A Mixed-Methods Investigation of the Role of Sense of Community on Older Adults' Memory Self-Efficacy and Control Beliefs Following an Online Group Memory Intervention.

Using a mixed-methods design, we investigated the effect of an asynchronous online group intervention for older adults with subjective cognitive difficulties on their memory self-efficacy and control beliefs, in a pre-post single group study. We hypothesized that engaging with online discussion boards would foster a sense of community amongst participants, helping improve self-reported memory self-efficacy and control beliefs. One hundred and twenty-seven community-dwelling adults aged 60-88 years, drawn from the Online Personalized Training in Memory Strategies for Everyday (OPTIMiSE) study, completed questionnaires assessing memory self-efficacy, control beliefs, sense of community and usefulness of the discussion boards. The number of discussion board posts was recorded to indicate engagement. Findings revealed significant improvements to memory self-efficacy and control beliefs postintervention. Whilst not all participants reported a strong sense of community, their opinions of the discussion boards were generally favourable, particularly in terms of normalization of memory concerns through sharing with others. Time constraints, limited quality of interactions and decreased engagement were reported to impact both the usefulness of the discussion boards and the development of a sense of community. There are promising implications for the utility of online memory interventions in promoting greater confidence and feelings of control regarding memory ability through psychoeducation, strategy training and in providing reassurance through normalization.