Development and Validation of Response Time Inconsistency in the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) Study - Abstract

Q: Which factors and outcomes were associated with RTI?

RTI increased with age, was higher in less educated participants, and was greater among women. Higher RTI also related to slower task switching, lower BTACT scores including episodic memory and executive function composites, and poorer self-rated mental and physical health.

Sep 29, 2026

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Response time inconsistency (RTI), defined as trial-to-trial variability on reaction-time cognitive tasks, is a behavioral marker of cognitive health and early cognitive pathology. Limited work has tested RTI validity using telephone-based voice-triggered response time protocols or within midlife cohorts at dementia risk. Using MIDUS Wave 2 (N=4,285), RTI derived from SGS task non-switch trials was analyzed and linked to age, education, sex, cognitive performance, and self-rated mental and physical health, with interpretation focused on CNS integrity and dementia prediction.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

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Pages2

Reading Time5 min

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Abstract

Background and Purpose

Method and Measures

Key Findings

Discussion Focus

706 Innovation in Aging, 2025, Vol. 9, No. S2 Abstract citation ID: igaf122.2407 DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF RESPONSE TIME INCONSISTENCY IN THE MIDLIFE IN THE UNITED STATES (MIDUS) STUDY Robert Stawski1, Eric Cerino2, Dakota Witzel3, Margie Lachman4, and Stuart MacDonald5, 1. Utah State University, Logan, Utah, United States, 2. Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States, 3. South Dakota State University, Brookings, South Dakota, United States, 4. Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts, United States, 5. University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada Response time inconsistency (RTI), the trial-to-trial variability on a RT-based cognitive task, is an important behavioral indicator of cognitive health, cognitive aging, and an early indicator of cognitive pathology, and central nervous system (CNS) dysfunction. Although RTI is well-studied through computer-based speeded tasks, little research has examined the validity of RTI obtained from: (1) telephone-based cognitive assessments employing voice-triggered response time protocols; or (2) midlife cohorts who are at risk for dementia. Using data from the second wave of the MIDUS study (N = 4,285; Mage=55.6, SD = 12.2, Range=28-84; 55%=women; 75% having at least some college education), participants completed the Brief Test of Adult Cognition via Telephone (BTACT), which includes tests of executive function and episodic memory abilities, as well as a RT-based stop-go switching (SGS) task. RTI was derived from 20 trials of the SGS non-switch condition and quantified as an intraindividual standard deviation (ISD) residualized for trial number. RTI was greater with age (r=.26, p<.0001), being less educated (r=-.16, p<.0001), and among women (Cohen’s d=.15, p<.0001) . Importantly, RTI was associated with slower task switching performance, lower scores on the BTACT, episodic memory, and executive function cognitive composites (rs=-.19 to- .41, ps<.0001), as well as poorer self-rated mental (r=-.13) and physical (-.18, ps<.0001) health. RTI was not significantly related to self-rated positive affect (r=-.02, p=.24) or negative Innovation in Aging, 2025, Vol. 9, No. S2 707 affect (r=.02, p=.17) . Discussion will focus on the validity and promise of RTI obtained from telephone-based cognitive assessments for characterizing CNS integrity and dementia risk in large-scale surveys.

FAQs

Which factors and outcomes were associated with RTI?

RTI increased with age, was higher in less educated participants, and was greater among women. Higher RTI also related to slower task switching, lower BTACT scores including episodic memory and executive function composites, and poorer self-rated mental and physical health.

Sep 29, 2026

Upload by Fahsai