals high in both impulsivity and compulsivity displayed enhanced N2 amplitude, indicative of conflict between the urge to respond and need to stop (F(3, 33) = 1.48, P < .05, 95% Cl [−0.01, 0.001]). Individuals high in compulsivity and low in impulsivity showed reduced P3 amplitude, consistent with impairments in monitoring failed inhibitory control (F(3, 24) = 2.033, P < .05, 95% CI [−0.002, 0.045]). Following successful stopping, high compulsivity (independent of impulsivity) was associated with lower CRN amplitude, reflecting hypo-monitoring of correct responses (F(4, 32) = 4.76, P < .05, 95% CI [0.01, 0.02]), and with greater OCDS severity (F(3, 36) = 3.32, P < .05, 95% CI [0.03, 0.19]).

The current findings provide evidence for differential, ERP-indexed inhibitory control and self-monitoring profiles across impulsive and compulsive phenotypes in OCDSs.

To identify dietary self-monitoring implementation strategies in behavioural weight loss interventions.

We conducted a systematic review of eight databases and examined fifty-nine weight loss intervention studies targeting adults with overweight/obesity that used dietary self-monitoring.

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We identified self-monitoring implementation characteristics, effectiveness of interventions in supporting weight loss and examined weight loss outcomes among higher and lower intensity dietary self-monitoring protocols. Included studies utilised diverse self-monitoring formats (paper, website, mobile app, phone) and intensity levels (recording all intake or only certain aspects of diet). We found the majority of studies using high- and low-intensity self-monitoring strategies demonstrated statistically significant weight loss in intervention groups compared with control groups.

Based on our findings, lower and higher intensity dietary self-monitoring may support weight loss, but variability in adherence measures and limited analysis of weight loss relative to self-monitoring usage limits our understanding of how these methods compare with each other.

Overweight and obesity are universal health challenges. Recent evidence emphasises the potential benefits of addressing psychological factors associated with obesity in dietary programmes. This pilot study investigated the efficacy and acceptability of a combined online and face-to-face dietary intervention that used self-compassion, goal-setting and self-monitoring to improve dietary behaviour, as well as psychological factors associated with dietary behaviour.

Embedded mixed methods including a 4-week before-after trial and a one-on-one interview. Quantitative outcomes of the study were the levels of self-compassion; eating pathology; depression, anxiety and stress; and dietary intake. Qualitative outcomes were participants’ perceptions about the acceptability of the intervention.

UNSW Kensington campus.

Fourteen participants with overweight and obesity aged between 18 and 55 years old.

Results showed that the intervention significantly improved self-compassion and some aspects of dietary intake (e.g. decrease in energy intake) at Week Four compared with Week Zero. Some aspects of eating pathology also significantly decreased (e.g. Eating Concern). However, changes in self-compassion over the 4 weeks did not significantly predict Week Four study outcomes, except for level of stress. Most participants found self-compassion, goal-setting and self-monitoring to be essential for dietary behaviour change. However, participants also indicated that an online programme needed to be efficient, simple and interactive.

In conclusion, the current study provides preliminary but promising findings of an effective and acceptable combined online and face-to-face intervention that used self-compassion, goal-setting and self-monitoring to improve dietary habits. However, the results need to be examined in future long-term randomised controlled trials.

Impairments in self-recognition (i.e. recognition of own thoughts and actions) have been repeatedly shown in individuals with schizophrenia. According to classical clinical characterizations, schizophrenia is included in a continuum encompassing a large range of genetic statuses, psychotic states and symptoms. The current meta-analysis aims to determine whether self-recognition is affected by individuals within the psychosis continuum.

Three populations were considered: people with an at-risk mental state for psychosis (ARMS), hallucination-prone individuals and unaffected relatives of patients with schizophrenia. Eleven studies contrasted self-recognition between these three populations (n = 386) and healthy controls (n = 315) and four studies used correlational analysis to estimate comparable effects (n = 629). Eligible studies used experimental paradigms including source-monitoring and self-monitoring.

We observed significantly reduced self-recognition accuracy in these populations [g = −0.44 (−0.71 to −0.17), p = 0.002] compared to controls. No influence of the type of population, experimental paradigm or study design was observed.

The present analysis argues for self-recognition deficits in populations with no full-blown psychotic symptoms represented across the continuum of psychosis.

The present study aimed to evaluate salt-reduction education using a self-monitoring urinary salt-excretion device.

Parallel, randomized trial involving two groups. The following parameters were checked at baseline and endline of the intervention: salt check sheet, eating behaviour questionnaire, 24 h home urine collection, blood pressure before and after urine collection.

The intervention group self-monitored urine salt excretion using a self-measuring device for 4 weeks. In the control group, urine salt excretion was measured, but the individuals were not informed of the result.

Seventy-eight individuals (control group, n 36; intervention group, n 42) collected two 24 h urine samples from a target population of 123 local resident volunteers. The samples were then analysed.

There were no differences in clinical background or related parameters between the two groups. The 24 h urinary Na:K ratio showed a significant decrease in the intervention group (−1·1) compared with the control group (−0·0; P=0·033). Blood pressure did not change in either group. The results of the salt check sheet did not change in the control group but were significantly lower in the intervention group. The score of the eating behaviour questionnaire did not change in the control group, but the intervention group showed a significant increase in eating behaviour stage.

Self-monitoring of urinary salt excretion helps to improve 24 h urinary Na:K, salt check sheet scores and stage of eating behaviour. Thus, usage of self-monitoring tools has an educational potential in salt intake reduction.

Interventions based on the experience sampling method (ESM) are ideally suited to provide insight into personal, contextualized affective patterns in the flow of daily life. Recently, we showed that an ESM-intervention focusing on positive affect was associated with a decrease in symptoms in patients with depression. The aim of the present study was to examine whether ESM-intervention increased patient empowerment.

Depressed out-patients (n = 102) receiving psychopharmacological treatment who had participated in a randomized controlled trial with three arms: (i) an experimental group receiving six weeks of ESM self-monitoring combined with weekly feedback sessions, (ii) a pseudo-experimental group participating in six weeks of ESM self-monitoring without feedback, and (iii) a control group (treatment as usual only). Patients were recruited in the Netherlands between January 2010 and February 2012. Self-report empowerment scores were obtained pre- and post-intervention.

There was an effect of group × assessment period, indicating that the experimental (B = 7.26, P = 0.061, d = 0.44, statistically imprecise) and pseudo-experimental group (B = 11.19, P = 0.003, d = 0.76) increased more in reported empowerment compared to the control group. In the pseudo-experimental group, 29% of the participants showed a statistically reliable increase in empowerment score and 0% reliable decrease compared to 17% reliable increase and 21% reliable decrease in the control group. The experimental group showed 19% reliable increase and 4% reliable decrease.

These findings tentatively suggest that self-monitoring to complement standard antidepressant treatment may increase patients’ feelings of empowerment. Further research is necessary to investigate long-term empowering effects of self-monitoring in combination with person-tailored feedback.