Evaluating Strategy Use, Online Awareness and Memory Performance Using the Contextual Memory Test Version 2 (CMT-2) in Healthy Adults.

Objective: The Contextual Memory Test-2 (CMT-2) is an updated version of the CMT, which is a standardized occupational therapy assessment to evaluate an individual's memory, awareness and strategy use to guide occupational therapy interventions. This study aimed to examine, amongst younger adults (<40 years old) and middle-to-older adults (>40 years old) in Singapore, (1) the relationship between strategy use and memory performance (2) the relationship between online awareness and memory performance, and (3) explore the relationship of memory performance and online awareness with age. The secondary objective was establishing preliminary normative data on CMT-2 for the Singapore adult population.

Methods: One hundred and thirty-two healthy participants aged 18-71 were recruited via convenience sampling and underwent virtual or face-to-face assessment. CMT-2 was administered to assess their immediate recall (IR), delayed recall (DR), total recall (TR), strategy use, and online awareness of performance through prediction and estimation discrepancies.

Results: Higher recall scores were found for efficient strategies as compared to inefficient (IR: p = .012; DR: p = .003; TR: p = .003). For different strategy types, 'context' yielded higher recall scores than 'limited association' (IR: p < .001, DR: p = .016). During IR, 'association' also obtained a higher recall score than 'limited association' (p = .007). Significant strong negative correlation of IR prediction discrepancy with recall score was found (r_s (130) = -.611, p < .001).

Conclusion: The preliminary normative data of CMT-2 among healthy adults in Singapore highlighted the role of effective memory strategies and online awareness in memory recall performance, suggesting the prioritization of these areas during interventions.