A Standardized Prospective Memory Evaluation of the Effects of COVID-19 Confinement on Young Students

Pisano, Francesca; Torromino, Giulia; Brachi, Daniela; Quadrini, Agnese; Incoccia, Chiara; Marangolo, Paola · 2021 · OpenAlex-citations

DOI: 10.3390/jcm10173919

archive: archived pipeline: cataloged verified

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Summary

This study investigates the impact of COVID-19 confinement on the psychological well-being and cognitive functions of young students, specifically focusing on prospective memory (PM) and working memory (WM). While previous research relied heavily on self-reported questionnaires, this study aimed to reduce social desirability bias by employing standardized cognitive tests alongside psychometric assessments. The research was motivated by evidence that pandemic-related isolation and stress negatively affect mental health and cognitive processes, yet few studies had objectively measured these effects in young adults using standardized tools. The study recruited 150 female first-year psychology students aged 18–23 from southern Italy. Participants completed assessments one month after the confinement period (T1) and provided retrospective data for one month prior (T0). Psychological well-being was assessed using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21), while self-reported memory failures were measured via the Prospective and Retrospective Memory Questionnaire (PRMQ). Cognitive performance was evaluated using the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task (PASAT) for WM and the Memory for Intentions Screening Test (MIST) for PM. The MIST distinguished between event-based and time-based intentions. Statistical analyses included Wilcoxon signed-rank tests for within-subject comparisons, Mann–Whitney U tests to compare T1 results against normative data, and Spearman’s correlations to examine relationships between variables. Results indicated a significant deterioration in both psychological and cognitive domains. Self-reports showed severe increases in anxiety, depression, and stress at T1 compared to T0 and normative baselines. Participants also reported significantly higher frequencies of prospective and retrospective memory failures. Standardized testing confirmed these subjective reports: WM performance on the PASAT decreased significantly compared to normative data, and PM performance on the MIST was also significantly lower than norms. Notably, time-based PM tasks were more impaired than event-based tasks. Correlation analysis revealed that higher anxiety levels were associated with greater self-reported memory failures, and poorer WM performance was significantly correlated with worse time-based PM performance. The findings demonstrate that COVID-19 confinement severely impacted the mental health and cognitive abilities of young students, particularly affecting WM and time-based PM. The alignment between self-reported difficulties and objective test results suggests that the perceived memory failures were genuine cognitive deficits rather than mere subjective complaints. The study highlights the interdependence of stress, WM, and PM, supporting theoretical models that posit WM is crucial for the strategic monitoring required in time-based PM tasks. These results underscore an urgent need for psychological and cognitive recovery plans for students affected by pandemic-related restrictions.

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• prospective memory interruptions