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Ricerche di Psicologia/Psychological Research Journal - Open Access

Articoli

No. 3 (2022)

Metacognitive Decision-Making Scenarios (MDMS): Proposal for a tool to assess awareness in decision-making processes

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3280/rip2022oa15308
Submitted
gennaio 25, 2023
Published
2023-02-02

Abstract

Decision-making competence is one of the most important aspects throughout the individual’s lifespan. Making correct choices in everyday life is essential to keep autonomy, which is crucial, especially when age increases.
Even though many studies showed that awareness about the decisional process plays a key role in an effective decision, no tools are available to assess it. Such awareness is especially crucial during old age, when most of the cognitive functions underlying the decision-making ability tend to impair, making the decisional process less efficient as well. This study concerns the Metacognitive Decision-Making Scenarios, a self-report tool designed to explore the elderly’s awareness of the decisional process. Data collected through a pilot phase will be presented. Responses of 40 participants were investigated. Results revealed that the tool has internal consistency levels above the acceptance threshold and the answers to the items are stable over time. Further findings concern the relations between subscales and principal cognitive abilities and psychological characteristics bound to the decisional process, as well as possible differences associated with age, schooling, and sex.

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