Self-directed ageism refers to the many ways in which ageist beliefs become increasingly self-relevant and internalized. Despite extensive literature documenting the harmful effects of self-directed ageism on cognition, it remains to be established whether two core domains of self-directed ageism (ageist beliefs and personal views of one's own aging) independently, but also potentially interactively, influence prospective memory function. Accordingly, the present study was designed to test these relationships. One hundred eighty-three adults aged 41-85 years participated in this study (Mage = 63.84; 46.45% female). Participants completed both self-report and real-world behavioral indicators of prospective memory ability, alongside measures of ageist beliefs and personal views of one's own aging. Hierarchical regressions revealed differential effects of self-directed ageism (after controlling for demographic covariates), such that more negative ageist beliefs and more positive personal views of aging uniquely (but not interactively) predicted objective prospective memory function. Notably, only more positive personal views of aging emerged as a unique predictor of subjective prospective memory function. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of how self-directed ageism affects cognitive functioning, highlighting the complex nature of this relationship and the need to consider self-directed ageism at the subdomain level. Given the critical role of prospective memory in maintaining autonomy and everyday functioning, these findings have important implications for clinical practice and future research aimed at improving quality of life in late adulthood. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).

Autistic people sometimes camouflage their behaviour to appear non-autistic. This meta-analysis rigorously tests the relationship between autistic traits and camouflaging, examining contributing person- and study-level variables. Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, we searched PubMED, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and ProQuest Dissertations in April 2025. All quantitative designs examining autistic traits and camouflaging on a continuum were included. Fifty papers (N = 16,895; ages 10-90) contributed to a three-level meta-analysis (accounting for dependent effect sizes). Study quality was medium to high with no evidence of publication bias. Results revealed a moderate association between autistic traits and camouflaging (r = 0.34, 95% CI: 0.30-0.39), comparable across sexes. Depression, but not anxiety or social anxiety, moderated the relationship. Age was not a moderator, but the association was stronger in general population samples (vs diagnosed), with self-reported autism measures (vs observational), and when using the discrepancy method for camouflaging (vs self-report). Among camouflaging subdomains, assimilation showed the strongest effect, followed by compensation and masking. Limited sample diversity constrains inferences across the full spectrum. This meta-analysis provides a clearer understanding of when, why, and how autistic traits are related to camouflaging, with important research and clinical implications. No funding was obtained for this study. Registration: https://osf.io/uswtr/?view_only=277aec07cdfc402dae75f4900f291253Lay AbstractUnderstanding the autistic trait and camouflaging relationship is critical to identify who is most vulnerable to camouflaging and the way in which autism and camouflaging measurement may influence our understanding of this phenomenon. This directly impacts clinical diagnosis and support, as camouflaging contributes to diagnostic delay and poorer mental health outcomes, creating a cycle of continued camouflaging. Our findings may help to establish the foundation needed to develop targeted interventions.We completed a systematic search to identify all studies that assessed the relationship between autistic traits and camouflaging. In total, 50 studies met all inclusion criteria. The first author extracted data related to participant characteristics (age, gender, diagnostic status, mental health), autistic trait characteristics, and the camouflaging measurement characteristics.The 50 contributing studies included a total of 16,895 participants (61% female). These data show that the more autistic traits a person has, the more camouflaging they engage in; this relationship is evident for both males and females, and the strength of this relationship does not vary across the adult lifespan. People from the general population show an increase in the strength of this relationship, compared to those diagnosed, and the relationship changes based on how autistic traits and camouflaging are measured and conceptualised. Mental health did not have a clear impact on the overall relationship.There is a nuanced relationship between autistic traits and camouflaging, the strength of which is dependent on specific person-related (diagnostic status and depression) and study-related factors (autistic trait measurement type, camouflaging measurement type, and camouflaging subdomain). Autistic traits are most strongly linked to behaviours that help people to assimilate (try to fit in and appear 'normal'), followed by strategies to compensate for social differences. The act of hiding autistic traits was the least related. Because the relationship between autistic traits and camouflaging was weaker for diagnosed autistic people, further work is needed to test why this occurs. In addition, clinicians must be aware of the potential for camouflaging to disrupt the diagnostic process, and campaigns that aim to reduce stereotypes of autism and promote acceptance of neurodiversity may help to reduce the stigma that drives camouflaging.

Abstract BackgroundOlder adults living in residential aged care facilities (RACFs), particularly in regional and rural areas, experience a high burden of untreated dental caries, tooth sensitivity, and oral pain. Workforce shortages, limited access to dental services, and competing health priorities make the delivery of timely oral health care challenging in these settings. Poor oral health contributes to pain, impaired nutrition, reduced quality of life, and increased health service use. There is an urgent need for context-appropriate, accessible, and cost-effective interventions for RACF residents. Aqueous silver fluoride (AgF), a minimally invasive topical agent with caries-arresting and desensitizing properties, offers a pragmatic approach suitable for aged care settings. ObjectiveThis protocol aims to test the effectiveness of an AgF intervention package in reducing tooth sensitivity and tooth pain, arresting caries, and improving oral health and well-being in older adults living in regional and rural RACFs. MethodsThis study is a 2-arm, parallel-group cluster randomized controlled trial, with RACFs as the unit of randomization. The trial is conducted in public and private RACFs across regional and rural Queensland and New South Wales, Australia. Eligible participants are residents with at least 1 natural tooth. At baseline, calibrated examiners perform standardized oral examinations to assess dental caries status, lesion activity, and dentin hypersensitivity. AgF is applied to eligible carious lesions and sensitive tooth surfaces following a standardized clinical protocol. Follow-up assessments at 3 months include a repeat clinical examination to assess caries arrest and changes in hypersensitivity, along with resident-reported measures of oral pain and oral health–related quality of life collected using validated instruments. Outcomes include change in tooth sensitivity and oral pain at the 3-month follow-up, caries arrest rates, and change in oral health–related quality of life. Analyses will follow intention-to-treat principles and account for clustering using mixed-effects regression models with facility-level random effects. Models will adjust for baseline covariates and prespecified confounders. Sensitivity analyses will examine the robustness of the findings. The trial will also inform a planned economic evaluation embedded within the broader research program. ResultsThis trial forms part of a broader program funded by the Medical Research Future Fund Dementia, Aging and Aged Care Grant (2024439). Recruitment and data collection commenced in May 2025 and are expected to conclude in June 2026. Recruitment is ongoing across participating RACFs. Data analysis is expected to commence in mid-2026, with primary findings anticipated for publication in early 2027. ConclusionsThis protocol outlines a rigorous evaluation of a minimally invasive, scalable oral health intervention tailored to RACF settings. The findings will provide high-quality evidence on effectiveness to inform policy, service delivery, and economic evaluation aimed at improving oral health and well-being among older adults in residential aged care.

Understanding the factors that affect couples’ relationship quality is of considerable importance, with one such factor being the division of household labor. To provide a rigorous test of associations between (dis)similarities in the division of household labor and relationship quality, data from 235 heterosexual cohabiting romantic partners (mean relationship length = 17.10 years, SD = 12.22) were examined using dyadic response surface analyses. Couples’ equality and equity perceptions were considered, and examined separately, in relation to the physical, cognitive and emotional loads associated with maintaining a household. The results align with previous literature indicating that, despite some improvements in gender equality, women continue to bear most of the household responsibilities. Results also highlight how greater discrepancies between couples’ household labor equality - but not equity - perceptions, relate to poorer relationship quality for each gender. Interestingly, while this relationship was found to be stronger for women across physical and emotional loads, disagreements were only found to be related to worse relationship quality amongst men for the cognitive load. This study contributes to a growing literature highlighting the need to broaden the scope of household labor beyond physical chores and consider the often invisible cognitive and emotional loads that may be more demanding. Findings are interpreted within the framework of established relationship theories, and the data offer practical foundational insights for relationship therapy, supporting the future development of evidence-based guidance for couples seeking to preserve or enhance relationship quality.

OBJECTIVES:While prior research suggests that self-compassion training delivered via virtual reality (VR) is effective, it is limited by the absence of appropriate control conditions. Using a two-session, sequentially controlled trial design, this study compared a conventional VR self-compassion training paradigm to two active control conditions: a non-VR, computer-based self-compassion training, and a VR intervention that replaced the self-to-self component with a generic third-party interaction (VR Generic). METHOD:Eighty-nine participants completed the training. Primary (self-compassion, self-criticism) and secondary (depression, anxiety, stress) outcomes were assessed pre- and post-intervention. Exploratory analyses examined virtual embodiment (agency, ownership, self-location) as a mechanism of change. RESULTS:No significant group differences emerged for anxiety, stress, or self-compassion. However, distinct efficacy patterns emerged for specific symptoms. For depression, the externally focused VR Generic condition demonstrated a preliminary advantage for symptom reduction compared to the computer control. Conversely, for self-criticism, the self-focused VR Self-Compassion training was significantly more effective than both controls. Both VR conditions induced higher agency than the computer control, but only the self-focused VR condition increased body ownership. This heightened embodiment, however, did not universally translate into superior wellbeing benefits across all domains. CONCLUSIONS:The findings suggest that specific VR formats may be better suited for targeting distinct psychological symptoms. While externally focused VR shows promise for alleviating depressive symptoms, the embodied "self-to-self" simulation appears critical for dismantling self-criticism. Rather than acting as a universally superior intervention, VR embodiment may offer a targeted approach tailored to specific symptom presentations.

Cognitive rehabilitation is a complex and challenging area of brain injury rehabilitation practice, and specialized training programs are needed to upskill practitioners to ensure effective, evidence-based interventions. We developed a cognitive rehabilitation capacity-building program (CogCap) to address this need. The aims of this study were to pilot the CogCap program with a multidisciplinary group of cognitive rehabilitation providers; to evaluate whether it improved participants' self-ratings of knowledge, skills, and confidence in cognitive rehabilitation; and to explore their perceptions and experiences of the program. CogCap was evaluated in a pilot study with 12 cognitive rehabilitation providers, who included occupational therapists, speech pathologists, and psychologists working in brain injury rehabilitation. CogCap components included online self-paced learning modules, workshops, and expert masterclasses completed over a 3-month period. Measures included degree of participation in CogCap components; pre- and post-self-ratings of knowledge, skills, and confidence; and qualitative interviews of CogCap participants about their experience. There were high levels of engagement with the workshops and significant improvements, with large effect sizes in perceived knowledge (d = 0.81, p < 0.05), skills (d = 0.65, p < 0.05), and confidence (d = 1.30, p < 0.01). Four themes were derived from the qualitative interview data: (1) learning through the program, (2) engaging in the program, (3) enhancing practice, and (4) supporting future change. The pilot evaluation provides preliminary evidence of CogCap's effectiveness and acceptability to cognitive rehabilitation providers. Larger scale implementation and evaluation is recommended. http://links.lww.com/IJEBH/A334.

Introduction The number of adults seeking orthodontic treatment globally continues to rise. This study aimed to clarify how demographic characteristics, treatment-related factors (perceived quality, cost, convenience), psychological factors (dental aesthetics, body image, mental health) and oral health influence adults' interest in pursuing orthodontic treatment. Methods A representative sample of 604 adults with the same proportion of participants as the national United Kingdom population across three core demographics (age, sex, ethnicity) completed an online survey. Data were analysed using chi-squared tests, multinomial logistic regressions, mixed analyses of variance and hierarchical multiple regression. Results A high proportion of respondents had at least some interest in pursuing orthodontic treatment and those with the greatest interest were also more likely to prefer that an orthodontist deliver this treatment. Individuals who reported a preference for an orthodontist (53% of respondents) identified treatment quality as the primary advantage and cost as the most common concern. For those who preferred direct-to-consumer aligners (25% of respondents), quality was the most common concern and convenience the primary advantage. Hierarchical multiple regression revealed that, while demographic control variables explained 10.96% of variance in respondents' interest in pursuing any type of orthodontic treatment, a model that included psychological variables and oral health explained substantial additional unique variance (20.61%; both ps <0.05). Greater negative psychosocial impact of dental aesthetics, better body image and good oral health each made significant unique contributions to predicting orthodontic interest. Conclusions These data provide a more nuanced and comprehensive understanding of the many distinct factors that influence interest in undertaking orthodontic treatment in the adult general population, with implications for ethical and consumer-centred marketing, as well as patient satisfaction and treatment adherence.

Almost all prior literature on affective forecasting in older age has focused exclusively on discrete outcomes in nonsocial contexts (such as winning monetary rewards) and not a single study to date has examined age-related differences in affective forecasting in social contexts. Because close social relationships are prioritized as people age, the present study was designed to provide the first test of how younger and older adults forecast their emotions when anticipating an interaction with a real social partner. We recruited younger and older adults and asked them to forecast their positive and negative emotions in response to a brief face-to-face interaction with a social partner (female confederate) before reporting their actual experienced emotions after the interaction. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two conditions in which they were either primed to perceive closeness with their conversation partner or not. Overall, older adults predicted and experienced more positive and less negative emotions relative to their younger counterparts. However, no other age effects emerged. Both age groups overestimated their negative and underanticipated their positive future emotions to a similar degree (although this latter effect was stronger in the perceived closeness vs. control condition). These findings offer support for the hypothesis that normative shifts in goal orientation and affective experience associated with aging may influence the valence of forecasted and experienced emotion and, importantly, demonstrate that affective forecasting accuracy is not negatively impacted by age. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

Virtual Reality (VR) presents a promising platform for delivering self-compassion interventions, yet optimal design strategies for avatars remain unclear—particularly in emotionally sensitive contexts such as depression therapy. This paper explores how avatar stylization and customization affect user experience and therapeutic outcomes in immersive individualized VR (iVR). We conducted two user studies within an iVR self-compassion therapy system. Study 1 introduced fixed stylized avatars, while Study 2 added self-resembling avatar customization. Results from the User Experience Questionnaire (UEQ) and Self-Compassion Scale (SCS) revealed that stylized avatars were well received, avoiding uncanny valley effects while maintaining usability. Customization did not significantly alter overall user experience but led to a moderate improvement in self-compassion scores. Qualitative feedback highlighted trade-offs between emotional safety and fidelity expectations. Our findings suggest that stylized, customizable avatars can support therapeutic engagement without requiring high realism, offering design insights for emotionally sensitive iVR interventions.

Prospective memory (PM) refers to the ability to form an intention and remember to execute it in the future. Previous research suggests that chronic stroke patients display PM deficits, but this has not been investigated in acute patients using standardised clinical measures. We assessed PM performance in acute and early sub-acute stroke patients using a short form of the Memory for Intentions Screening Test (MIST-SF). We investigated relationships between lesion characteristics and acute PM deficits, changes in PM performance between acute and follow-up assessment, and whether PM predicts long-term cognitive and clinical outcomes. Fifty-eight stroke patients and 47 controls completed the MIST-SF and standard cognitive and clinical measures, and patients' brain scans were obtained for lesion and network-level subtraction analysis. The same test battery was administered to 33 stroke patients 6-12 months after acute testing. PM deficits were observed in acute patients on seven of eleven MIST-SF outcome measures. Better overall PM performance and time-based PM performance was associated with better performance on executive functioning measures, while higher event-based PM scores only correlated with faster processing speed. Stroke patients' PM performance did not significantly differ between acute testing and follow-up. Acute PM performance was a strong predictor of long-term PM but did not predict long-term cognitive and clinical outcomes. Limited conclusions could be drawn regarding lesion anatomy and PM impairment due to insufficient lesion overlap. These findings provide insight into PM function in acute and early sub-acute stroke patients and may inform future cognitive rehabilitation and intervention.

Background Anxiety and depression are serious mental health conditions affecting millions of people worldwide; however, they are often underdiagnosed due to limited health care resources. Mobile games, with their widespread popularity and availability, offer a unique opportunity to use user-game interaction data for mental health screening. Objective This study aimed to explore whether swipe gesture interactions from mobile games can serve as indicators of anxiety and depression symptoms. Methods A total of 82 participants played 3 casual mobile games (puzzle, infinite runner, and object slicing games) for 15 minutes each and completed validated measures of anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7; GAD-7) and depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-8; PHQ-8). Data were logged for each swipe event, and metrics were computed using statistical measures, yielding roughly 150 metrics per game. Spearman rank correlations were calculated between each metric and GAD-7 and PHQ-8 scores. Results Multiple swipe gesture metrics showed significant associations with both anxiety and depression scores. For the puzzle game, mean swipe speed correlated with PHQ-8 (ρ=−0.405; P<.001) and GAD-7 (ρ=−0.400; P<.001) scores. For the infinite runner game, mean variance in swipe end pressure showed moderate to strong negative correlation with PHQ-8 (ρ=−0.405; P<.001) and GAD-7 (ρ=−0.309; P=.007) scores. In the object slicing game, minimum swipe start position along the y-axis correlated positively with PHQ-8 (ρ=0.368; P<.001) and GAD-7 (ρ=0.370; P<.001) scores. Conclusions The findings from this exploratory study provide preliminary evidence supporting the feasibility of using swipe gesture interactions in mobile games as novel, engaging, and nonintrusive indicators of anxiety and depression.

Background:As virtual reality technologies become more accessible, understanding how design features influence user experience (UX) and psychological benefit is critical, particularly for emotionally sensitive interventions. Thus, while prior studies support the use of self-compassion paradigms in immersive virtual reality (VR) environments, the effects of avatar stylization, customization, and mirrored self-representation on therapeutic outcomes are not well understood. For instance, while it is often assumed that increasingly realistic avatars are preferable to less realistic ones, this basic premise remains largely untested. Objective:This study aimed to evaluate whether avatar appearance, customization features, and virtual mirrors affect UX and therapeutic outcomes in VR self-compassion therapy. Specifically, we examined whether stylized avatars, avatar customization, and virtual mirror feedback influenced user-rated self-compassion and depression symptoms. Methods:Across three between-subjects studies (N=107 neurotypical adults), participants engaged in an immersive individualized VR therapy protocol based on a 2-phase compassion task. The conditions were (1) stylized avatars (n=20), (2) stylized customizable avatars (n=49), and (3) stylized customizable avatars with a virtual mirror (n=38). Participants completed the User Experience Questionnaire, the Self-Compassion Scale, and the 8-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-8). In study 3, presence was also assessed using the Slater-Usoh-Steed scale. Qualitative feedback was analyzed thematically. Between- and within-study comparisons used t tests and Mann-Whitney U tests. Results:Avatar customization (study 2) led to a significant increase in self-compassion (Self-Compassion Scale: baseline mean 3.05, SD 0.98; follow-up mean 3.55, SD 1.16; t89=2.22; P=.03; d=-0.47), though PHQ-8 scores remained unchanged. The virtual mirror condition (study 3) significantly improved depression scores (PHQ-8: U=477.5; z=2.53; P=.01; r=0.30) and UX across four User Experience Questionnaire categories, including attractiveness and dependability. However, self-compassion did not significantly change in study 3 (mean 3.88, SD 1.33 → mean 4.09, SD 1.05; t63=0.71; P=.47; d=0.18). Presence scores in study 3 (mean 4.56, SD 1.58) were also comparable to real-world benchmarks. Qualitative feedback highlighted strong engagement with avatars and mirrors, and participants reported emotional safety and personalization benefits. Conclusions:Stylized avatars, when paired with customization and mirrored embodiment, can support UX and therapeutic benefit in VR self-compassion therapy. These findings challenge the assumption that hyperrealistic avatars are superior and highlight the importance of emotionally congruent design choices. The combination of stylization, individualization, and visual feedback may offer a low-barrier, user-aligned strategy for future therapeutic VR applications.

Social cognition underpins our ability to maintain social connections, which in turn can reduce our risk of dementia. Existing social cognitive interventions for people living with mild cognitive impairment or early stage dementia involve either informal social gatherings or target only a single social cognitive skill, such as emotion recognition. There are therefore currently no interventions that target the broad range of social cognitive skills involved in maintaining social connections for people living with mild cognitive impairment or early-stage dementia. A novel co-designed social cognitive skills intervention was delivered online to 10 people (6 females and 4 males; M age = 69 years, range = 58-82 years) with mild cognitive impairment ( n  = 7) and early-stage self-reported dementia ( n  = 3). The intervention was delivered by a psychologist via videocalls with accompany slides and a participant booklet in groups of 3-4 participants each, for five 2-hour weekly sessions. Sessions included: awareness of everyday communication skills; development of a personal action plan and reading non-verbal communication; managing sensory and cognitive challenges; real world interactions including assertiveness, confidence, building and maintaining good relationships; program review; and revisiting the personal action plan. Social cognition was measured using the Edinburgh Social Cognition Test (ESCoT). Secondary outcomes included cognition (MoCA), social frailty (social frailty index and social frailty scale), loneliness (UCLA loneliness scale), mental health (Geriatric Depression and Anxiety Scales), and quality of life (AQoL-6D). Data were collected via online interviews at pre-intervention, post-intervention, and at 3-month follow-up. ESCoT scores improved 17% at the end of the intervention, with further improvement at 3-months’ follow-up (21.8%). Delayed recall scores on the MoCA also improved by 83% by 3-month follow-up. Mental health symptoms and loneliness scores showed a floor effect. Participants reported finding the online intervention easy to access. A novel online group intervention for social cognitive skills showed promising results in a pilot study with people with mild cognitive impairment and early-stage dementia. A randomised controlled trial with a larger sample is required to test the effectiveness of the intervention in improving social cognition.

Prospective memory refers to memory for future intentions. In general, prospective memory appears to decline with age when tested in laboratory settings but is preserved or enhanced when tasks need to be completed in daily life. No study to date has tested whether age-related differences in specific brain structures and networks mediate prospective memory age effects in both settings. Here, measures of regional brain volume (anterior prefrontal cortex, frontoparietal networks, and temporal lobes), white matter integrity (prefrontal white matter hypointensities) and prospective memory were obtained from 41 younger and 41 older adults. The results showed that, as expected, older age was associated with smaller regional brain volumes, as well as poorer prefrontal white matter integrity. In addition, age was negatively associated with prospective memory function in the laboratory-based assessment, but positively associated with performance on the task completed in daily life. However, none of these behavioural effects were mediated by age-related differences in neural integrity. These data show that, in contrast to literature focused on neurodegenerative disease in which neural losses have been shown to be predictive of PM impairment, age-related differences in brain integrity may not be the best indicator of normal variation in prospective memory function.

OBJECTIVE:Individuals with chronic pain (CP) often report difficulties with their social relationships. Empathic capacity is crucial for the development and maintenance of social relationships and deficits contribute to social difficulties. This review explored whether empathic capacity is disrupted in people with CP. METHODS:A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. PsycINFO, CINAHL Complete, MEDLINE Complete, and Scopus were searched on May 14, 2023, for studies published in English in a peer-reviewed journal that assessed differences in cognitive or affective empathy in adults with CP and healthy controls (HC). The Appraisal Tool for Cross-Sectional Studies was used to evaluate study quality. RESULTS:Eighteen studies were eligible ( Npooled = 1239) and two correlated effects robust variance estimation meta-analyses were conducted. Cognitive empathy (CE) was found to be poorer in people with CP relative to HC, but no significant difference was found between groups for affective empathy (AE). Subanalyses were conducted to explore the specific subconstructs of AE (affect sharing, empathic concern) and CE (affect attribution, mental state attribution), and how these are measured (self-report, performance). CONCLUSIONS:Relative to HCs, people with CP exhibit moderate CE difficulties. Significant AE difficulties were not evident in the CP group, though since power was limited, and effect sizes of moderate to large magnitude were identified for some subcomponents of AE, caution is warranted interpreting these null findings. Overall, findings meaningfully extend current understanding of potential barriers to interpersonal function in people with CP and have implications for treatment and recovery approaches. Further research is needed to consider the potential moderators.

Social cognition is crucial to optimal social functioning outcomes in older adults, with implications for overall health and wellbeing. Moreover, poor social cognition is a diagnostic criterion for neurocognitive disorders (NCDs). Prior work has studied the social cognitive subdomains (theory of mind (ToM), affective empathy, emotion recognition, and social behaviour) and found mild cognitive impairment and dementia to be associated with poorer performance in specific tasks and informant-reported changes respectively. These patterns in NCDs need to be distinguished from normal age-related changes, and more information is needed to ascertain what factors predict social cognitive decline in healthy ageing. 132 non-demented participants [mean MMSE 29.23 (SD 0.99)] aged 60 to 100 underwent comprehensive social cognitive assessments that varied based on modality of information (Figure 1), alongside neurocognitive assessments and affective questionnaires. Participants were divided based on decades to study age-related changes. Linear regression models identified significant predictors of social cognition performance amongst demographic, neuropsychological assessment scores, affective scores, and social networks. Age was associated with poorer performance in ToM tasks, specifically the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET), Multifaceted Empathy Test (MET) Cognitive subscale, and The Awareness of Social Inference Test (TASIT) part 3, and emotion recognition tasks, specifically the FACES task and TASIT 1, for expressions of anger, disgust, and sadness (Table 1). In regression models (Table 2), age was a significant predictor of RMET and FACES performance. In MET cognitive and both TASITs, neuropsychological tasks, mainly executive function, were predictive. Poorer executive function predicted performance for identifying unspoken emotions (“Feel” subscore) in TASIT 3. MET Emotional and the self-rated Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) Empathic Concern subscale was associated with less anxiety and more positive emotions at assessment. In ToM and emotion recognition, unimodal task performance was associated with age and some cognitive factors, and multimodal task performance was largely associated with executive function. Performance in affective empathy tasks was linked to affective measures. Poor performance in multimodal tasks likely reflects executive dysfunction in consolidating multiple streams of social information, while some declining performance in unimodal tasks may be normative to ageing.

OBJECTIVES To study the differential associations of regional volumes of grey matter (GM) and white matter hyperintensities (WMH) with behavioural and informant-reported measures of cognitive empathy (CE), especially in brain regions understood to have functional connectivity involvement with CE abilities. METHODS Community-dwelling participants from the Sydney Memory and Ageing Study (Sydney MAS) underwent whole brain MRI. Regional cortical GM volumes were derived using FreeSurfer v7.1 for, and WMH volumes were derived using UBO Detector. On follow-up four years later, CE was indexed via the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET; a behavioural task) and Interpersonal Reactivity Index – Perspective Taking subscale (IRI-PT; an informant-reported measure). RESULTS In 129 participants (mean age 87.01 years), Structural equation modelling (SEM) showed associations between insula GM volumes and RMET scores (p=0.001), and between supramarginal gyrus (SMG) GM volumes and IRI-PT scores (p=0.016). Associations remained significant after inclusion of covariates accounting for age, global cognition, affective symptoms, and social networks. DISCUSSION CE abilities assessed with RMET (a behavioural task) were positively associated with insula GM volumes. CE abilities on the IRI-PT (an informant-reported measure) were positively associated with SMG GM volumes. No associations between WMH volumes and CE measures were found. These findings may inform clinical workflows that use structural MRI investigations looking at social cognitive disturbances in older adults and provide further evidence of the divergent nature of behavioural and self-report measures of CE. ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest. National Health and Medical Research Council, 350833, 568940 Australian Research Council, DP170101239, FT170100096, DE220100561 University of New South Wales

This article commemorates the 40th anniversary of the publication of Psychology and Aging, the premier journal for basic and applied psychological research on aging and adult lifespan development, published by the American Psychological Association. To this end, we summarize the journal's history based on the editorials of previous editors, and we highlight the continuity in the journal's mission (especially with regard to high standards for scientific rigor, as well as openness to new content, understudied populations, and innovative methods), its increasing impact, and the great diversity of topics addressed in the last four decades. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).

Attention to others' direct gaze supports many social-cognitive processes (e.g., emotion recognition, joint attention) that are known to decline with age, but it remains to be established whether attention to direct gaze itself is associated with age-related changes. We address this question across two studies. In Study 1, young (n = 42) and older (n = 45) adults completed response time tasks with non-predictive direct gaze cues and predictive direct gaze cues, designed to index reflexive and volitional covert attentional orienting to direct gaze, respectively. The results showed that young and older adults equivalently shifted their attention to predictive direct gaze cues but did not shift their attention to non-predictive direct gaze cues. Study 2 was designed to assess whether this orienting to predictive direct gaze was unique to direct gaze. A separate independent sample of young (n = 43) and older (n = 44) adults completed response time tasks with predictive direct gaze cues, predictive averted gaze cues, and predictive non-social (line orientation) cues. Attention was shifted to direct gaze but neither averted gaze nor line orientation, suggesting direct gaze was unique in being voluntarily attended-to. Pooling the predictive direct gaze task data across Studies 1 and 2, we found that young and older adults both oriented to the direct gaze cues, but that this orienting effect was reduced among older adults. The findings presented here provide novel insights into how direct gaze cues uniquely capture attention in younger and older age, and show for the first time that voluntary orienting to direct gaze is reduced in older adults. Theoretical implications are discussed.

There are specific challenges in identifying and delivering effective treatments which can protect and improve oral health in residential aged care facilities (RACFs). This is especially the case in those living in regional and rural areas. Given the consequences of poor oral health for older people living in RACFs, there is an urgent need for high-quality evidence on oral health interventions that are appropriate to context and need, accessible, and cost-effective for aged care residents. Applying aqueous forms of silver fluoride (AgF) can be effective and suitable for improving this population’s oral health and wellbeing. This paper outlines a research protocol which aims to test the effectiveness of an AgF intervention package in reducing tooth sensitivity, tooth pain, arresting caries, and improving oral health and wellbeing in older adults living in regional and rural RACFs. This study protocol describes a cluster randomised controlled trial with two parallel arms. The control arm will receive delayed intervention after 3-months. This approach allows for all participants to receive an oral examination and access to AgF treatment by the end of the study. Study sites include RACFs in public and private sectors across rural and regional Queensland and New South Wales, Australia. Oral assessments will be undertaken for RACF residents who provided consent, with at least one natural tooth. Teeth will be assessed for eligibility to receive AgF treatment. Outcomes at the 3-month follow-up will be collected through survey and clinical examination and include tooth sensitivity and pain, dental caries and oral health-related quality of life. This clinical study is part of an overarching project funded by the MRFF Dementia Ageing and Aged Care Grant #2024439. Data collection commenced in May 2025 for the cluster randomized controlled trial and is anticipated to continue until March 2026. This research protocol will provide a rigorous test of the efficacy of a minimally invasive intervention package of AgF to improve the oral health and wellbeing of older adults in RACFs. This clinical trial has been registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) ACTRN12625000072415: https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?ACTRN=12625000072415