Date of Award:

5-2016

Document Type:

Dissertation

Degree Name:

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department:

Human Development and Family Studies

Department name when degree awarded

Family, Consumer, and Human Development

Committee Chair(s)

Maria C. Norton

Committee

Maria C. Norton

Committee

Travis E. Dorsch

Committee

Elizabeth B. Fauth

Committee

Julie A. Gast

Committee

JoAnn T. Tschanz

Abstract

Alzheimer’s disease is a growing public health concern with an estimated five million Americans currently afflicted. That number is projected to triple by 2050 as the baby boomer generation approaches age 65, the most common age where people begin to show symptoms of cognitive decline stemming from changes in the brain related to Alzheimer’s. Since there is currently no cure or preventive pharmacological treatment, AD prevention research is now recognized as an important enterprise. Modifiable lifestyle factors that can reduce AD risk or delay its onset have been identified as reasonable targets for behavioral intervention, including increased physical activity, healthier food choices, more cognitive stimulation, better sleep quality, stress management, and social engagement.

Accordingly, the current investigation examined important psychological constructs related to perceived AD risk and the extent to which they predict health-related behavior change. Data were used from the Gray Matters Study, a smartphone application-based behavioral intervention targeting these six behavioral domains that was recently conducted in Cache County, Utah, following 146 middle-aged adults over six months. A better understanding of the impact of these psychological factors will help future interventions become more effective.

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