B – 114 Comparative Analysis of Memory Interference Test Performance: Insights from Yearly and Daily Variations

Abstract Objective This study examined changes in performance and response time on the URI-UCLA Memory Interference Test (MIT) by comparing participants who completed the task at different points. For this examination we looked at tasks completed as of April 13, 2025 versus those who last performed it “last year.” We hypothesized that more recent task exposure would be associated with slower response times due to increased familiarity-induced interference effects. Method A secondary data analysis was conducted using a subsample of 263 participants drawn from a larger cognitive testing database. Participants were divided into two groups based on the last time they completed the MIT: “today” (Group A; n= 84) and “last year” (Group B; n = 179). Two dependent variables were assessed: total number of correct responses across sets 1–3 and average response time in milliseconds. Bootstrapped simulations with 10,000 iterations were used to calculate observed effect sizes and p-values. Results Cognitive accuracy did not differ significantly between groups (Group A: Median = 137, Group B: Median = 139; effect size = 2.0, p = .2650). However, participants who completed the task today (Group A) demonstrated significantly slower response times (Median = 828 ms) compared to the prior-year group (Group B; Median = 787 ms), with an observed effect size of 41.0 (p = .0485). Conclusion Recent task exposure may lead to slower response times, potentially reflecting memory interference or attentional fatigue. These findings underscore the importance of test timing and repeat exposure when interpreting longitudinal cognitive performance outcomes in neuropsychological assessments.