Factors associated with sustained attention during an activity intervention in persons with dementia

Background/Aims: Are the noncognitive factors of self-reported mood and personality related to sustained attention in nursing home residents with dementia during an activity intervention? Methods: Intervention data from a randomized clinical trial were used to address the aim of this project. Subjects were 128 nursing home residents who were assessed for mood, personality, behavioral indicators of attention, time on task and number of disengagements during an activity intervention. Results: More positive self-reported mood was associated with greater behavioral displays of attention during activities, greater time spent engaged in the activities and less disengagement. Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the first study to report on the association of mood, personality and sustained attention in nursing home residents with dementia. While the findings are preliminary, they can be used to inform the design of future research.