Article

OBJECTIVE: To compare the immediate and delayed effects of implicit and explicit
training methods for everyday skills in patients with dementia. DESIGN:
Counterbalanced self-controlled cases series. SUBJECTS: Convenience sample of 10
patients with dementia (Mini-Mental State Examination score between 15 and 26)
and 16 age- and education-matched controls. INTERVENTION:
Two everyday tasks
(using a microwave oven and a coffee machine) that were novel to all participants
were trained in five 15-minute sessions. Each participant learned both tasks, one
using an implicit learning method (modelling) and the other using an explicit
learning method (providing verbal cues). Tasks and conditions were
counterbalanced. MEASURES: The participants' performance was videotaped to assess
how well the tasks were performed before training, after each training session,
and 7-10 days after the final training session. A rater, who was blind to the
training method used, scored the number of correctly executed steps by viewing
the videotapes. RESULTS:
The two training methods were effective in both the
patient and healthy control groups, with there being a significant
baseline-to-follow-up increase in the number of correctly completed steps (P < 0.001). There were no differences between the training methods
(P = 0.16) and no
significant interaction between training method and
group (P = 0.31).
CONCLUSIONS: Older patients with mild dementia are able to acquire new skills
that are relevant for daily life, showing a similar rate of learning regardless
of whether implicit or explicit learning techniques are used.

Langue : ANGLAIS