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The Memory Failures of Everyday (MFE) Test: Normative Data in Adults

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 January 2013

Pedro Montejo Carrasco*
Affiliation:
Ayuntamiento de Madrid (Spain)
Mercedes Montenegro Peña
Affiliation:
Universidad Complutense (Spain)
Manuel J. Sueiro
Affiliation:
Universidad Complutense (Spain)
*
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Pedro Montejo Carrasco. Centro de Prevención del Deterioro Cognitivo. Instituto de Salud Pública. Madrid Salud. Ayuntamiento de Madrid. C/ Montesa 22, Edificio B, 28006, Madrid. Phone: +34-915886789. Fax: +34-915886793. E-mail: montejop@madrid.es

Abstract

One approach to the study of everyday memory failures is to use multiple-item questionnaires. The Memory Failures of Everyday (MFE) test is one of the most frequently used in Spain. Our objective is to provide normative data from the MFE in a sample of healthy, Spanish, adult participants for use in clinical practice. The sample consists of 647 employees at a large company ranging in age from 19-64 years-old. Everyday memory failures were evaluated by means of the MFE with the following response format: 0-2 (0 = never or rarely; 1 = occasionally, sometimes; 2 = frequently, often). Results: Mean MFE = 15.25 (SD = 7.50), range 0-40. Correlation with age: .133 (p = .001); and with years of education: - .059 (n.s.). A constant increase in MFE was not observed across age groups (F = 4, 59;p = .003, η2 = .02), but differences were revealed between the 19-29 and 40-49 age groups; no differences were observed between the remaining age groups. Only slight differences between men and women occurred, the women's mean being slightly higher than the men's, but the confidence intervals overlapped (F = 5, 71; p = .017, η2 = .01). These results indicate that age, years of education, and sex had no significant effects. In light of the above, the sample was viewed as a whole when computing the percentiles reported here.

Un modo de abordar el estudio de los fallos de memoria de la vida diaria es utilizar cuestionarios de múltiples ítems. Uno de los más utilizados en nuestro medio es el Cuestionario de Fallos de Memoria de la Vida Cotidiana (MFE). Nuestro objetivo es presentar datos normativos para población adulta española del MFE para su utilización en la práctica clínica. La muestra está formada por 647 sujetos (19-64 años), trabajadores de una gran empresa. Se han evaluado los olvidos cotidianos mediante el MFE con la valoración 0-2 (0 = nunca, raras veces; 1 = pocas veces, algunas veces; 2 = con frecuencia, muchas veces). Resultados: La media del MFE es 15.25 (DT = 7.50), rango 0-40; correlación con la edad = .133 (p = .001); con años de estudios: - .059 (n.s.). Entre los grupos de edad no se observa un incremento constante en MFE (F = 4, 59; p = .003, η2 = .02), las diferencias se encuentran entre el grupo de 19-29 años y el de 40-49; no hay diferencias significativas entre las demás comparaciones. Respecto al sexo, hay pocas diferencias y los intervalos de confianza se solapan (F = 5, 71; p = .017; η2 = .01). Concluimos que no hay variaciones importantes por edad, sexo ni años de estudios. Teniendo esto en cuenta se considera al grupo como un todo para obtener los percentiles que se presentan.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2012

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