Prospective Memory: Remembering What to Do Tomorrow

Prospective memory refers to a crucial cognitive ability in daily life: remembering to perform a planned action in the future. Whether it's sending an important email, taking medication at a set time, or attending a meeting- this ability is essential for independent functioning. Previous evidence has indicated that autistic people may exhibit varying performance in this ability.

A new study, published in Sci Rep, 2026 Jun 10, aimed to expand the understanding of prospective memory among autistic adults, considering a wide range of cognitive profiles. Additionally, the study examined the influence of Executive Functioning - such as planning, inhibition, and generativity - on prospective memory ability.

The study included autistic adults and non-autistic adults, who were matched based on various characteristics. Participants performed an event-based prospective memory task and, in addition, completed three tasks designed to measure different Executive Functioning. Specifically, their abilities in planning, control (inhibition), and the ability to generate solutions or ideas (generativity) were measured.

What Did the Study Find?

  • Generally, non-autistic adults performed better on the event-based prospective memory task compared to autistic participants.
  • Better performance in Executive Functioning was found to be associated with better performance in prospective memory, in both groups (autistic and non-autistic).
  • The completion time of the planning task significantly predicted prospective memory performance. That is, the more efficient adults in both groups were in the planning task, the better their prospective memory performance.

These findings confirm previous findings regarding prospective memory performance among autistic people and reinforce the close link between Executive Functioning and prospective memory. Given the significant impact of prospective memory on daily life, the researchers suggest that future studies develop practical ways to support this ability.

Among the suggestions for support are focused training in planning abilities, the use of diaries and to-do lists, and the use of assistive technologies. Developing such tools is especially important for autistic adults who may benefit from external support in managing their future tasks.