MindMover: A proactive mHealth psychoeducation intervention for late life cognitive decline
| dc.contributor.author | Gilson, Zoƫ | |
| dc.contributor.supervisor | Paterson, Theone | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-08-19T20:50:34Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2025-08-19T20:50:34Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2025 | |
| dc.degree.department | Department of Psychology | |
| dc.degree.level | Master of Science MSc | |
| dc.description.abstract | As the global prevalence of dementia continues to rise, early intervention strategies targeting modifiable risk factors are critical for reducing the progression of cognitive decline. Subjective cognitive decline (SCD), characterized by self-reported cognitive difficulties without measurable impairment on neuropsychological tests, has emerged as a key indicator of future dementia risk. The present study evaluated the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of MindMover, a six-week mobile health (mHealth) psychoeducation intervention targeting modifiable lifestyle factors associated with risk for cognitive decline, in older adults with SCD. This intervention, delivered via the Pathverse and MyCogHealth smartphone apps, included modules on nutrition, physical activity, social connection, intellectual activity, stress management, and sleep hygiene. Participants (N = 60, Mage = 67.5 years) completed weekly surveys and pre/post-intervention neuropsychological testing. While recruitment was successful, adherence was variable. Multilevel models revealed no significant improvements in lifestyle behaviours over time, although a significant reduction in SCD symptoms was observed. App engagement was not a significant predictor of range of change in SCD symptoms. Minimal but statistically significant gains were noted on select objective cognitive measures related to memory, attention, and processing speed. Findings suggest that MindMover is a feasible and scalable approach for supporting cognitive health in older adults with SCD, though stronger engagement strategies are needed to produce meaningful behavioural change and risk reduction. Future research should explore personalized, gamified content and use randomized controlled designs to evaluate long-term efficacy. | |
| dc.description.embargo | 2026-08-06 | |
| dc.description.scholarlevel | Graduate | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/1828/22622 | |
| dc.language | English | eng |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.rights | Available to the World Wide Web | |
| dc.title | MindMover: A proactive mHealth psychoeducation intervention for late life cognitive decline | |
| dc.type | Thesis |