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Boosting Cognitive Training through Social Engagement: Impacts on Older Adults With Subjective Cognitive Decline
Hyun Kang, Emily S. Ihara, Catherine J. Tompkins, Mckenzie Lauber. Sage Open Aging, 2025-08-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
This study examined the combined effects of StrongerMemory program (brain exercises involving reading, writing, and math) and weekly social engagement on cognitive, behavioral, and emotional outcomes in older adults with subjective cognitive decline (SCD). A 12-week randomized controlled trial was conducted with 50 participants, who were randomly assigned to either a control group (StrongerMemory only) or an intervention group (StrongerMemory plus weekly social engagement). Cognitive function (MoCA), perceived cognitive decline (SCD-Q), health behaviors (GHPS), and emotional well-being (SWEMWBS) were assessed at baseline and post-intervention. Both groups showed significant cognitive improvements (increased MoCA, decreased SCD-Q) post-intervention. ANCOVA revealed significantly better cognitive function in the intervention group, demonstrating the synergistic benefits of social engagement. The intervention group also experienced enhanced emotional well-being. These findings suggest that incorporating social engagement into cognitive training programs enhances their effectiveness in improving cognitive function and emotional well-being in older adults with SCD, potentially mitigating further decline. While the findings are promising, this exploratory study's small sample size resulted in modest achieved power (0.64), which may limit the generalizability of the results.
Key findings
- Both groups showed significant cognitive improvements (increased MoCA, decreased SCD-Q) post-intervention.
- ANCOVA revealed significantly better cognitive function in the intervention group, demonstrating the synergistic benefits of social engagement.
- These findings suggest that incorporating social engagement into cognitive training programs enhances their effectiveness in improving cognitive function and emotional well-being in older adults with SCD, potentially mitigating further decline.
- While the findings are promising, this exploratory study's small sample size resulted in modest achieved power (0.64), which may limit the generalizability of the results.
Why it matters
In this 12-week trial of 50 older adults with subjective cognitive decline, adding weekly social engagement to a brain-exercise program led to better cognitive function and emotional well-being than brain exercises alone. The authors note the small sample size limited the study's power, so the results are exploratory and need confirmation.
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Study details
- Study designrandomized controlled trial
- Participants50
- Evidence strengthHigh
How this study scored 57/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a randomised controlled trial. Scored zero for effect reported because the record does not state it. We have no data on senior author's track record, so that was left out: it earned 55 of the 96 points we could judge it on, which is 57 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Sage Open Aging) |
| Journal's citation record | 0 / 4 | Sage Open Aging: journal h-index 6 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 11 / 12 | A randomised controlled trial |
| Strength of evidence | 5 / 5 | Rated “high” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 1 / 4 | 50 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 1 / 2 | Randomised (as stated in the record) |
| Times cited | 2 / 7 | Cited 6 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 2.0 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 3.8× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 1 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 6 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | OpenAlex's profile for last-listed author Mckenzie Lauber holds only 4 work(s), too few to judge a track record — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | George Mason University: institution h-index 566 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 40894462) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Points | 55 / 96 | Scored on 19 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 55 of the 96 points we could judge it on is 57 out of 100. |
| Total | 57 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Kang, H., Ihara, E. S., Tompkins, C. J., & Lauber, M. (2025). Boosting Cognitive Training through Social Engagement: Impacts on Older Adults With Subjective Cognitive Decline. Sage Open Aging. https://doi.org/10.1177/30495334251366575
Vancouver
Kang H, Ihara ES, Tompkins CJ, Lauber M. Boosting Cognitive Training through Social Engagement: Impacts on Older Adults With Subjective Cognitive Decline. Sage Open Aging. 2025. doi:10.1177/30495334251366575. PMID: 40894462.
BibTeX
@article{kang2025-40894462,
author = {Kang, Hyun and Ihara, Emily S. and Tompkins, Catherine J. and Lauber, Mckenzie},
title = {{Boosting Cognitive Training through Social Engagement: Impacts on Older Adults With Subjective Cognitive Decline}},
journal = {Sage Open Aging},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1177/30495334251366575},
pmid = {40894462},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1177/30495334251366575}
}
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