Objectives:This study investigated the influence of information type (based on whether the text affirmed the reader’s veridical beliefs or disconfirmed the reader’s erroneous beliefs) and self-reported osteoarthritis status on older adults’ accurate recall of written medical passages about osteoarthritis. Methods:One week after reading the passages, adults aged 65 through 80 without osteoarthritis (n= 46) and with osteoarthritis (n= 31) completed a cued recall task that focused on accurate memory of what the passage said. Results:Disconfirming informationwas less accurately recalled than affirming information. Whereas self-reported osteoarthritis status was not significantly (p> .05) related to accurate recall of affirming information, it was significantly (p< .05) related to accurate recall of disconfirming information. Discussion:Older adults with osteoarthritis were more likely than older adults without osteoarthritis to misrepresent the content of the passages as supporting their misconceptions.
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