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Individual differences in rates of change in cognitive abilities of older persons.
Robert Smith Wilson, Laurel A. Beckett, Lisa Laverne Barnes, Julie A. Schneider, Julie Bach, Denis A. Evans, David Alan Bennett. Psychology and Aging, 2002
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Plain-language summary
The authors examined change in cognitive abilities in older Catholic clergy members. For up to 6 years, participants underwent annual clinical evaluations, which included a battery of tests from which summary measures of 7 abilities were derived. On average, decline occurred in each ability and was more rapid in older persons than in younger persons. However, wide individual differences were evident at all ages. Rate of change in a given domain was not strongly related to baseline level of function in that domain but was moderately associated with rates of change in other cognitive domains. The results suggest that change in cognitive function in old age primarily reflects person-specific factors rather than an inevitable developmental process.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Wilson, R. S., Beckett, L. A., Barnes, L. L., Schneider, J. A., Bach, J., Evans, D. A., et al. (2002). Individual differences in rates of change in cognitive abilities of older persons. Psychology and Aging. https://doi.org/10.1037/0882-7974.17.2.179
Vancouver
Wilson RS, Beckett LA, Barnes LL, Schneider JA, Bach J, Evans DA, et al. Individual differences in rates of change in cognitive abilities of older persons. Psychology and Aging. 2002. doi:10.1037/0882-7974.17.2.179. PMID: 12061405.
BibTeX
@article{wilson2002-12061405,
author = {Wilson, Robert Smith and Beckett, Laurel A. and Barnes, Lisa Laverne and Schneider, Julie A. and Bach, Julie and Evans, Denis A. and Bennett, David Alan},
title = {{Individual differences in rates of change in cognitive abilities of older persons}},
journal = {Psychology and Aging},
year = {2002},
doi = {10.1037/0882-7974.17.2.179},
pmid = {12061405},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1037/0882-7974.17.2.179}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record names 7 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Why it matters
Followed older Catholic clergy members for up to 6 years with yearly testing of 7 cognitive abilities. Abilities declined on average, faster in older people, but with wide individual differences at all ages, and the authors suggest change in old age mainly reflects person-specific factors rather than an inevitable developmental process.
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How this study scored 47/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomized / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on strength of evidence, so that was left out: it earned 45 of the 95 points we could judge it on, which is 47 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Psychology and Aging) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Psychology and Aging: journal h-index 243 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | — / 5 | No evidence rating recorded — left out of this score |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2002 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomized / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomization or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 832 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 32.0 citations a year over 26 year(s) since 2002 |
| Impact for its field and year | 6 / 6 | Cited 44.2× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 70 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author David Alan Bennett: h-index 197 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | Rush University Medical Center: institution h-index 670 (OpenAlex) |
| Multicenter collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 12061405) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Points | 45 / 95 | Scored on 19 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 45 of the 95 points we could judge it on is 47 out of 100. |
| Total | 47 / 100 | — |
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