Ricerc@Sapienza

Reliable and valid measures are necessary to assess subjective working memory complaints
that can be distinct from objective memory performance. The Working Memory
Questionnaire (WMQ) is a self-administered scale proposed by Vallat-Azouvi. It assesses the
three different working memory domains (memory storage, attention, and executive functions)
in accordance with Baddeley’s working memory model. Our aim was to propose an
Italian translation of the WMQ and provide normative data. We collected normative data
from 697 healthy Italian participants aged between 18 and 88 years. Percentiles and cutoff
scores, taking into consideration age, gender, and education, were provided for the WMQ
total scores and the three separate domains. The performance on the WMQ was influenced
by age and education. In particular, age and education affected self-perceived working
memory efficacy. Our data demonstrate a significant correlation between the WMQ and
paper-and-pencil tests assessing working memory, attention, and executive functions. This
study provides normative data that have been adjusted for relevant demographics and percentile
grids in an Italian population. The results are in line with a previous French study
that also supported the use of the WMQ as a valid prescreening instrument for working
memory deficits in clinical practice.