Article

OBJECTIVE: To examine associations between multitasking ability defined by
performance on a complex task integrating multiple cognitive domains and
vocational functioning in multiple sclerosis (MS). DESIGN: Survey data
collection. SETTING: Laboratory with referrals from an outpatient clinic.
PARTICIPANTS: Community-dwelling individuals with MS (N=30) referred between
October 2011 and June 2012. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:
The modified Six Elements Test (SET) to measure multitasking ability, Fatigue
Severity Scale to measure fatigue, several neuropsychological measures of
executive functioning, and vocational status. RESULTS: Among the sample, 60% of
individuals have reduced their work hours because of MS symptoms (cutback
employment group) and 40% had maintained their work hours. Among both groups, SET
performance was significantly associated with performance on several measures of
neuropsychological functioning. Individuals in the cutback employment group
demonstrated significantly worse overall performance on the SET (P=.041).
Logistic regression was used to evaluate associations between SET performance and
vocational status, while accounting for neuropsychological performance and
fatigue. The overall model was significant (chi(2)3=8.65, P=.032), with fatigue
[Exp(B)=.83, P=.01] and multitasking ability [Exp(B)=.60, P=.043] retained as
significant predictors. CONCLUSIONS: Multitasking ability may play an important
role in performance at work for individuals with MS. Given that multitasking was
associated with vocational functioning, future efforts should assess the
usefulness of incorporating multitasking ability into rehabilitation planning.
CI - Copyright (c) 2013 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by
Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS