Cognitive Aging Among Middle Eastern and North African Adults in the US

Cognitive Aging Among Middle Eastern and North African Adults in the US is organized by California Psychological Association (CPA).

Start Date: 3/27/2024
End Date: 12/1/2024

Course Description: 
This presentation will discuss ongoing research efforts in Southeast Michigan to characterize cognitive health among MENA older adults, including rigorous English-Arabic translation of neuropsychological instruments, measurement invariance analyses, and both between- and within-group studies of cognitive functioning. This research is timely because after decades of advocacy, MENA Americans are on the cusp of being recognized as a distinct racial/ethnic group by the U.S. government, which will open up new opportunities to more fully understand immigrant health and health disparities.

This talk discusses research on cognitive aging among Middle Eastern/North African (MENA) Americans, though it should be noted that those included in this talk are not exhaustive of MENA experiences, such as Jewish MENA experiences. For more information regarding the diverse experiences of MENA, please see this resource.

After attending this On-Demand Course, attendees will be able to:
• Name at least one structural factor underlying why research focused the MENA population has lagged behind research focused on other minoritized populations in the US.
• List at least two dementia risk factors that appear to be more prevalent among MENA adults compared with other White adults.
• List at least two sociocultural factors that may contribute to within-group variability in cognitive aging among MENA older adults.
• Describe at least one way that invariance analyses can advance research on neuropsychological assessment.