Perceived Normal and Pathological Aging? A Cross-cultural Comparison Between French and Congolese.

French participants rated aging situations more severely than Congolese participants.

• 516 French and 210 Congolese individuals participated in the study.
• A specially designed 55-item questionnaire depicting various situations involving older individuals was administered in paper format.
• Participants assessed each situation on a Likert-type scale as indicative of either normal or pathological aging.
• Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and linear regression modeling.
• Results were described as 'in line with our hypothesis' that French participants would rate situations more severely.

French participants better differentiated between situations illustrating normal versus pathological aging compared to Congolese participants.

• The questionnaire depicted cognitive, behavioral, and emotional changes commonly associated with neurocognitive disorders as illustrations of pathological aging.
• Congolese individuals tended to consider all situations as reflecting normal aging, showing less differentiation between normal and pathological conditions.
• French participants demonstrated a clearer distinction between normal aging processes and pathological conditions.
• The total sample included 726 participants (516 French and 210 Congolese).

The general population lacks scientific knowledge on normal and pathological aging across both cultures.

• The study revealed a knowledge gap in the general population regarding normal and pathological aging.
• The authors outlined 'a need for improvement regarding public education' based on these findings.
• Both populations showed deficits, though the nature and extent differed between French and Congolese participants.
• Differences between populations suggest that 'public education should be specifically tailored and contextualized to improve knowledge on aging.'

Perception of normal or pathological behavior in aging is not universally shared across cultures.

• The study compared two culturally distinct groups: French (Western) and Congolese (African) populations.
• Socio-cultural influences were found to affect how individuals distinguish between normal aging and pathological conditions.
• The 55-item questionnaire covered cognitive, behavioral, and emotional changes associated with neurocognitive disorders.
• The cross-cultural comparison demonstrated meaningful differences in aging perception between the two groups.

There is a paucity of research examining how different cultures distinguish between normal aging and pathological conditions in older adults.

• The study was designed to address this gap in the literature by comparing French and Congolese perceptions.
• The authors noted 'well-established cultural nuances regarding the perception of aging' but insufficient research on the normal/pathological distinction specifically.
• The authors encouraged 'further studies on African populations from a neuropsychological perspective for better representativeness of the human species.'
• The study aimed to 'offer insights into the socio-cultural influences on this distinction.'