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Table 1 Demographics and descriptive characteristics (N = 491)

From: Repetitive negative thinking is associated with subjective cognitive decline in older adults: a cross-sectional study

Variable

Mean (SD)a

Range

Age (years)

64.9 (4.2)

60 to 86

 60 to 64 years – n (%)

278 (56.6%)

 

 65 to 69 years – n (%)

139 (28.3%)

 

 70 to 75 years – n (%)

61 (12.4%)

 

 75 years and older – n (%)

13 (2.6%)

 

Sex – n (%)

 Female

310 (63.1%)

–

Education

 Total years spent in school and higher education

15.0 (3.2)

8 to 26

Current country of residence – n (%)

 United Kingdom

287 (58.5%)

–

 United States

143 (29.1%)

–

 Canada

10 (2.0%)

–

 Ireland

3 (0.6%)

 

 France

3 (0.6%)

 

 Australia

2 (0.4%)

 

 Italy

2 (0.4%)

 

 Greece

2 (0.4%)

 

 Chile

2 (0.4%)

 

 Other (Austria, Estonia, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden)

6 (1.2%)

–

 Not reported

31 (6.3%)

 

Subjective cognitive decline assessed continuously

 Self-perceived cognitive function (Neuro-QoL)

32.7 (5.8)

11 to 40

Subjective cognitive decline assessed categorically

 Memory complaints – n (%)

119 (24.2%)

–

 Worried about memory complaints – n (%)

79 (16.1%)

–

 Medical professional sought for memory complaints – n (%)

16 (3.3%)

–

Repetitive negative thinkingb (PTQ)

23.6 (10.7)

0 to 60

Rumination (RRS-10)

17.6 (5.3)

10 to 36

Worry (PSWQ-8)

19.5 (8.9)

8 to 40

Purpose in life (Ryff’s wellbeing subscale)

27.8 (6.6)

6 to 36

Openness to experience (BFI-10)

3.75 (0.94)

1 to 5

Conscientiousness (BFI-10)

3.95 (0.91)

1 to 5

Extraversion (BFI-10)

3.00 (1.15)

1 to 5

Agreeableness (BFI-10)

3.67 (0.85)

1 to 5

Neuroticism (BFI-10)

2.59 (1.12)

1 to 5

Regular meditation practice – n (%)

43 (8.8%)

–

Meditation experience (years)

13.2 (14.6)

1 month to 50 years

  1. Abbreviations: SD standard deviation, PTQ Perseverative Thinking Questionnaire, RRS-10 10-item Rumination Response Scale, PSWQ-8 8-item Penn State Worry Questionnaire, BFI-10 10-item Big Five Inventory
  2. aAll statistics are mean (SD) unless otherwise specified
  3. bn = 490