Sample records for reliable individual differences
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Reliabilities of mental rotation tasks: limits to the assessment of individual differences.
Hirschfeld, Gerrit; Thielsch, Meinald T; Zernikow, Boris
2013-01-01
Mental rotation tasks with objects and body parts as targets are widely used in cognitive neuropsychology. Even though these tasks are well established to study between-groups differences, the reliability on an individual level is largely unknown. We present a systematic study on the internal consistency and test-retest reliability of individual differences in mental rotation tasks comparing different target types and orders of presentations. In total n = 99 participants (n = 63 for the retest) completed the mental rotation tasks with hands, feet, faces, and cars as targets. Different target types were presented in either randomly mixed blocks or blocks of homogeneous targets. Across all target types, the consistency (split-half reliability) and stability (test-retest reliabilities) were good or acceptable both for intercepts and slopes. At the level of individual targets, only intercepts showed acceptable reliabilities. Blocked presentations resulted in significantly faster and numerically more consistent and stable responses. Mental rotation tasks-especially in blocked variants-can be used to reliably assess individual differences in global processing speed. However, the assessment of the theoretically important slope parameter for individual targets requires further adaptations to mental rotation tests.
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Paap, Kenneth R; Sawi, Oliver
2016-12-01
Studies testing for individual or group differences in executive functioning can be compromised by unknown test-retest reliability. Test-retest reliabilities across an interval of about one week were obtained from performance in the antisaccade, flanker, Simon, and color-shape switching tasks. There is a general trade-off between the greater reliability of single mean RT measures, and the greater process purity of measures based on contrasts between mean RTs in two conditions. The individual differences in RT model recently developed by Miller and Ulrich was used to evaluate the trade-off. Test-retest reliability was statistically significant for 11 of the 12 measures, but was of moderate size, at best, for the difference scores. The test-retest reliabilities for the Simon and flanker interference scores were lower than those for switching costs. Standard practice evaluates the reliability of executive-functioning measures using split-half methods based on data obtained in a single day. Our test-retest measures of reliability are lower, especially for difference scores. These reliability measures must also take into account possible day effects that classical test theory assumes do not occur. Measures based on single mean RTs tend to have acceptable levels of reliability and convergent validity, but are "impure" measures of specific executive functions. The individual differences in RT model shows that the impurity problem is worse than typically assumed. However, the "purer" measures based on difference scores have low convergent validity that is partly caused by deficiencies in test-retest reliability. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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Richler, Jennifer J.; Floyd, R. Jackie; Gauthier, Isabel
2014-01-01
Efforts to understand individual differences in high-level vision necessitate the development of measures that have sufficient reliability, which is generally not a concern in group studies. Holistic processing is central to research on face recognition and, more recently, to the study of individual differences in this area. However, recent work has shown that the most popular measure of holistic processing, the composite task, has low reliability. This is particularly problematic for the recent surge in interest in studying individual differences in face recognition. Here, we developed and validated a new measure of holistic face processing specifically for use in individual-differences studies. It avoids some of the pitfalls of the standard composite design and capitalizes on the idea that trial variability allows for better traction on reliability. Across four experiments, we refine this test and demonstrate its reliability. PMID:25228629
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Inhibition in task switching: The reliability of the n - 2 repetition cost.
Kowalczyk, Agnieszka W; Grange, James A
2017-12-01
The n - 2 repetition cost seen in task switching is the effect of slower response times performing a recently completed task (e.g. an ABA sequence) compared to performing a task that was not recently completed (e.g. a CBA sequence). This cost is thought to reflect cognitive inhibition of task representations and as such, the n - 2 repetition cost has begun to be used as an assessment of individual differences in inhibitory control; however, the reliability of this measure has not been investigated in a systematic manner. The current study addressed this important issue. Seventy-two participants performed three task switching paradigms; participants were also assessed on rumination traits and processing speed-measures of individual differences potentially modulating the n - 2 repetition cost. We found significant n - 2 repetition costs for each paradigm. However, split-half reliability tests revealed that this cost was not reliable at the individual-difference level. Neither rumination tendencies nor processing speed predicted this cost. We conclude that the n - 2 repetition cost is not reliable as a measure of individual differences in inhibitory control.
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The reliability paradox: Why robust cognitive tasks do not produce reliable individual differences.
Hedge, Craig; Powell, Georgina; Sumner, Petroc
2018-06-01
Individual differences in cognitive paradigms are increasingly employed to relate cognition to brain structure, chemistry, and function. However, such efforts are often unfruitful, even with the most well established tasks. Here we offer an explanation for failures in the application of robust cognitive paradigms to the study of individual differences. Experimental effects become well established - and thus those tasks become popular - when between-subject variability is low. However, low between-subject variability causes low reliability for individual differences, destroying replicable correlations with other factors and potentially undermining published conclusions drawn from correlational relationships. Though these statistical issues have a long history in psychology, they are widely overlooked in cognitive psychology and neuroscience today. In three studies, we assessed test-retest reliability of seven classic tasks: Eriksen Flanker, Stroop, stop-signal, go/no-go, Posner cueing, Navon, and Spatial-Numerical Association of Response Code (SNARC). Reliabilities ranged from 0 to .82, being surprisingly low for most tasks given their common use. As we predicted, this emerged from low variance between individuals rather than high measurement variance. In other words, the very reason such tasks produce robust and easily replicable experimental effects - low between-participant variability - makes their use as correlational tools problematic. We demonstrate that taking such reliability estimates into account has the potential to qualitatively change theoretical conclusions. The implications of our findings are that well-established approaches in experimental psychology and neuropsychology may not directly translate to the study of individual differences in brain structure, chemistry, and function, and alternative metrics may be required.
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Use of Internal Consistency Coefficients for Estimating Reliability of Experimental Tasks Scores
Green, Samuel B.; Yang, Yanyun; Alt, Mary; Brinkley, Shara; Gray, Shelley; Hogan, Tiffany; Cowan, Nelson
2017-01-01
Reliabilities of scores for experimental tasks are likely to differ from one study to another to the extent that the task stimuli change, the number of trials varies, the type of individuals taking the task changes, the administration conditions are altered, or the focal task variable differs. Given reliabilities vary as a function of the design of these tasks and the characteristics of the individuals taking them, making inferences about the reliability of scores in an ongoing study based on reliability estimates from prior studies is precarious. Thus, it would be advantageous to estimate reliability based on data from the ongoing study. We argue that internal consistency estimates of reliability are underutilized for experimental task data and in many applications could provide this information using a single administration of a task. We discuss different methods for computing internal consistency estimates with a generalized coefficient alpha and the conditions under which these estimates are accurate. We illustrate use of these coefficients using data for three different tasks. PMID:26546100
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Sunday, Mackenzie A; Richler, Jennifer J; Gauthier, Isabel
2017-07-01
The part-whole paradigm was one of the first measures of holistic processing and it has been used to address several topics in face recognition, including its development, other-race effects, and more recently, whether holistic processing is correlated with face recognition ability. However the task was not designed to measure individual differences and it has produced measurements with low reliability. We created a new holistic processing test designed to measure individual differences based on the part-whole paradigm, the Vanderbilt Part Whole Test (VPWT). Measurements in the part and whole conditions were reliable, but, surprisingly, there was no evidence for reliable individual differences in the part-whole index (how well a person can take advantage of a face part presented within a whole face context compared to the part presented without a whole face) because part and whole conditions were strongly correlated. The same result was obtained in a version of the original part-whole task that was modified to increase its reliability. Controlling for object recognition ability, we found that variance in the whole condition does not predict any additional variance in face recognition over what is already predicted by performance in the part condition.
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Kennedy, R S; Hettinger, L J; Harm, D L; Ordy, J M; Dunlap, W P
1996-01-01
Vection (V) refers to the compelling visual illusion of self-motion experienced by stationary individuals when viewing moving visual surrounds. The phenomenon is of theoretical interest because of its relevance for understanding the neural basis of ordinary self-motion perception, and of practical importance because it is the experience that makes simulation, virtual reality displays, and entertainment devices more vicarious. This experiment was performed to address whether an optokinetically induced vection illusion exhibits monotonic and stable psychometric properties and whether individuals differ reliably in these (V) perceptions. Subjects were exposed to varying velocities of the circular vection (CV) display in an optokinetic (OKN) drum 2 meters in diameter in 5 one-hour daily sessions extending over a 1 week period. For grouped data, psychophysical scalings of velocity estimates showed that exponents in a Stevens' type power function were essentially linear (slope = 0.95) and largely stable over sessions. Latencies were slightly longer for the slowest and fastest induction stimuli, and the trend over sessions for average latency was longer as a function of practice implying time course adaptation effects. Test-retest reliabilities for individual slope and intercept measures were moderately strong (r = 0.45) and showed no evidence of superdiagonal form. This implies stability of the individual circularvection (CV) sensitivities. Because the individual CV scores were stable, reliabilities were improved by averaging 4 sessions in order to provide a stronger retest reliability (r = 0.80). Individual latency responses were highly reliable (r = 0.80). Mean CV latency and motion sickness symptoms were greater in males than in females. These individual differences in CV could be predictive of other outcomes, such as susceptibility to disorientation or motion sickness, and for CNS localization of visual-vestibular interactions in the experience of self-motion.
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Individual differences in the calibration of trust in automation.
Pop, Vlad L; Shrewsbury, Alex; Durso, Francis T
2015-06-01
The objective was to determine whether operators with an expectancy that automation is trustworthy are better at calibrating their trust to changes in the capabilities of automation, and if so, why. Studies suggest that individual differences in automation expectancy may be able to account for why changes in the capabilities of automation lead to a substantial change in trust for some, yet only a small change for others. In a baggage screening task, 225 participants searched for weapons in 200 X-ray images of luggage. Participants were assisted by an automated decision aid exhibiting different levels of reliability. Measures of expectancy that automation is trustworthy were used in conjunction with subjective measures of trust and perceived reliability to identify individual differences in trust calibration. Operators with high expectancy that automation is trustworthy were more sensitive to changes (both increases and decreases) in automation reliability. This difference was eliminated by manipulating the causal attribution of automation errors. Attributing the cause of automation errors to factors external to the automation fosters an understanding of tasks and situations in which automation differs in reliability and may lead to more appropriate trust. The development of interventions can lead to calibrated trust in automation. © 2014, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.
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Investigating the Intersession Reliability of Dynamic Brain-State Properties.
Smith, Derek M; Zhao, Yrian; Keilholz, Shella D; Schumacher, Eric H
2018-06-01
Dynamic functional connectivity metrics have much to offer to the neuroscience of individual differences of cognition. Yet, despite the recent expansion in dynamic connectivity research, limited resources have been devoted to the study of the reliability of these connectivity measures. To address this, resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data from 100 Human Connectome Project subjects were compared across 2 scan days. Brain states (i.e., patterns of coactivity across regions) were identified by classifying each time frame using k means clustering. This was done with and without global signal regression (GSR). Multiple gauges of reliability indicated consistency in the brain-state properties across days and GSR attenuated the reliability of the brain states. Changes in the brain-state properties across the course of the scan were investigated as well. The results demonstrate that summary metrics describing the clustering of individual time frames have adequate test/retest reliability, and thus, these patterns of brain activation may hold promise for individual-difference research.
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Willoughby, Michael T; Kuhn, Laura J; Blair, Clancy B; Samek, Anya; List, John A
2017-10-01
This study investigates the test-retest reliability of a battery of executive function (EF) tasks with a specific interest in testing whether the method that is used to create a battery-wide score would result in differences in the apparent test-retest reliability of children's performance. A total of 188 4-year-olds completed a battery of computerized EF tasks twice across a period of approximately two weeks. Two different approaches were used to create a score that indexed children's overall performance on the battery-i.e., (1) the mean score of all completed tasks and (2) a factor score estimate which used confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Pearson and intra-class correlations were used to investigate the test-retest reliability of individual EF tasks, as well as an overall battery score. Consistent with previous studies, the test-retest reliability of individual tasks was modest (rs ≈ .60). The test-retest reliability of the overall battery scores differed depending on the scoring approach (r mean = .72; r factor_ score = .99). It is concluded that the children's performance on individual EF tasks exhibit modest levels of test-retest reliability. This underscores the importance of administering multiple tasks and aggregating performance across these tasks in order to improve precision of measurement. However, the specific strategy that is used has a large impact on the apparent test-retest reliability of the overall score. These results replicate our earlier findings and provide additional cautionary evidence against the routine use of factor analytic approaches for representing individual performance across a battery of EF tasks.
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Individual differneces in degraded speech perception
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Carbonell, Kathy M.
One of the lasting concerns in audiology is the unexplained individual differences in speech perception performance even for individuals with similar audiograms. One proposal is that there are cognitive/perceptual individual differences underlying this vulnerability and that these differences are present in normal hearing (NH) individuals but do not reveal themselves in studies that use clear speech produced in quiet (because of a ceiling effect). However, previous studies have failed to uncover cognitive/perceptual variables that explain much of the variance in NH performance on more challenging degraded speech tasks. This lack of strong correlations may be due to either examining the wrong measures (e.g., working memory capacity) or to there being no reliable differences in degraded speech performance in NH listeners (i.e., variability in performance is due to measurement noise). The proposed project has 3 aims; the first, is to establish whether there are reliable individual differences in degraded speech performance for NH listeners that are sustained both across degradation types (speech in noise, compressed speech, noise-vocoded speech) and across multiple testing sessions. The second aim is to establish whether there are reliable differences in NH listeners' ability to adapt their phonetic categories based on short-term statistics both across tasks and across sessions; and finally, to determine whether performance on degraded speech perception tasks are correlated with performance on phonetic adaptability tasks, thus establishing a possible explanatory variable for individual differences in speech perception for NH and hearing impaired listeners.
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Raza, Meher; Ivry, Richard B.
2016-01-01
In standard taxonomies, motor skills are typically treated as representative of implicit or procedural memory. We examined two emblematic tasks of implicit motor learning, sensorimotor adaptation and sequence learning, asking whether individual differences in learning are correlated between these tasks, as well as how individual differences within each task are related to different performance variables. As a prerequisite, it was essential to establish the reliability of learning measures for each task. Participants were tested twice on a visuomotor adaptation task and on a sequence learning task, either the serial reaction time task or the alternating reaction time task. Learning was evident in all tasks at the group level and reliable at the individual level in visuomotor adaptation and the alternating reaction time task but not in the serial reaction time task. Performance variability was predictive of learning in both domains, yet the relationship was in the opposite direction for adaptation and sequence learning. For the former, faster learning was associated with lower variability, consistent with models of sensorimotor adaptation in which learning rates are sensitive to noise. For the latter, greater learning was associated with higher variability and slower reaction times, factors that may facilitate the spread of activation required to form predictive, sequential associations. Interestingly, learning measures of the different tasks were not correlated. Together, these results oppose a shared process for implicit learning in sensorimotor adaptation and sequence learning and provide insight into the factors that account for individual differences in learning within each task domain. NEW & NOTEWORTHY We investigated individual differences in the ability to implicitly learn motor skills. As a prerequisite, we assessed whether individual differences were reliable across test sessions. We found that two commonly used tasks of implicit learning, visuomotor adaptation and the alternating serial reaction time task, exhibited good test-retest reliability in measures of learning and performance. However, the learning measures did not correlate between the two tasks, arguing against a shared process for implicit motor learning. PMID:27832611
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Ecological influences on individual differences in color preference.
Schloss, Karen B; Hawthorne-Madell, Daniel; Palmer, Stephen E
2015-11-01
How can the large, systematic differences that exist between individuals' color preferences be explained? The ecological valence theory (Palmer & Schloss, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 107:8877-8882, 2010) posits that an individual's preference for each particular color is determined largely by his or her preferences for all correspondingly colored objects. Therefore, individuals should differ in their color preferences to the extent that they have different preferences for the same color-associated objects or that they experience different objects. Supporting this prediction, we found that individuals' color preferences were predicted better by their own preferences for correspondingly colored objects than by other peoples' preferences for the same objects. Moreover, the fit between color preferences and affect toward the colored objects was reliably improved when people's own idiosyncratic color-object associations were included in addition to a standard set of color-object associations. These and related results provide evidence that individual differences in color preferences are reliably influenced by people's personal experiences with colored objects in their environment.
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Terada, Tasuku; Loehr, Sarah; Guigard, Emmanuel; McCargar, Linda J; Bell, Gordon J; Senior, Peter; Boulé, Normand G
2014-08-01
This study determined the test-retest reliability of a continuous glucose monitoring system (CGMS) (iPro™2; Medtronic, Northridge, CA) under standardized conditions in individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Fourteen individuals with T2D spent two nonconsecutive days in a calorimetry unit. On both days, meals, medication, and exercise were standardized. Glucose concentrations were measured continuously by CGMS, from which daily mean glucose concentration (GLU(mean)), time spent in hyperglycemia (t(>10.0 mmol/L)), and meal, exercise, and nocturnal mean glucose concentrations, as well as glycemic variability (SD(w), percentage coefficient of variation [%cv(w)], mean amplitude of glycemic excursions [MAGEc, MAGE(ave), and MAGE(abs.gos)], and continuous overlapping net glycemic action [CONGA(n)]) were estimated. Absolute and relative reliabilities were investigated using coefficient of variation (CV) and intraclass correlation, respectively. Relative reliability ranged from 0.77 to 0.95 (P<0.05) for GLU(mean) and meal, exercise, and nocturnal glycemia with CV ranging from 3.9% to 11.7%. Despite significant relative reliability (R=0.93; P<0.01), t(>10.0 mmol/L) showed larger CV (54.7%). Among the different glycemic variability measures, a significant between-day difference was observed in MAGEc, MAGE(ave), CONGA6, and CONGA12. The remaining measures (i.e., SD(w), %cv(w), MAGE(abs.gos), and CONGA1-4) indicated no between-day differences and significant relative reliability. In individuals with T2D, CGMS-estimated glycemic profiles were characterized by high relative and absolute reliability for both daily and shorter-term measurements as represented by GLUmean and meal, exercise, and nocturnal glycemia. Among the different methods to calculate glycemic variability, our results showed SD(w), %cv(w), MAGE(abs.gos), and CONGAn with n ≤ 4 were reliable measures. These results suggest the usefulness of CGMS in clinical trials utilizing repeated measured.
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Effect of individual shades on reliability and validity of observers in colour matching.
Lagouvardos, P E; Diamanti, H; Polyzois, G
2004-06-01
The effect of individual shades in shade guides, on the reliability and validity of measurements in a colour matching process is very important. Observer's agreement on shades and sensitivity/specificity of shades, can give us an estimate of shade's effect on observer's reliability and validity. In the present study, a group of 16 students, matched 15 shades of a Kulzer's guide and 10 human incisors to Kulzer's and/or Vita's shade tabs, in 4 different tests. The results showed shades I, B10, C40, A35 and A10 were those with the highest reliability and validity values. In conclusion, a) the matching process with shades of different materials was not accurate enough, b) some shades produce a more reliable and valid match than others and c) teeth are matched with relative difficulty.
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
He, Qingping; Opposs, Dennis
2012-01-01
National tests, public examinations, and vocational qualifications in England are used for a variety of purposes, including the certification of individual learners in different subject areas and the accountability of individual professionals and institutions. However, there has been ongoing debate about the reliability and validity of their…
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The Role of Temperament in Children's Reliance on Others as Sources of Information
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Canfield, Caitlin F.; Saudino, Kimberly J.; Ganea, Patricia A.
2015-01-01
By 3?years of age, children generally have a firm understanding of others' reliability, but there is considerable variation among individual children. Little attention has been paid to factors that influence such individual differences. This study addressed this by assessing the relation between reliability understanding and temperament in…
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Johnson, Matthew W; Bruner, Natalie R
2013-08-01
The Sexual Discounting Task uses the delay discounting framework to examine sexual HIV risk behavior. Previous research showed task performance to be significantly correlated with self-reported HIV risk behavior in cocaine dependence. Test-retest reliability and gender differences had remained unexamined. The present study examined the test-retest reliability of the Sexual Discounting Task. Cocaine-dependent individuals (18 men, 13 women) completed the task in two laboratory visits ∼7 days apart. Participants selected photographs of individuals with whom they were willing to have casual sex. Among these, participants identified the individual most (and least) likely to have a sexually transmitted infection (STI), and the individual with whom he or she most (and least) wanted to have sex. In reference to these individuals, participants rated their likelihood of having unprotected sex versus waiting to have sex with a condom, at various delays. A money delay discounting task was also completed at the first visit. Significant differences in discounting among partner conditions were shown. Differential stability was demonstrated by significant, positive correlations between test and retest for all four partner conditions. Absolute stability was demonstrated by statistical equivalence tests between test and retest, and also supported by a lack of significant differences between test and retest. Men generally discounted significantly more than women for sexual outcomes but not money. Results suggest the Sexual Discounting Task to be a reliable measure in cocaine-dependent individuals, which supports its use as a repeated measure in clinical research, for example, studies examining acute drug effects on sexual risk and the effects of addiction treatment and HIV prevention interventions on sexual risk. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved
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Wilson, Stephen M; Eriksson, Dana K; Schneck, Sarah M; Lucanie, Jillian M
2018-01-01
This paper describes a quick aphasia battery (QAB) that aims to provide a reliable and multidimensional assessment of language function in about a quarter of an hour, bridging the gap between comprehensive batteries that are time-consuming to administer, and rapid screening instruments that provide limited detail regarding individual profiles of deficits. The QAB is made up of eight subtests, each comprising sets of items that probe different language domains, vary in difficulty, and are scored with a graded system to maximize the informativeness of each item. From the eight subtests, eight summary measures are derived, which constitute a multidimensional profile of language function, quantifying strengths and weaknesses across core language domains. The QAB was administered to 28 individuals with acute stroke and aphasia, 25 individuals with acute stroke but no aphasia, 16 individuals with chronic post-stroke aphasia, and 14 healthy controls. The patients with chronic post-stroke aphasia were tested 3 times each and scored independently by 2 raters to establish test-retest and inter-rater reliability. The Western Aphasia Battery (WAB) was also administered to these patients to assess concurrent validity. We found that all QAB summary measures were sensitive to aphasic deficits in the two groups with aphasia. All measures showed good or excellent test-retest reliability (overall summary measure: intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) = 0.98), and excellent inter-rater reliability (overall summary measure: ICC = 0.99). Sensitivity and specificity for diagnosis of aphasia (relative to clinical impression) were 0.91 and 0.95 respectively. All QAB measures were highly correlated with corresponding WAB measures where available. Individual patients showed distinct profiles of spared and impaired function across different language domains. In sum, the QAB efficiently and reliably characterized individual profiles of language deficits.
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Eriksson, Dana K.; Schneck, Sarah M.; Lucanie, Jillian M.
2018-01-01
This paper describes a quick aphasia battery (QAB) that aims to provide a reliable and multidimensional assessment of language function in about a quarter of an hour, bridging the gap between comprehensive batteries that are time-consuming to administer, and rapid screening instruments that provide limited detail regarding individual profiles of deficits. The QAB is made up of eight subtests, each comprising sets of items that probe different language domains, vary in difficulty, and are scored with a graded system to maximize the informativeness of each item. From the eight subtests, eight summary measures are derived, which constitute a multidimensional profile of language function, quantifying strengths and weaknesses across core language domains. The QAB was administered to 28 individuals with acute stroke and aphasia, 25 individuals with acute stroke but no aphasia, 16 individuals with chronic post-stroke aphasia, and 14 healthy controls. The patients with chronic post-stroke aphasia were tested 3 times each and scored independently by 2 raters to establish test-retest and inter-rater reliability. The Western Aphasia Battery (WAB) was also administered to these patients to assess concurrent validity. We found that all QAB summary measures were sensitive to aphasic deficits in the two groups with aphasia. All measures showed good or excellent test-retest reliability (overall summary measure: intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) = 0.98), and excellent inter-rater reliability (overall summary measure: ICC = 0.99). Sensitivity and specificity for diagnosis of aphasia (relative to clinical impression) were 0.91 and 0.95 respectively. All QAB measures were highly correlated with corresponding WAB measures where available. Individual patients showed distinct profiles of spared and impaired function across different language domains. In sum, the QAB efficiently and reliably characterized individual profiles of language deficits. PMID:29425241
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Kurland, Jacquie; Naeser, Margaret A.; Baker, Errol H.; Doron, Karl; Martin, Paula I.; Seekins, Heidi E.; Bogdan, Andrew; Renshaw, Perry; Yurgelun-Todd, Deborah
2005-01-01
Cortical reorganization in poststroke aphasia is not well understood. Few studies have investigated neural mechanisms underlying language recovery in severe aphasia patients, who are typically viewed as having a poor prognosis for language recovery. Although test-retest reliability is routinely demonstrated during collection of language data in single-subject aphasia research, this is rarely examined in fMRI studies investigating the underlying neural mechanisms in aphasia recovery. The purpose of this study was to acquire fMRI test-retest data examining semantic decisions both within and between two aphasia patients. Functional MRI was utilized to image individuals with chronic, moderate-severe nonfluent aphasia during nonverbal, yes/no button-box semantic judgments of iconic sentences presented in the Computer-assisted Visual Communication (C-ViC) program. We investigated the critical issue of intra-subject reliability by exploring similarities and differences in regions of activation during participants’ performance of identical tasks twice on the same day. Each participant demonstrated high intra-subject reliability, with response decrements typical of task familiarity. Differences between participants included greater left hemisphere perilesional activation in the individual with better response to C-ViC training. This study provides fMRI reliability in chronic nonfluent aphasia, and adds to evidence supporting differences in individual cortical reorganization in aphasia recovery. PMID:15706052
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Delphi, Maryam; Lotfi, M-Yones; Moossavi, Abdollah; Bakhshi, Enayatollah; Banimostafa, Maryam
2017-09-01
Previous studies have shown that interaural-time-difference (ITD) training can improve localization ability. Surprisingly little is, however, known about localization training vis-à-vis speech perception in noise based on interaural time difference in the envelope (ITD ENV). We sought to investigate the reliability of an ITD ENV-based training program in speech-in-noise perception among elderly individuals with normal hearing and speech-in-noise disorder. The present interventional study was performed during 2016. Sixteen elderly men between 55 and 65 years of age with the clinical diagnosis of normal hearing up to 2000 Hz and speech-in-noise perception disorder participated in this study. The training localization program was based on changes in ITD ENV. In order to evaluate the reliability of the training program, we performed speech-in-noise tests before the training program, immediately afterward, and then at 2 months' follow-up. The reliability of the training program was analyzed using the Friedman test and the SPSS software. Significant statistical differences were shown in the mean scores of speech-in-noise perception between the 3 time points (P=0.001). The results also indicated no difference in the mean scores of speech-in-noise perception between the 2 time points of immediately after the training program and 2 months' follow-up (P=0.212). The present study showed the reliability of an ITD ENV-based localization training in elderly individuals with speech-in-noise perception disorder.
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Stark-Inbar, Alit; Raza, Meher; Taylor, Jordan A; Ivry, Richard B
2017-01-01
In standard taxonomies, motor skills are typically treated as representative of implicit or procedural memory. We examined two emblematic tasks of implicit motor learning, sensorimotor adaptation and sequence learning, asking whether individual differences in learning are correlated between these tasks, as well as how individual differences within each task are related to different performance variables. As a prerequisite, it was essential to establish the reliability of learning measures for each task. Participants were tested twice on a visuomotor adaptation task and on a sequence learning task, either the serial reaction time task or the alternating reaction time task. Learning was evident in all tasks at the group level and reliable at the individual level in visuomotor adaptation and the alternating reaction time task but not in the serial reaction time task. Performance variability was predictive of learning in both domains, yet the relationship was in the opposite direction for adaptation and sequence learning. For the former, faster learning was associated with lower variability, consistent with models of sensorimotor adaptation in which learning rates are sensitive to noise. For the latter, greater learning was associated with higher variability and slower reaction times, factors that may facilitate the spread of activation required to form predictive, sequential associations. Interestingly, learning measures of the different tasks were not correlated. Together, these results oppose a shared process for implicit learning in sensorimotor adaptation and sequence learning and provide insight into the factors that account for individual differences in learning within each task domain. We investigated individual differences in the ability to implicitly learn motor skills. As a prerequisite, we assessed whether individual differences were reliable across test sessions. We found that two commonly used tasks of implicit learning, visuomotor adaptation and the alternating serial reaction time task, exhibited good test-retest reliability in measures of learning and performance. However, the learning measures did not correlate between the two tasks, arguing against a shared process for implicit motor learning. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.
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Retest reliability of individual p3 topography assessed by high density electroencephalography.
Vázquez-Marrufo, Manuel; González-Rosa, Javier J; Galvao-Carmona, Alejandro; Hidalgo-Muñoz, Antonio; Borges, Mónica; Peña, Juan Luis Ruiz; Izquierdo, Guillermo
2013-01-01
Some controversy remains about the potential applicability of cognitive potentials for evaluating the cerebral activity associated with cognitive capacity. A fundamental requirement is that these neurophysiological parameters show a high level of stability over time. Previous studies have shown that the reliability of diverse parameters of the P3 component (latency and amplitude) ranges between moderate and high. However, few studies have paid attention to the retest reliability of the P3 topography in groups or individuals. Considering that changes in P3 topography have been related to different pathologies and healthy aging, the main objective of this article was to evaluate in a longitudinal study (two sessions) the reliability of P3 topography in a group and at the individual level. The correlation between sessions for P3 topography in the grand average of groups was high (r = 0.977, p<0.001). The within-subject correlation values ranged from 0.626 to 0.981 (mean: 0.888). In the between-subjects topography comparisons, the correlation was always lower for comparisons between different subjects than for within-subjects correlations in the first session but not in the second session. The present study shows that P3 topography is highly reliable for group analysis (comprising the same subjects) in different sessions. The results also confirmed that retest reliability for individual P3 maps is suitable for follow-up studies for a particular subject. Moreover, P3 topography appears to be a specific marker considering that the between-subjects correlations were lower than the within-subject correlations. However, P3 topography appears more similar between subjects in the second session, demonstrating that is modulated by experience. Possible clinical applications of all these results are discussed.
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Individual and Developmental Differences in Cognitive-Processing Components of Mental Ability
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Keating, Daniel P.; Bobbitt, Bruce L.
1978-01-01
Three experiments (simple versus choice reaction time, Posner letter identification, and Sternberg memory scanning) attempted to determine whether reliable individual differences in cognitive processing exist in children and, if so, whether these differences are systematically related to age and ability. (Author/JMB)
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Zimprich, Daniel; Kurtz, Tanja
2013-01-01
The goal of the present study was to examine whether individual differences in basic cognitive abilities, processing speed, and working memory, are reliable predictors of individual differences in forgetting rates in old age. The sample for the present study comprised 364 participants aged between 65 and 80 years from the Zurich Longitudinal Study on Cognitive Aging. The impact of basic cognitive abilities on forgetting was analyzed by modeling working memory and processing speed as predictors of the amount of forgetting of 27 words, which had been learned across five trials. Forgetting was measured over a 30-minute interval by using parceling and a latent change model, in which the latent difference between recall performance after five learning trials and a delayed recall was modeled. Results implied reliable individual differences in forgetting. These individual differences in forgetting were strongly related to processing speed and working memory. Moreover, an age-related effect, which was significantly stronger for forgetting than for learning, emerged even after controlling effects of processing speed and working memory.
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Retest reliability of individual alpha ERD topography assessed by human electroencephalography.
Vázquez-Marrufo, Manuel; Galvao-Carmona, Alejandro; Benítez Lugo, María Luisa; Ruíz-Peña, Juan Luis; Borges Guerra, Mónica; Izquierdo Ayuso, Guillermo
2017-01-01
Despite the immense literature related to diverse human electroencephalographic (EEG) parameters, very few studies have focused on the reliability of these measures. Some of the most studied components (i.e., P3 or MMN) have received more attention regarding the stability of their main parameters, such as latency, amplitude or topography. However, spectral modulations have not been as extensively evaluated considering that different analysis methods are available. The main aim of the present study is to assess the reliability of the latency, amplitude and topography of event-related desynchronization (ERD) for the alpha band (10-14 Hz) observed in a cognitive task (visual oddball). Topography reliability was analysed at different levels (for the group, within-subjects individually and between-subjects individually). The latency for alpha ERD showed stable behaviour between two sessions, and the amplitude exhibited an increment (more negative) in the second session. Alpha ERD topography exhibited a high correlation score between sessions at the group level (r = 0.903, p<0.001). The mean value for within-subject correlations was 0.750 (with a range from 0.391 to 0.954). Regarding between-subject topography comparisons, some subjects showed a highly specific topography, whereas other subjects showed topographies that were more similar to those of other subjects. ERD was mainly stable between the two sessions with the exception of amplitude, which exhibited an increment in the second session. Topography exhibits excellent reliability at the group level; however, it exhibits highly heterogeneous behaviour at the individual level. Considering that the P3 was previously evaluated for this group of subjects, a direct comparison of the correlation scores was possible, and it showed that the ERD component is less reliable in individual topography than in the ERP component (P3).
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Retest reliability of individual alpha ERD topography assessed by human electroencephalography
Vázquez-Marrufo, Manuel; Benítez Lugo, María Luisa; Ruíz-Peña, Juan Luis; Borges Guerra, Mónica; Izquierdo Ayuso, Guillermo
2017-01-01
Background Despite the immense literature related to diverse human electroencephalographic (EEG) parameters, very few studies have focused on the reliability of these measures. Some of the most studied components (i.e., P3 or MMN) have received more attention regarding the stability of their main parameters, such as latency, amplitude or topography. However, spectral modulations have not been as extensively evaluated considering that different analysis methods are available. The main aim of the present study is to assess the reliability of the latency, amplitude and topography of event-related desynchronization (ERD) for the alpha band (10–14 Hz) observed in a cognitive task (visual oddball). Topography reliability was analysed at different levels (for the group, within-subjects individually and between-subjects individually). Results The latency for alpha ERD showed stable behaviour between two sessions, and the amplitude exhibited an increment (more negative) in the second session. Alpha ERD topography exhibited a high correlation score between sessions at the group level (r = 0.903, p<0.001). The mean value for within-subject correlations was 0.750 (with a range from 0.391 to 0.954). Regarding between-subject topography comparisons, some subjects showed a highly specific topography, whereas other subjects showed topographies that were more similar to those of other subjects. Conclusion ERD was mainly stable between the two sessions with the exception of amplitude, which exhibited an increment in the second session. Topography exhibits excellent reliability at the group level; however, it exhibits highly heterogeneous behaviour at the individual level. Considering that the P3 was previously evaluated for this group of subjects, a direct comparison of the correlation scores was possible, and it showed that the ERD component is less reliable in individual topography than in the ERP component (P3). PMID:29088307
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Schmidt, Frank L; Le, Huy; Ilies, Remus
2003-06-01
On the basis of an empirical study of measures of constructs from the cognitive domain, the personality domain, and the domain of affective traits, the authors of this study examine the implications of transient measurement error for the measurement of frequently studied individual differences variables. The authors clarify relevant reliability concepts as they relate to transient error and present a procedure for estimating the coefficient of equivalence and stability (L. J. Cronbach, 1947), the only classical reliability coefficient that assesses all 3 major sources of measurement error (random response, transient, and specific factor errors). The authors conclude that transient error exists in all 3 trait domains and is especially large in the domain of affective traits. Their findings indicate that the nearly universal use of the coefficient of equivalence (Cronbach's alpha; L. J. Cronbach, 1951), which fails to assess transient error, leads to overestimates of reliability and undercorrections for biases due to measurement error.
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Applicability and Limitations of Reliability Allocation Methods
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Cruz, Jose A.
2016-01-01
Reliability allocation process may be described as the process of assigning reliability requirements to individual components within a system to attain the specified system reliability. For large systems, the allocation process is often performed at different stages of system design. The allocation process often begins at the conceptual stage. As the system design develops, more information about components and the operating environment becomes available, different allocation methods can be considered. Reliability allocation methods are usually divided into two categories: weighting factors and optimal reliability allocation. When properly applied, these methods can produce reasonable approximations. Reliability allocation techniques have limitations and implied assumptions that need to be understood by system engineers. Applying reliability allocation techniques without understanding their limitations and assumptions can produce unrealistic results. This report addresses weighting factors, optimal reliability allocation techniques, and identifies the applicability and limitations of each reliability allocation technique.
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Great apes are sensitive to prior reliability of an informant in a gaze following task.
Schmid, Benjamin; Karg, Katja; Perner, Josef; Tomasello, Michael
2017-01-01
Social animals frequently rely on information from other individuals. This can be costly in case the other individual is mistaken or even deceptive. Human infants below 4 years of age show proficiency in their reliance on differently reliable informants. They can infer the reliability of an informant from few interactions and use that assessment in later interactions with the same informant in a different context. To explore whether great apes share that ability, in our study we confronted great apes with a reliable or unreliable informant in an object choice task, to see whether that would in a subsequent task affect their gaze following behaviour in response to the same informant. In our study, prior reliability of the informant and habituation during the gaze following task affected both great apes' automatic gaze following response and their more deliberate response of gaze following behind barriers. As habituation is very context specific, it is unlikely that habituation in the reliability task affected the gaze following task. Rather it seems that apes employ a reliability tracking strategy that results in a general avoidance of additional information from an unreliable informant.
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Chew, Taariq; Ho, Kerrie-Anne; Loo, Colleen K
2015-01-01
Translation of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) from research to clinical practice is hindered by a lack of consensus on optimal stimulation parameters, significant inter-individual variability in response, and in sufficient intra-individual reliability data. Inter-individual differences in response to anodal tDCS at a range of current intensities were explored. Intra-individual reliability in response to anodal tDCS across two identical sessions was also investigated. Twenty-nine subjects participated in a crossover study. Anodal-tDCS using four different current intensities (0.2, 0.5, 1 and 2 mA), with an anode size of 16 cm2, was tested. The 0.5 mA condition was repeated to assess intra-individual variability. TMS was used to elicit 40 motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) before 10 min of tDCS, and 20 MEPs at four time-points over 30 min following tDCS. ANOVA revealed no main effect of TIME for all conditions except the first 0.5 mA condition, and no differences in response between the four current intensities. Cluster analysis identified two clusters for the 0.2 and 2 mA conditions only. Frequency distributions based on individual subject responses (excitatory, inhibitory or no response) to each condition indicate possible differential responses between individuals to different current intensities. Test-retest reliability was negligible (ICC(2,1) = -0.50). Significant inter-individual variability in response to tDCS across a range of current intensities was found. 2 mA and 0.2 mA tDCS were most effective at inducing a distinct response. Significant intra-individual variability in response to tDCS was also found. This has implications for interpreting results of single-session tDCS experiments. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Individual Differences in Human Reliability Analysis
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Jeffrey C. Joe; Ronald L. Boring
2014-06-01
While human reliability analysis (HRA) methods include uncertainty in quantification, the nominal model of human error in HRA typically assumes that operator performance does not vary significantly when they are given the same initiating event, indicators, procedures, and training, and that any differences in operator performance are simply aleatory (i.e., random). While this assumption generally holds true when performing routine actions, variability in operator response has been observed in multiple studies, especially in complex situations that go beyond training and procedures. As such, complexity can lead to differences in operator performance (e.g., operator understanding and decision-making). Furthermore, psychological research hasmore » shown that there are a number of known antecedents (i.e., attributable causes) that consistently contribute to observable and systematically measurable (i.e., not random) differences in behavior. This paper reviews examples of individual differences taken from operational experience and the psychological literature. The impact of these differences in human behavior and their implications for HRA are then discussed. We propose that individual differences should not be treated as aleatory, but rather as epistemic. Ultimately, by understanding the sources of individual differences, it is possible to remove some epistemic uncertainty from analyses.« less
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The assessment of biases in the acoustic discrimination of individuals
Šálek, Martin
2017-01-01
Animal vocalizations contain information about individual identity that could potentially be used for the monitoring of individuals. However, the performance of individual discrimination is subjected to many biases depending on factors such as the amount of identity information, or methods used. These factors need to be taken into account when comparing results of different studies or selecting the most cost-effective solution for a particular species. In this study, we evaluate several biases associated with the discrimination of individuals. On a large sample of little owl male individuals, we assess how discrimination performance changes with methods of call description, an increasing number of individuals, and number of calls per male. Also, we test whether the discrimination performance within the whole population can be reliably estimated from a subsample of individuals in a pre-screening study. Assessment of discrimination performance at the level of the individual and at the level of call led to different conclusions. Hence, studies interested in individual discrimination should optimize methods at the level of individuals. The description of calls by their frequency modulation leads to the best discrimination performance. In agreement with our expectations, discrimination performance decreased with population size. Increasing the number of calls per individual linearly increased the discrimination of individuals (but not the discrimination of calls), likely because it allows distinction between individuals with very similar calls. The available pre-screening index does not allow precise estimation of the population size that could be reliably monitored. Overall, projects applying acoustic monitoring at the individual level in population need to consider limitations regarding the population size that can be reliably monitored and fine-tune their methods according to their needs and limitations. PMID:28486488
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Farley, Frank H.; And Others
Two studies were reported which attempted to estimate the stability and construct validity of human salivary response as a measure of individual differences (IDs) in physiological arousal. Twenty-second base line estimates and 20-second response levels to four drops of lemon juice were measured, with the former value being removed from the latter…
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Vieira, A; Battini, M; Can, E; Mattiello, S; Stilwell, G
2018-01-08
This study was conducted within the context of the Animal Welfare Indicators (AWIN) project and the underlying scientific motivation for the development of the study was the scarcity of data regarding inter-observer reliability (IOR) of welfare indicators, particularly given the importance of reliability as a further step for developing on-farm welfare assessment protocols. The objective of this study is therefore to evaluate IOR of animal-based indicators (at group and individual-level) of the AWIN welfare assessment protocol (prototype) for dairy goats. In the design of the study, two pairs of observers, one in Portugal and another in Italy, visited 10 farms each and applied the AWIN prototype protocol. Farms in both countries were visited between January and March 2014, and all the observers received the same training before the farm visits were initiated. Data collected during farm visits, and analysed in this study, include group-level and individual-level observations. The results of our study allow us to conclude that most of the group-level indicators presented the highest IOR level ('substantial', 0.85 to 0.99) in both field studies, pointing to a usable set of animal-based welfare indicators that were therefore included in the first level of the final AWIN welfare assessment protocol for dairy goats. Inter-observer reliability of individual-level indicators was lower, but the majority of them still reached 'fair to good' (0.41 to 0.75) and 'excellent' (0.76 to 1) levels. In the paper we explore reasons for the differences found in IOR between the group and individual-level indicators, including how the number of individual-level indicators to be assessed on each animal and the restraining method may have affected the results. Furthermore, we discuss the differences found in the IOR of individual-level indicators in both countries: the Portuguese pair of observers reached a higher level of IOR, when compared with the Italian observers. We argue how the reasons behind these differences may stem from the restraining method applied, or the different background and experience of the observers. Finally, the discussion of the results emphasizes the importance of considering that reliability is not an absolute attribute of an indicator, but derives from an interaction between the indicators, the observers and the situation in which the assessment is taking place. This highlights the importance of further considering the indicators' reliability while developing welfare assessment protocols.
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Statistical learning as an individual ability: Theoretical perspectives and empirical evidence
Siegelman, Noam; Frost, Ram
2015-01-01
Although the power of statistical learning (SL) in explaining a wide range of linguistic functions is gaining increasing support, relatively little research has focused on this theoretical construct from the perspective of individual differences. However, to be able to reliably link individual differences in a given ability such as language learning to individual differences in SL, three critical theoretical questions should be posed: Is SL a componential or unified ability? Is it nested within other general cognitive abilities? Is it a stable capacity of an individual? Following an initial mapping sentence outlining the possible dimensions of SL, we employed a battery of SL tasks in the visual and auditory modalities, using verbal and non-verbal stimuli, with adjacent and non-adjacent contingencies. SL tasks were administered along with general cognitive tasks in a within-subject design at two time points to explore our theoretical questions. We found that SL, as measured by some tasks, is a stable and reliable capacity of an individual. Moreover, we found SL to be independent of general cognitive abilities such as intelligence or working memory. However, SL is not a unified capacity, so that individual sensitivity to conditional probabilities is not uniform across modalities and stimuli. PMID:25821343
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Step-Down Test Assessment of Postural Stability in Patients With Chronic Ankle Instability.
Bolt, Doris; Giger, René; Wirth, Stefan; Swanenburg, Jaap
2018-01-23
The underlying mechanism in 27% of ankle sprains is a fall while navigating stairs. Therefore, the step-down test (SDT) may be useful to investigate dynamic postural stability deficits in individuals with chronic ankle instability (CAI). To investigate the test-retest reliability and validity of the forward and lateral SDT protocol between individuals with CAI and uninjured controls. Test-retest study. University hospital. A total of 46 individuals, 23 with CAI and 23 uninjured controls. Time to stabilization of the forward and lateral SDT. The absolute reliability (SEM = 0.04-0.12 s; SDD = 0.11-0.33 s) of the SDT protocol was acceptable, whereas the relative reliability (ICC 3 , k = 0.12-0.63) and discriminant validity (P = .42-.99; AUC = 0.50-0.57) were not. The SDT appears to not be challenging enough to detect dynamic postural stability differences between individuals with and without CAI. However, the SDT may be capable of measuring change over time based on its good absolute reliability.
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DOT National Transportation Integrated Search
2013-11-30
Travel time reliability information includes static data about traffic speeds or trip times that capture historic variations from day to day, and it can help individuals understand the level of variation in traffic. Unlike real-time travel time infor...
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Resting EEG in Alpha and Beta Bands Predicts Individual Differences in Attentional Blink Magnitude
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
MacLean, Mary H.; Arnell, Karen M.; Cote, Kimberly A.
2012-01-01
Accuracy for a second target (T2) is reduced when it is presented within 500 ms of a first target (T1) in a rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP)--an attentional blink (AB). There are reliable individual differences in the magnitude of the AB. Recent evidence has shown that the attentional approach that an individual typically adopts during a…
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Brandmaier, Andreas M.; von Oertzen, Timo; Ghisletta, Paolo; Lindenberger, Ulman; Hertzog, Christopher
2018-01-01
Latent Growth Curve Models (LGCM) have become a standard technique to model change over time. Prediction and explanation of inter-individual differences in change are major goals in lifespan research. The major determinants of statistical power to detect individual differences in change are the magnitude of true inter-individual differences in linear change (LGCM slope variance), design precision, alpha level, and sample size. Here, we show that design precision can be expressed as the inverse of effective error. Effective error is determined by instrument reliability and the temporal arrangement of measurement occasions. However, it also depends on another central LGCM component, the variance of the latent intercept and its covariance with the latent slope. We derive a new reliability index for LGCM slope variance—effective curve reliability (ECR)—by scaling slope variance against effective error. ECR is interpretable as a standardized effect size index. We demonstrate how effective error, ECR, and statistical power for a likelihood ratio test of zero slope variance formally relate to each other and how they function as indices of statistical power. We also provide a computational approach to derive ECR for arbitrary intercept-slope covariance. With practical use cases, we argue for the complementary utility of the proposed indices of a study's sensitivity to detect slope variance when making a priori longitudinal design decisions or communicating study designs. PMID:29755377
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Blais, Julie; Forth, Adelle E; Hare, Robert D
2017-06-01
The goal of the current study was to assess the interrater reliability of the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) among a large sample of trained raters (N = 280). All raters completed PCL-R training at some point between 1989 and 2012 and subsequently provided complete coding for the same 6 practice cases. Overall, 3 major conclusions can be drawn from the results: (a) reliability of individual PCL-R items largely fell below any appropriate standards while the estimates for Total PCL-R scores and factor scores were good (but not excellent); (b) the cases representing individuals with high psychopathy scores showed better reliability than did the cases of individuals in the moderate to low PCL-R score range; and (c) there was a high degree of variability among raters; however, rater specific differences had no consistent effect on scoring the PCL-R. Therefore, despite low reliability estimates for individual items, Total scores and factor scores can be reliably scored among trained raters. We temper these conclusions by noting that scoring standardized videotaped case studies does not allow the rater to interact directly with the offender. Real-world PCL-R assessments typically involve a face-to-face interview and much more extensive collateral information. We offer recommendations for new web-based training procedures. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).
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Ye, Siqin; Rabbani, LeRoy E.; Kelly, Christopher R.; Kelly, Maureen R.; Lewis, Matthew; Paz, Yehuda; Peck, Clara L.; Rao, Shaline; Bokhari, Sabahat; Weiner, Shepard D.; Einstein, Andrew J.
2014-01-01
Background We sought to determine inter-rater reliability of the 2009 Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC) for radionuclide imaging (RNI) and whether physicians at various levels of training can effectively identify nuclear stress tests with inappropriate indications. Methods and Results Four hundred patients were randomly selected from a consecutive cohort of patients undergoing nuclear stress testing at an academic medical center. Raters with different levels of training (including cardiology attending physicians, cardiology fellows, internal medicine hospitalists, and internal medicine interns) classified individual nuclear stress tests using the 2009 AUC. Consensus classification by two cardiologists was considered the operational gold standard, and sensitivity and specificity of individual raters for identifying inappropriate tests was calculated. Inter-rater reliability of the AUC was assessed using Cohen’s kappa statistics for pairs of different raters. The mean age of patients was 61.5 years; 214 (54%) were female. The cardiologists rated 256 (64%) of 400 NSTs as appropriate, 68 (18%) as uncertain, 55 (14%) as inappropriate; 21 (5%) tests were unable to be classified. Inter-rater reliability for non-cardiologist raters was modest (unweighted Cohen’s kappa, 0.51, 95% confidence interval, 0.45 to 0.55). Sensitivity of individual raters for identifying inappropriate tests ranged from 47% to 82%, while specificity ranged from 85% to 97%. Conclusions Inter-rater reliability for the 2009 AUC for RNI is modest, and there is considerable variation in the ability of raters at different levels of training to identify inappropriate tests. PMID:25563660
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Hajcak, Greg; Meyer, Alexandria; Kotov, Roman
2017-08-01
In the clinical neuroscience literature, between-subjects differences in neural activity are presumed to reflect reliable measures-even though the psychometric properties of neural measures are almost never reported. The current article focuses on the critical importance of assessing and reporting internal consistency reliability-the homogeneity of "items" that comprise a neural "score." We demonstrate how variability in the internal consistency of neural measures limits between-subjects (i.e., individual differences) effects. To this end, we utilize error-related brain activity (i.e., the error-related negativity or ERN) in both healthy and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) participants to demonstrate options for psychometric analyses of neural measures; we examine between-groups differences in internal consistency, between-groups effect sizes, and between-groups discriminability (i.e., ROC analyses)-all as a function of increasing items (i.e., number of trials). Overall, internal consistency should be used to inform experimental design and the choice of neural measures in individual differences research. The internal consistency of neural measures is necessary for interpreting results and guiding progress in clinical neuroscience-and should be routinely reported in all individual differences studies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).
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Movement-related beta oscillations show high intra-individual reliability.
Espenhahn, Svenja; de Berker, Archy O; van Wijk, Bernadette C M; Rossiter, Holly E; Ward, Nick S
2017-02-15
Oscillatory activity in the beta frequency range (15-30Hz) recorded from human sensorimotor cortex is of increasing interest as a putative biomarker of motor system function and dysfunction. Despite its increasing use in basic and clinical research, surprisingly little is known about the test-retest reliability of spectral power and peak frequency measures of beta oscillatory signals from sensorimotor cortex. Establishing that these beta measures are stable over time in healthy populations is a necessary precursor to their use in the clinic. Here, we used scalp electroencephalography (EEG) to evaluate intra-individual reliability of beta-band oscillations over six sessions, focusing on changes in beta activity during movement (Movement-Related Beta Desynchronization, MRBD) and after movement termination (Post-Movement Beta Rebound, PMBR). Subjects performed visually-cued unimanual wrist flexion and extension. We assessed Intraclass Correlation Coefficients (ICC) and between-session correlations for spectral power and peak frequency measures of movement-related and resting beta activity. Movement-related and resting beta power from both sensorimotor cortices was highly reliable across sessions. Resting beta power yielded highest reliability (average ICC=0.903), followed by MRBD (average ICC=0.886) and PMBR (average ICC=0.663). Notably, peak frequency measures yielded lower ICC values compared to the assessment of spectral power, particularly for movement-related beta activity (ICC=0.386-0.402). Our data highlight that power measures of movement-related beta oscillations are highly reliable, while corresponding peak frequency measures show greater intra-individual variability across sessions. Importantly, our finding that beta power estimates show high intra-individual reliability over time serves to validate the notion that these measures reflect meaningful individual differences that can be utilised in basic research and clinical studies. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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The Development and Validation of the Age-Based Rejection Sensitivity Questionnaire
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Kang, Sonia K.; Chasteen, Alison L.
2009-01-01
Purpose: There is much evidence suggesting that older adults are often negatively affected by aging stereotypes; however, no method to identify individual differences in vulnerability to these effects has yet been developed. The purpose of this study was to develop a reliable and valid questionnaire to measure individual differences in the…
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Individual Differences in Depth and Breadth of Processing.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Schmeck, Ronald R.; McCarthy, Patricia
Memory has been defined as traces left behind by past information processing. One approach to the study of everyday memory is to isolate reliable differences between individuals in the ways in which they process information when preparing for test events. The Inventory of Learning Processes, consisting of four scales, i.e., Deep Processing,…
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Siedlecki, Karen L
2015-01-01
Visual perspective in autobiographical memories was examined in terms of reliability, consistency, and relationship to objective memory performance in a sample of 99 individuals. Autobiographical memories may be recalled from two visual perspectives--a field perspective in which individuals experience the memory through their own eyes, or an observer perspective in which individuals experience the memory from the viewpoint of an observer in which they can see themselves. Participants recalled nine word-cued memories that differed in emotional valence (positive, negative and neutral) and rated their memories on 18 scales. Results indicate that visual perspective was the most reliable memory characteristic overall and is consistently related to emotional intensity at the time of recall and amount of emotion experienced during the memory. Visual perspective is unrelated to memory for words, stories, abstract line drawings or faces.
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Cooper, Shelly R.; Gonthier, Corentin; Barch, Deanna M.; Braver, Todd S.
2017-01-01
Investigating individual differences in cognition requires addressing questions not often thought about in standard experimental designs, especially regarding the psychometric properties of the task. Using the AX-CPT cognitive control task as a case study example, we address four concerns that one may encounter when researching the topic of individual differences in cognition. First, we demonstrate the importance of variability in task scores, which in turn directly impacts reliability, particularly when comparing correlations in different populations. Second, we demonstrate the importance of variability and reliability for evaluating potential failures to replicate predicted correlations, even within the same population. Third, we demonstrate how researchers can turn to evaluating psychometric properties as a way of evaluating the feasibility of utilizing the task in new settings (e.g., online administration). Lastly, we show how the examination of psychometric properties can help researchers make informed decisions when designing a study, such as determining the appropriate number of trials for a task. PMID:28928690
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Evaluating the reliability of an injury prevention screening tool: Test-retest study.
Gittelman, Michael A; Kincaid, Madeline; Denny, Sarah; Wervey Arnold, Melissa; FitzGerald, Michael; Carle, Adam C; Mara, Constance A
2016-10-01
A standardized injury prevention (IP) screening tool can identify family risks and allow pediatricians to address behaviors. To assess behavior changes on later screens, the tool must be reliable for an individual and ideally between household members. Little research has examined the reliability of safety screening tool questions. This study utilized test-retest reliability of parent responses on an existing IP questionnaire and also compared responses between household parents. Investigators recruited parents of children 0 to 1 year of age during admission to a tertiary care children's hospital. When both parents were present, one was chosen as the "primary" respondent. Primary respondents completed the 30-question IP screening tool after consent, and they were re-screened approximately 4 hours later to test individual reliability. The "second" parent, when present, only completed the tool once. All participants received a 10-dollar gift card. Cohen's Kappa was used to estimate test-retest reliability and inter-rater agreement. Standard test-retest criteria consider Kappa values: 0.0 to 0.40 poor to fair, 0.41 to 0.60 moderate, 0.61 to 0.80 substantial, and 0.81 to 1.00 as almost perfect reliability. One hundred five families participated, with five lost to follow-up. Thirty-two (30.5%) parent dyads completed the tool. Primary respondents were generally mothers (88%) and Caucasian (72%). Test-retest of the primary respondents showed their responses to be almost perfect; average 0.82 (SD = 0.13, range 0.49-1.00). Seventeen questions had almost perfect test-retest reliability and 11 had substantial reliability. However, inter-rater agreement between household members for 12 objective questions showed little agreement between responses; inter-rater agreement averaged 0.35 (SD = 0.34, range -0.19-1.00). One question had almost perfect inter-rater agreement and two had substantial inter-rater agreement. The IP screening tool used by a single individual had excellent test-retest reliability for nearly all questions. However, when a reporter changes from pre- to postintervention, differences may reflect poor reliability or different subjective experiences rather than true change.
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Using generalizability theory to develop clinical assessment protocols.
Preuss, Richard A
2013-04-01
Clinical assessment protocols must produce data that are reliable, with a clinically attainable minimal detectable change (MDC). In a reliability study, generalizability theory has 2 advantages over classical test theory. These advantages provide information that allows assessment protocols to be adjusted to match individual patient profiles. First, generalizability theory allows the user to simultaneously consider multiple sources of measurement error variance (facets). Second, it allows the user to generalize the findings of the main study across the different study facets and to recalculate the reliability and MDC based on different combinations of facet conditions. In doing so, clinical assessment protocols can be chosen based on minimizing the number of measures that must be taken to achieve a realistic MDC, using repeated measures to minimize the MDC, or simply based on the combination that best allows the clinician to monitor an individual patient's progress over a specified period of time.
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Where have all the tadpoles gone? Individual genetic tracking of amphibian larvae until adulthood
RINGLER, EVA; MANGIONE, ROSANNA; RINGLER, MAX
2015-01-01
Reliably marking larvae and reidentifying them after metamorphosis is a challenge that has hampered studies on recruitment, dispersal, migration and survivorship of amphibians for a long time, as conventional tags are not reliably retained through metamorphosis. Molecular methods allow unique genetic fingerprints to be established for individuals. Although microsatellite markers have successfully been applied in mark–recapture studies on several animal species, they have never been previously used in amphibians to follow individuals across different life cycle stages. Here, we evaluate microsatellites for genetic across-stages mark–recapture studies in amphibians and test the suitability of available software packages for genotype matching. We sampled tadpoles of the dendrobatid frog Allobates femoralis, which we introduced on a river island in the Nature Reserve ‘Les Nouragues’ in French Guiana. In two subsequent recapture sessions, we searched for surviving juveniles and adults, respectively. All individuals were genotyped at 14 highly variable microsatellite loci, which yielded unique genetic fingerprints for all individuals. We found large differences in the identification success of the programs tested. The pairwise-relatedness-based approach, conducted with the programs kingroup or ML-Relate, performed best with our data set. Matching ventral patterns of juveniles and adult individuals acted as a control for the reliability of the genetic identification. Our results demonstrate that microsatellite markers are a highly powerful tool for studying amphibian populations on an individual basis. The ability to individually track amphibian tadpoles throughout metamorphosis until adulthood will be of substantial value for future studies on amphibian population ecology and evolution. PMID:25388775
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Where have all the tadpoles gone? Individual genetic tracking of amphibian larvae until adulthood.
Ringler, Eva; Mangione, Rosanna; Ringler, Max
2015-07-01
Reliably marking larvae and reidentifying them after metamorphosis is a challenge that has hampered studies on recruitment, dispersal, migration and survivorship of amphibians for a long time, as conventional tags are not reliably retained through metamorphosis. Molecular methods allow unique genetic fingerprints to be established for individuals. Although microsatellite markers have successfully been applied in mark-recapture studies on several animal species, they have never been previously used in amphibians to follow individuals across different life cycle stages. Here, we evaluate microsatellites for genetic across-stages mark-recapture studies in amphibians and test the suitability of available software packages for genotype matching. We sampled tadpoles of the dendrobatid frog Allobates femoralis, which we introduced on a river island in the Nature Reserve 'Les Nouragues' in French Guiana. In two subsequent recapture sessions, we searched for surviving juveniles and adults, respectively. All individuals were genotyped at 14 highly variable microsatellite loci, which yielded unique genetic fingerprints for all individuals. We found large differences in the identification success of the programs tested. The pairwise-relatedness-based approach, conducted with the programs kingroup or ML-Relate, performed best with our data set. Matching ventral patterns of juveniles and adult individuals acted as a control for the reliability of the genetic identification. Our results demonstrate that microsatellite markers are a highly powerful tool for studying amphibian populations on an individual basis. The ability to individually track amphibian tadpoles throughout metamorphosis until adulthood will be of substantial value for future studies on amphibian population ecology and evolution. © 2014 The Authors. Molecular Ecology Resources Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
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Assessing Variations in Areal Organization for the Intrinsic Brain: From Fingerprints to Reliability
Xu, Ting; Opitz, Alexander; Craddock, R. Cameron; Wright, Margaret J.; Zuo, Xi-Nian; Milham, Michael P.
2016-01-01
Resting state fMRI (R-fMRI) is a powerful in-vivo tool for examining the functional architecture of the human brain. Recent studies have demonstrated the ability to characterize transitions between functionally distinct cortical areas through the mapping of gradients in intrinsic functional connectivity (iFC) profiles. To date, this novel approach has primarily been applied to iFC profiles averaged across groups of individuals, or in one case, a single individual scanned multiple times. Here, we used a publically available R-fMRI dataset, in which 30 healthy participants were scanned 10 times (10 min per session), to investigate differences in full-brain transition profiles (i.e., gradient maps, edge maps) across individuals, and their reliability. 10-min R-fMRI scans were sufficient to achieve high accuracies in efforts to “fingerprint” individuals based upon full-brain transition profiles. Regarding test–retest reliability, the image-wise intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was moderate, and vertex-level ICC varied depending on region; larger durations of data yielded higher reliability scores universally. Initial application of gradient-based methodologies to a recently published dataset obtained from twins suggested inter-individual variation in areal profiles might have genetic and familial origins. Overall, these results illustrate the utility of gradient-based iFC approaches for studying inter-individual variation in brain function. PMID:27600846
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Reliability of a Market Basket Assessment Tool (MBAT) for Use in SNAP-Ed Healthy Retail Initiatives.
Misyak, Sarah A; Hedrick, Valisa E; Pudney, Ellen; Serrano, Elena L; Farris, Alisha R
2018-05-01
To evaluate the reliability of the Market Basket Assessment Tool (MBAT) for assessing the availability of fruits and vegetables, low-fat or nonfat dairy and eggs, lean meats, whole-grain products, and seeds, beans, and nuts in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-authorized retail environments. Different trained raters used the MBAT simultaneously at 14 retail environments to measure interrater reliability. Raters returned to 12 retail environments (85.7%) 1 week later to measure test-retest reliability. Data were analyzed using paired-sample t tests and correlations. No significant differences were found for interrater reliability or test-retest reliability for individual categories (mean differences, 0.0 to 0.3 ± 0.2 points) or total score (mean difference, 0.5 ± 0.4 points and (mean differences, 0.0 to 0.3 ± 0.3 points) or total score (mean difference, 0.8 ± 0.4 points), respectively. Future steps include validation of the MBAT. A low-burden tool can facilitate evaluation of efforts to promote healthful foods in retail environments. Copyright © 2018 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Bang, Dan; Fusaroli, Riccardo; Tylén, Kristian; Olsen, Karsten; Latham, Peter E; Lau, Jennifer Y F; Roepstorff, Andreas; Rees, Geraint; Frith, Chris D; Bahrami, Bahador
2014-05-01
In a range of contexts, individuals arrive at collective decisions by sharing confidence in their judgements. This tendency to evaluate the reliability of information by the confidence with which it is expressed has been termed the 'confidence heuristic'. We tested two ways of implementing the confidence heuristic in the context of a collective perceptual decision-making task: either directly, by opting for the judgement made with higher confidence, or indirectly, by opting for the faster judgement, exploiting an inverse correlation between confidence and reaction time. We found that the success of these heuristics depends on how similar individuals are in terms of the reliability of their judgements and, more importantly, that for dissimilar individuals such heuristics are dramatically inferior to interaction. Interaction allows individuals to alleviate, but not fully resolve, differences in the reliability of their judgements. We discuss the implications of these findings for models of confidence and collective decision-making. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Bang, Dan; Fusaroli, Riccardo; Tylén, Kristian; Olsen, Karsten; Latham, Peter E.; Lau, Jennifer Y.F.; Roepstorff, Andreas; Rees, Geraint; Frith, Chris D.; Bahrami, Bahador
2014-01-01
In a range of contexts, individuals arrive at collective decisions by sharing confidence in their judgements. This tendency to evaluate the reliability of information by the confidence with which it is expressed has been termed the ‘confidence heuristic’. We tested two ways of implementing the confidence heuristic in the context of a collective perceptual decision-making task: either directly, by opting for the judgement made with higher confidence, or indirectly, by opting for the faster judgement, exploiting an inverse correlation between confidence and reaction time. We found that the success of these heuristics depends on how similar individuals are in terms of the reliability of their judgements and, more importantly, that for dissimilar individuals such heuristics are dramatically inferior to interaction. Interaction allows individuals to alleviate, but not fully resolve, differences in the reliability of their judgements. We discuss the implications of these findings for models of confidence and collective decision-making. PMID:24650632
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An interrater reliability study of the Braden scale in two nursing homes.
Kottner, Jan; Dassen, Theo
2008-10-01
Adequate risk assessment is essential in pressure ulcer prevention. Assessment scales were designed to support practitioners in identifying persons at pressure ulcer risk. The Braden scale is one of the most extensively studied risk assessment instruments, although the majority of studies focused on validity rather than reliability. The first aim was to measure the interrater reliability of the Braden scale and its individual items. The second aim was to study different statistical approaches regarding interrater reliability estimation. An interrater reliability study was conducted in two German nursing homes. Residents (n = 152) from 8 units were assessed twice. The raters were trained nurses with a work experience ranging from 0.5 to 30 years. Data were analysed using an overall percentage of agreement, weighted and unweighted kappa and the intraclass correlation coefficient. Differences between nurses rating the overall Braden score ranged from 0 up to 9 points. Interrater reliability expressed by the intraclass correlation coefficient ranged from 0.73 (95% CI 0.26 - 0.91) to 0.95 (95% CI 0.87 - 0.98). Calculated intraclass correlation coefficients for individual items ranged from 0.06 (95% CI -0.31 to 0.48) to 0.97 (95% CI 0.93-0.99) with the lowest values being measured for the items "sensory perception" and "nutrition". There was no association between work experience and the level of interrater reliability. With two exceptions, simple kappa-values were always lower than weighted kappa-values and intraclass correlation coefficients. Although the calculated interrater reliability coefficients for the total Braden score were high in some cases, several clinically relevant differences occurred between the nurses. Due to interrater reliability being very low for the items "sensory perception" and "nutrition", it is doubtful if their assessment contributes to any valid results. The calculation of weighted kappa or intraclass correlation coefficients is the most appropriate interrater reliability estimates.
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Brunton, Laura K; Bartlett, Doreen J
2017-07-01
The Fatigue Impact and Severity Self-Assessment (FISSA) was created to assess the impact, severity, and self-management of fatigue for individuals with cerebral palsy (CP) aged 14-31 years. Items were generated from a review of measures and interviews with individuals with CP. Focus groups with health-care professionals were used for item reduction. A mailed survey was conducted (n=163/367) to assess the factor structure, known-groups validity, and test-retest reliability. The final measure contained 31 items in two factors and discriminated between individuals expected to have different levels of fatigue. Individuals with more functional abilities reported less fatigue (p < 0.002) and those with higher pain reported higher fatigue (p < 0.001). The FISSA was shown to have adequate test-retest reliability, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC)(3,1)=0.74 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.53-0.87). The FISSA valid and reliable for individuals with CP. It allows for identification of the activities that may be compromised by fatigue to enhance collaborative goal setting and intervention planning.
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Breimhorst, Markus; Sandrock, Stephan; Fechir, Marcel; Hausenblas, Nadine; Geber, Christian; Birklein, Frank
2011-01-01
The present study addresses the question whether pain-intensity ratings and skin conductance responses (SCRs) are able to detect different intensities of phasic painful stimuli and to determine the reliability of this discrimination. For this purpose, 42 healthy participants of both genders were assigned to either electrical, mechanical, or laser heat-pain stimulation (each n = 14). A whole range of single brief painful stimuli were delivered on the right volar forearm of the dominant hand in a randomized order. Pain-intensity ratings and SCRs were analyzed. Using generalizability theory, individual and gender differences were the main contributors to the variability of both intensity ratings and SCRs. Most importantly, we showed that pain-intensity ratings are a reliable measure for the discrimination of different pain stimulus intensities in the applied modalities. The reliability of SCR was adequate when mechanical and heat stimuli were tested but failed for the discrimination of electrical stimuli. Further studies are needed to reveal the reason for this lack of accuracy for SCRs when applying electrical pain stimuli. Our study could help researchers to better understand the relationship between pain and activation of the sympathetic nervous system. Pain researchers are furthermore encouraged to consider individual and gender differences when measuring pain intensity and the concomitant SCRs in experimental settings. Copyright © 2011 American Pain Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Curious eyes: individual differences in personality predict eye movement behavior in scene-viewing.
Risko, Evan F; Anderson, Nicola C; Lanthier, Sophie; Kingstone, Alan
2012-01-01
Visual exploration is driven by two main factors - the stimuli in our environment, and our own individual interests and intentions. Research investigating these two aspects of attentional guidance has focused almost exclusively on factors common across individuals. The present study took a different tack, and examined the role played by individual differences in personality. Our findings reveal that trait curiosity is a robust and reliable predictor of an individual's eye movement behavior in scene-viewing. These findings demonstrate that who a person is relates to how they move their eyes. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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Individual styles of professional operator's performance for the needs of interplanetary mission.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Boritko, Yaroslav; Gushin, Vadim; Zavalko, Irina; Smoleevskiy, Alexandr; Dudukin, Alexandr
Maintenance of the cosmonaut’s professional performance reliability is one of the priorities of long-term space flights safety. Cosmonaut’s performance during long-term space flight decreases due to combination of the microgravity effects and inevitable degradation of skills during prolonged breaks in training. Therefore, the objective of the elaboration of countermeasures against skill decrement is very relevant. During the experiment with prolonged isolation "Mars-500" in IMBP two virtual models of professional operator’s activities were used to investigate the influence of extended isolation, monotony and confinement on professional skills degradation. One is well-known “PILOT-1” (docking to the space station), another - "VIRTU" (manned operations of planet exploration). Individual resistance to the artificial sensory conflict was estimated using computerized version of “Mirror koordinograf” with GSR registration. Two different individual performance styles, referring to the different types of response to stress, have been identified. Individual performance style, called "conservative control", manifested in permanent control of parameters, conditions and results of the operator’s activity. Operators with this performance style demonstrate high reliability in performing tasks. The drawback of the style is intensive resource expenditure - both the operator (physiological "cost") and the technical system operated (fuel, time). This style is more efficient while executing tasks that require long work with high reliability required according to a detailed protocol, such as orbital flight. Individual style, called "exploratory ", manifested in the search of new ways of task fulfillment. This style is accompanied by partial, periodic lack of control of the conditions and result of operator’s activity due to flexible approach to the tasks perfect implementation. Operators spent less resource (fuel, time, lower physiological "cost") due to high self-regulation in tasks not requiring high reliability. "Exploratory" style is more effective when working in nonregulated and off-nominal situations, such as interplanetary mission, due to possibility to use nonstandard innovative solutions, save physiological resources and rapidly mobilize to demonstrate high reliability at key moments.
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Individual Differences in Visual Word Recognition: Insights from the English Lexicon Project
Yap, Melvin J.; Balota, David A.; Sibley, Daragh E.; Ratcliff, Roger
2011-01-01
Empirical work and models of visual word recognition have traditionally focused on group-level performance. Despite the emphasis on the prototypical reader, there is clear evidence that variation in reading skill modulates word recognition performance. In the present study, we examined differences between individuals who contributed to the English Lexicon Project (http://elexicon.wustl.edu), an online behavioral database containing nearly four million word recognition (speeded pronunciation and lexical decision) trials from over 1,200 participants. We observed considerable within- and between-session reliability across distinct sets of items, in terms of overall mean response time (RT), RT distributional characteristics, diffusion model parameters (Ratcliff, Gomez, & McKoon, 2004), and sensitivity to underlying lexical dimensions. This indicates reliably detectable individual differences in word recognition performance. In addition, higher vocabulary knowledge was associated with faster, more accurate word recognition performance, attenuated sensitivity to stimuli characteristics, and more efficient accumulation of information. Finally, in contrast to suggestions in the literature, we did not find evidence that individuals were trading-off in their utilization of lexical and nonlexical information. PMID:21728459
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Fantuzzi, E
2007-01-01
Individual monitoring services (IMS) in Europe do not comply with the same legal or approval requirements. Anyway, a degree of harmonisation existing in individual monitoring practices in Europe has been achieved mainly thanks to documents as standards or international recommendations, which with different weight represent invaluable vehicles of condensed information transfer. However, implementation of standards is not straightforward and harmonisation is not directly a consequence. Somehow, 'harmony' is needed also in standards: IEC and ISO standards, on performance requirements for dosemeters sometimes have different approaches (i.e. performance criteria). Moreover, standards do not all refer to reliability, and therefore being in compliance with standards does not by itself assure that dose results are reliable. Standards are not the only reference documents for an IMS. EURADOS working group on 'Harmonisation of Individual Monitoring in Europe', who has been active in the years 2001-2004, suggested a classification of publication on individual monitoring, distinguishing between standards and documents of relevance, which can be both national and international. None of the two categories are mandatory unless specified in legislation. The Council Directive 96/29/EURATOM and its implementation in each EU Member States has fostered harmonisation of the approach (i.e. approval of dosimetric services) and of the reference quantities for individual monitoring within EU, but national legislation still allow substantial differences in individual monitoring from country to country.
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10 CFR 712.19 - Removal from HRP.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
2010-01-01
... OF ENERGY HUMAN RELIABILITY PROGRAM Establishment of and Procedures for the Human Reliability Program... immediately remove that individual from HRP duties pending a determination of the individual's reliability. A... HRP duties pending a determination of the individual's reliability is an interim, precautionary action...
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Examining the reliability of ADAS-Cog change scores.
Grochowalski, Joseph H; Liu, Ying; Siedlecki, Karen L
2016-09-01
The purpose of this study was to estimate and examine ways to improve the reliability of change scores on the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale, Cognitive Subtest (ADAS-Cog). The sample, provided by the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, included individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD) (n = 153) and individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) (n = 352). All participants were administered the ADAS-Cog at baseline and 1 year, and change scores were calculated as the difference in scores over the 1-year period. Three types of change score reliabilities were estimated using multivariate generalizability. Two methods to increase change score reliability were evaluated: reweighting the subtests of the scale and adding more subtests. Reliability of ADAS-Cog change scores over 1 year was low for both the AD sample (ranging from .53 to .64) and the MCI sample (.39 to .61). Reweighting the change scores from the AD sample improved reliability (.68 to .76), but lengthening provided no useful improvement for either sample. The MCI change scores had low reliability, even with reweighting and adding additional subtests. The ADAS-Cog scores had low reliability for measuring change. Researchers using the ADAS-Cog should estimate and report reliability for their use of the change scores. The ADAS-Cog change scores are not recommended for assessment of meaningful clinical change.
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Two Revised Measures of Coping for Individuals with Late-Deafness
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Meyer, Jill M.; Kashubeck-West, Susan; Portela, Lindsay
2018-01-01
Purpose: The present study had two goals: (a) to examine the revised structures of these measures to determine the reliability and validity when used in a sample of individuals with latedeafness, and (b) to examine differences in coping style in individuals with late-deafness across race, ethnicity, gender, age, socioeconomic status (SES), level…
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Reliability of Hypernasality Rating: Comparison of 3 Different Methods for Perceptual Assessment.
Yamashita, Renata Paciello; Borg, Elisabet; Granqvist, Svante; Lohmander, Anette
2018-01-01
To compare reliability in auditory-perceptual assessment of hypernasality for 3 different methods and to explore the influence of language background. Comparative methodological study. Participants and Materials: Audio recordings of 5-year-old Swedish-speaking children with repaired cleft lip and palate consisting of 73 stimuli of 9 nonnasal single-word strings in 3 different randomized orders. Four experienced speech-language pathologists (2 native speakers of Brazilian-Portuguese and 2 native speakers of Swedish) participated as listeners. After individual training, each listener performed the hypernasality rating task. Each order of stimuli was analyzed individually using the 2-step, VISOR and Borg centiMax scale methods. Comparison of intra- and inter-rater reliability, and consistency for each method within language of the listener and between listener languages (Swedish and Brazilian-Portuguese). Good to excellent intra-rater reliability was found within each listener for all methods, 2-step: κ = 0.59-0.93; VISOR: intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) = 0.80-0.99; Borg centiMax (cM) scale: ICC = 0.80-1.00. The highest inter-rater reliability was demonstrated for VISOR (ICC = 0.60-0.90) and Borg cM-scale (ICC = 0.40-0.80). High consistency within each method was found with the highest for the Borg cM scale (ICC = 0.89-0.91). There was a significant difference in the ratings between the Swedish and the Brazilian listeners for all methods. The category-ratio scale Borg cM was considered most reliable in the assessment of hypernasality. Language background of Brazilian-Portuguese listeners influenced the perceptual ratings of hypernasality in Swedish speech samples, despite their experience in perceptual assessment of cleft palate speech disorders.
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Wolf, Tabea; Zimprich, Daniel
2016-10-01
The reminiscence bump phenomenon has frequently been reported for the recall of autobiographical memories. The present study complements previous research by examining individual differences in the distribution of word-cued autobiographical memories. More importantly, we introduce predictor variables that might account for individual differences in the mean (location) and the standard deviation (scale) of individual memory distributions. All variables were derived from different theoretical accounts for the reminiscence bump phenomenon. We used a mixed location-scale logitnormal model, to analyse the 4602 autobiographical memories reported by 118 older participants. Results show reliable individual differences in the location and the scale. After controlling for age and gender, individual proportions of first-time experiences and individual proportions of positive memories, as well as the ratings on Openness to new Experiences and Self-Concept Clarity accounted for 29% of individual differences in location and 42% of individual differences in scale of autobiographical memory distributions. Results dovetail with a life-story account for the reminiscence bump which integrates central components of previous accounts.
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Schützwohl, Matthias; Souza, Paula M L; Rackel, Yvonne
2017-03-01
Objective To develop and test the psychometric properties of a measure of participation and social inclusion for individuals with a chronic mental disorder - the F-INK. Methods Within a cross-sectional design, mental health patients from different institutional settings (n = 106) and adults from the general population (n = 19) completed the questionnaire in an individual interview with a researcher. To estimate the reliability of two sum-scores on social inclusion and participation, Cronbach's α was computed. To appraise the validity, mean scale scores were compared across different study groups. Results For both scales, reliability was qualified as substantial (α > 0.70). Study groups showed expected differences in mean scores. Conclusion Preliminary findings suggest that the F-INK may be a useful tool for the assessment of social inclusion and social participation in individuals with a chronic mental disorder. However, further testing of the psychometric properties on a larger population is needed. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.
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Schache, Margaret B; McClelland, Jodie A; Webster, Kate E
2016-01-01
To investigate the test-retest reliability of measuring hip abductor strength in patients with total knee arthroplasty (TKA) using a hand-held dynamometer (HHD) with two different types of resistance: belt and manual resistance. Test-retest reliability of 30 subjects (17 female, 13 male, 71.9 ± 7.4 years old), 9.2 ± 2.7 days post TKA was measured using belt and therapist resistance. Retest reliability was calculated with intra-class coefficients (ICC3,1) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for both the group average and the individual scores. A paired t-test assessed whether a difference existed between the belt and therapist methods of resistance. ICCs were 0.82 and 0.80 for the belt and therapist resisted methods, respectively. Hip abductor strength increases of 8 N (14%) for belt resisted and 14 N (17%) for therapist resisted measurements of the group average exceeded the 95% CI and may represent real change. For individuals, hip abductor strength increases of 33 N (72%) (belt resisted) and 57 N (79%) (therapist resisted) could be interpreted as real change. Hip abductor strength can be reliably measured using HHD in the clinical setting with the described protocol. Belt resistance demonstrated slightly higher test-retest reliability. Reliable measurement of hip abductor muscle strength in patients with TKA is important to ensure deficiencies are addressed in rehabilitation programs and function is maximized. Hip abductor strength can be reliably measured with a hand-held dynamometer in the clinical setting using manual or belt resistance.
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Stevens, Christopher John; Dascombe, Ben James
2015-01-01
Sports performance testing is one of the most common and important measures used in sport science. Performance testing protocols must have high reliability to ensure any changes are not due to measurement error or inter-individual differences. High validity is also important to ensure test performance reflects true performance. Time-trial…
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Zijlstra, Agnes; Zijlstra, Wiebren
2013-09-01
Inverted pendulum (IP) models of human walking allow for wearable motion-sensor based estimations of spatio-temporal gait parameters during unconstrained walking in daily-life conditions. At present it is unclear to what extent different IP based estimations yield different results, and reliability and validity have not been investigated in older persons without a specific medical condition. The aim of this study was to compare reliability and validity of four different IP based estimations of mean step length in independent-living older persons. Participants were assessed twice and walked at different speeds while wearing a tri-axial accelerometer at the lower back. For all step-length estimators, test-retest intra-class correlations approached or were above 0.90. Intra-class correlations with reference step length were above 0.92 with a mean error of 0.0 cm when (1) multiplying the estimated center-of-mass displacement during a step by an individual correction factor in a simple IP model, or (2) adding an individual constant for bipedal stance displacement to the estimated displacement during single stance in a 2-phase IP model. When applying generic corrections or constants in all subjects (i.e. multiplication by 1.25, or adding 75% of foot length), correlations were above 0.75 with a mean error of respectively 2.0 and 1.2 cm. Although the results indicate that an individual adjustment of the IP models provides better estimations of mean step length, the ease of a generic adjustment can be favored when merely evaluating intra-individual differences. Further studies should determine the validity of these IP based estimations for assessing gait in daily life. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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Márquez, Cristina; Nadal, Roser; Armario, Antonio
2005-02-01
Susceptibility to some stress-induced pathologies may be strongly related to individual differences in the responsiveness of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis to stressors. However, there have been few attempts in rodents to study the reliability of the individual differences in the responsiveness of the HPA to stressors and the relationship to resting corticosterone levels. In the present work, we used a normal population of Sprague-Dawley rats, with a within-subject design. Our objectives were to study: (a) the reliability of the ACTH and corticosterone response to three different novel environments widely used in psychopharmacology and (b) the relationship between stress levels of HPA hormones and the daily pattern of corticosterone secretion (six samples over a 24-h-period). Animals were repeatedly sampled using tail-nick procedure. The novel environments were the elevated plus-maze, the hole-board and the circular corridor. Animals were sampled just after 15 min exposure to the tests and again at 15 and 30 min after the termination of exposure to them (post-tests). The hormonal levels just after the tests indicate that the hole-board seems to be more stressful than the circular corridor and the elevated plus-maze, the latter being characterized by the lowest defecation rate. Correlational analysis revealed that daily pattern of resting plasma corticosterone levels did not correlate to HPA responsiveness to the tests, suggesting no relationship between resting and stress levels of HPA hormones. In contrast, the present study demonstrates, for the first time, a good within-subject reliability of the ACTH and corticosterone responses to the three environments, suggesting that HPA responsiveness to these kind of stressors is a consistent individual trait in adult rats, despite differences in the physical characteristics of the novel environments.
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Trust and reliance on an automated combat identification system.
Wang, Lu; Jamieson, Greg A; Hollands, Justin G
2009-06-01
We examined the effects of aid reliability and reliability disclosure on human trust in and reliance on a combat identification (CID) aid. We tested whether trust acts as a mediating factor between belief in and reliance on a CID aid. Individual CID systems have been developed to reduce friendly fire incidents. However, these systems cannot positively identify a target that does not have a working transponder. Therefore, when the feedback is "unknown", the target could be hostile, neutral, or friendly. Soldiers have difficulty relying on this type of imperfect automation appropriately. In manual and aided conditions, 24 participants completed a simulated CID task. The reliability of the aid varied within participants, half of whom were told the aid reliability level. We used the difference in response bias values across conditions to measure automation reliance. Response bias varied more appropriately with the aid reliability level when it was disclosed than when not. Trust in aid feedback correlated with belief in aid reliability and reliance on aid feedback; however, belief was not correlated with reliance. To engender appropriate reliance on CID systems, users should be made aware of system reliability. The findings can be applied to the design of information displays for individual CID systems and soldier training.
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Macbeth, Abbe H.; Edds, Jennifer Stepp; Young, W. Scott
2010-01-01
Social recognition (SR) enables rodents to distinguish between familiar and novel conspecifics, largely through individual odor cues. SR tasks utilize the tendency for a male to sniff and interact with a novel individual more than a familiar individual. Many paradigms have been used to study the roles of the neuropeptides oxytocin and vasopressin in SR. However, inconsistencies in results have arisen within similar mouse strains, and across different paradigms and laboratories, making reliable testing of social recognition difficult. The current protocol details a novel approach that is replicable across investigators and in different strains of mice. We created a protocol that utilizes gonadally intact, singly housed females presented within corrals to group-housed males. Housing females singly prior to testing is particularly important for reliable discrimination. This methodology will be useful for studying short-term social memory in rodents, and may also be applicable for longer-term studies. PMID:19816420
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Wolf, Timothy J; Dahl, Abigail; Auen, Colleen; Doherty, Meghan
2017-07-01
The objective of this study was to evaluate the inter-rater reliability, test-retest reliability, concurrent validity, and discriminant validity of the Complex Task Performance Assessment (CTPA): an ecologically valid performance-based assessment of executive function. Community control participants (n = 20) and individuals with mild stroke (n = 14) participated in this study. All participants completed the CTPA and a battery of cognitive assessments at initial testing. The control participants completed the CTPA at two different times one week apart. The intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) for inter-rater reliability for the total score on the CTPA was .991. The ICCs for all of the sub-scores of the CTPA were also high (.889-.977). The CTPA total score was significantly correlated to Condition 4 of the DKEFS Color-Word Interference Test (p = -.425), and the Wechsler Test of Adult Reading (p = -.493). Finally, there were significant differences between control subjects and individuals with mild stroke on the total score of the CTPA (p = .007) and all sub-scores except interpretation failures and total items incorrect. These results are also consistent with other current executive function performance-based assessments and indicate that the CTPA is a reliable and valid performance-based measure of executive function.
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Mehrkam, Lindsay R; Dorey, Nicole R
2015-01-01
Environmental enrichment is widely used in the management of zoo animals, and is an essential strategy for increasing the behavioral welfare of these populations. It may be difficult, however, to identify potentially effective enrichment strategies that are also cost-effective and readily available. An animal's preference for a potential enrichment item may be a reliable predictor of whether that individual will reliably interact with that item, and subsequently enable staff to evaluate the effects of that enrichment strategy. The aim of the present study was to assess the utility of preference assessments for identifying potential enrichment items across six different species--each representing a different taxonomic group. In addition, we evaluated the agreement between zoo personnel's predictions of animals' enrichment preferences and stimuli selected via a preference assessment. Five out of six species (nine out of 11 individuals) exhibited clear, systematic preferences for specific stimuli. Similarities in enrichment preferences were observed among all individuals of primates, whereas individuals within ungulate and avian species displayed individual differences in enrichment preferences. Overall, zoo personnel, regardless of experience level, were significantly more accurate at predicting least-preferred stimuli than most-preferred stimuli across species, and tended to make the same predictions for all individuals within a species. Preference assessments may therefore be a useful, efficient husbandry strategy for identifying viable enrichment items at both the individual and species levels. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Hanson, Lisa C; McBurney, Helen; Taylor, Nicholas F
2012-03-01
The purpose of this paper was to determine if the Six-minute Walk Test (6MWT) was a reliable exercise test for patients referred to cardiac rehabilitation when up to three tests were performed and to determine if test scores differed according to between-test time interval. Thirty adults aged 63 ± 7.9 years referred to cardiac rehabilitation participated in a repeated measures reliability trial. Participants completed three 6MWTs within a one-week period. Participants were randomly allocated to one of three groups: on the first day, Group A completed three walks, Group B completed two walks and Group C completed one walk. Relative reliability was expressed in a ratio (ICC(2,1) ), and absolute reliability was expressed in metres (95% confidence intervals) for group and individuals. The 6MWT demonstrated a high level of relative reliability (intraclass correlation coefficients [ICC] = 0.94) across the three walks. There was no statistically significant difference between the test scores of the three groups. However, there was an increase in distance walked from the first to the second to the third 6MWT. Absolute reliability indicated that a change of at least 44 m would be required to be interpreted as true change in a group, and at least 95 m to be interpreted as true change in an individual with 95% confidence. Three 6MWTs completed in relatively short timeframes were not sufficient for reliable results as there was an increase in the distance walked, and relatively large increases in distances would be required to be interpreted as change. It did not make any difference whether the tests were all completed on one day or over one week. This study highlighted problems that may arise when relying on reliability coefficients alone to interpret reliability. These results suggest that the 6MWT may not have sufficient reliability to be a suitable test to evaluate exercise tolerance in patients referred to cardiac rehabilitation. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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The human hippocampus is not sexually-dimorphic: Meta-analysis of structural MRI volumes.
Tan, Anh; Ma, Wenli; Vira, Amit; Marwha, Dhruv; Eliot, Lise
2016-01-01
Hippocampal atrophy is found in many psychiatric disorders that are more prevalent in women. Sex differences in memory and spatial skills further suggest that males and females differ in hippocampal structure and function. We conducted the first meta-analysis of male-female difference in hippocampal volume (HCV) based on published MRI studies of healthy participants of all ages, to test whether the structure is reliably sexually dimorphic. Using four search strategies, we collected 68 matched samples of males' and females' uncorrected HCVs (in 4418 total participants), and 36 samples of male and female HCVs (2183 participants) that were corrected for individual differences in total brain volume (TBV) or intracranial volume (ICV). Pooled effect sizes were calculated using a random-effects model for left, right, and bilateral uncorrected HCVs and for left and right HCVs corrected for TBV or ICV. We found that uncorrected HCV was reliably larger in males, with Hedges' g values of 0.545 for left hippocampus, 0.526 for right hippocampus, and 0.557 for bilateral hippocampus. Meta-regression revealed no effect of age on the sex difference in left, right, or bilateral HCV. In the subset of studies that reported it, both TBV (g=1.085) and ICV (g=1.272) were considerably larger in males. Accordingly, studies reporting HCVs corrected for individual differences in TBV or ICV revealed no significant sex differences in left and right HCVs (Hedges' g ranging from +0.011 to -0.206). In summary, we found that human males of all ages exhibit a larger HCV than females, but adjusting for individual differences in TBV or ICV results in no reliable sex difference. The frequent claim that women have a disproportionately larger hippocampus than men was not supported. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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[Multiple mini interviews before the occupation of main training posts in paediatrics].
Hertel, Niels Thomas; Bjerager, Mia; Boas, Malene; Boisen, Kirsten A; Børch, Klaus; Frederiksen, Marianne Sjølin; Holm, Kirsten; Grum-Nymann, Anette; Johnsen, Martin M; Whitehouse, Stine; Balslev, Thomas
2013-09-09
Interviews are mandatory in Denmark when selecting doctors for training positions. We used multiple mini interviews (MMI) at four recruitment rounds for the main training posts in paediatrics. In total, 125 candidates were evaluated and assessed by CV and MMI (4-5 stations). Reliability for individual stations in MMI assessed by Cronbach's alpha was adequate (0.63-0.92). The overall reliability assessed by G-theory was lower, suggesting that different skills were tested. The acceptability was high. Our experiences with MMI suggest good feasibility and reliability. An increasing number of stations may improve the overall reliability.
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Intergroup Anxiety: A Person X Situation Approach.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Britt, Thomas W.; And Others
1996-01-01
Offers a person X situation approach to the study of intergroup anxiety in which anxiety in intergroup encounters is viewed as a transaction between the individual and the environment. An individual difference measure of intergroup anxiety toward African Americans is developed. Presents studies assessing the scale's reliability and validity.…
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Print and Internet Catalog Shopping: Assessing Attitudes and Intentions.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Vijayasarathy, Leo R.; Jones, Joseph M.
2000-01-01
Findings of an empirical study that compared individuals' attitudes and intentions to shop using print and Internet catalogs suggest that individuals perceived differences between the two catalog media on the shopping factors of reliability, tangibility, and consumer risk. Product value, pre-order information, post-selection information, shopping…
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Reliability and the adaptive utility of discrimination among alarm callers.
Blumstein, Daniel T; Verneyre, Laure; Daniel, Janice C
2004-09-07
Unlike individually distinctive contact calls, or calls that aid in the recognition of young by their parents, the function or functions of individually distinctive alarm calls is less obvious. We conducted three experiments to study the importance of caller reliability in explaining individual-discriminative abilities in the alarm calls of yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventris). In our first two experiments, we found that calls from less reliable individuals and calls from individuals calling from a greater simulated distance were more evocative than calls from reliable individuals or nearby callers. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that marmots assess the reliability of callers to help them decide how much time to allocate to independent vigilance. The third experiment demonstrated that the number of callers influenced responsiveness, probably because situations where more than a single caller calls, are those when there is certain to be a predator present. Taken together, the results from all three experiments demonstrate the importance of reliability in explaining individual discrimination abilities in yellow-bellied marmots. Marmots' assessment of reliability acts by influencing the time allocated to individual assessment and thus the time not allocated to other activities.
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Reliability and the adaptive utility of discrimination among alarm callers.
Blumstein, Daniel T.; Verneyre, Laure; Daniel, Janice C.
2004-01-01
Unlike individually distinctive contact calls, or calls that aid in the recognition of young by their parents, the function or functions of individually distinctive alarm calls is less obvious. We conducted three experiments to study the importance of caller reliability in explaining individual-discriminative abilities in the alarm calls of yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventris). In our first two experiments, we found that calls from less reliable individuals and calls from individuals calling from a greater simulated distance were more evocative than calls from reliable individuals or nearby callers. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that marmots assess the reliability of callers to help them decide how much time to allocate to independent vigilance. The third experiment demonstrated that the number of callers influenced responsiveness, probably because situations where more than a single caller calls, are those when there is certain to be a predator present. Taken together, the results from all three experiments demonstrate the importance of reliability in explaining individual discrimination abilities in yellow-bellied marmots. Marmots' assessment of reliability acts by influencing the time allocated to individual assessment and thus the time not allocated to other activities. PMID:15315902
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Reliability of the AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment.
Forst, Linda; Friedman, Lee; Chukwu, Abraham
2010-12-01
AMA's Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment is used to rate loss of function and determine compensation and ability to work after injury or illness; however, there are few studies that evaluate reliability or construct validity. To evaluate the reliability of the fifth and sixth editions for back injury; to determine best methods for further study. Intra-class correlation coefficients within and between raters were relatively high. There was wider variability for individual cases. Impairment ratings were lower and correlated less well for the sixth edition, though confidence intervals overlapped. The sixth edition may not be an improvement over the fifth. A research agenda should include investigations of reliability and construct validity for different body sites and organ systems along the entire rating scale and among different categories of raters.
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Srsen, Katja Groleger; Vidmar, Gaj; Pikl, Masa; Vrecar, Irena; Burja, Cirila; Krusec, Klavdija
2012-01-01
The Halliwick concept is widely used in different settings to promote joyful movement in water and swimming. To assess the swimming skills and progression of an individual swimmer, a valid and reliable measure should be used. The Halliwick-concept-based Swimming with Independent Measure (SWIM) was introduced for this purpose. We aimed to determine…
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Reliability and Validity of a Q-Sort Measure of Attachment Security in Hispanic Infants.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Busch-Rossnagel, Nancy A.; And Others
1994-01-01
A set of Q-sort items to assess individual differences in infant-mother attachment was adapted for a Hispanic population of low-SES background. Completion of the Q-sort by observers and inner-city Hispanic mothers and testing of 43 infants with the Ainsworth Strange Situation established the Q-set's validity and indicated moderate reliability for…
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Are Some Negotiators Better Than Others? Individual Differences in Bargaining Outcomes
Elfenbein, Hillary Anger; Curhan, Jared R.; Eisenkraft, Noah; Shirako, Aiwa; Baccaro, Lucio
2008-01-01
The authors address the long-standing mystery of stable individual differences in negotiation performance, on which intuition and conventional wisdom have clashed with inconsistent empirical findings. The present study used the Social Relations Model to examine individual differences directly via consistency in performance across multiple negotiations and to disentangle the roles of both parties within these inherently dyadic interactions. Individual differences explained a substantial 46% of objective performance and 19% of subjective performance in a mixed-motive bargaining exercise. Previous work may have understated the influence of individual differences because conventional research designs require specific traits to be identified and measured. Exploratory analyses of a battery of traits revealed few reliable associations with consistent individual differences in objective performance—except for positive beliefs about negotiation, positive affect, and concern for one's outcome, each of which predicted better performance. Findings suggest that the field has large untapped potential to explain substantial individual differences. Limitations, areas for future research, and practical implications are discussed. PMID:21720453
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Suslow, Thomas; Lindner, Christian; Kugel, Harald; Egloff, Boris; Schmukle, Stefan C
2014-08-30
There is evidence from research based on self-report personality measures that schizophrenia patients tend to be lower in extraversion and higher in neuroticism than healthy individuals. Self-report personality measures assess aspects of the explicit self-concept. The Implicit Association Test (IAT) has been developed to assess aspects of implicit cognition such as implicit attitudes and implicit personality traits. The present study was conducted to investigate the applicability and reliability of the IAT in schizophrenia patients and test whether they differ from healthy individuals on implicitly measured extraversion and neuroticism. The IAT and the NEO-FFI were administered as implicit and explicit measures of extraversion and neuroticism to 34 schizophrenia patients and 45 healthy subjects. For all IAT scores satisfactory to good reliabilities were observed in the patient sample. In both study groups, IAT scores were not related to NEO-FFI scores. Schizophrenia patients were lower in implicit and explicit extraversion and higher in implicit and explicit neuroticism than healthy individuals. Our data show that the IAT can be reliably applied to schizophrenia patients and suggest that they differ from healthy individuals not only in their conscious representation but also in their implicit representation of the self with regard to neuroticism and extraversion-related characteristics. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Psychometrics Matter in Health Behavior: A Long-term Reliability Generalization Study.
Pickett, Andrew C; Valdez, Danny; Barry, Adam E
2017-09-01
Despite numerous calls for increased understanding and reporting of reliability estimates, social science research, including the field of health behavior, has been slow to respond and adopt such practices. Therefore, we offer a brief overview of reliability and common reporting errors; we then perform analyses to examine and demonstrate the variability of reliability estimates by sample and over time. Using meta-analytic reliability generalization, we examined the variability of coefficient alpha scores for a well-designed, consistent, nationwide health study, covering a span of nearly 40 years. For each year and sample, reliability varied. Furthermore, reliability was predicted by a sample characteristic that differed among age groups within each administration. We demonstrated that reliability is influenced by the methods and individuals from which a given sample is drawn. Our work echoes previous calls that psychometric properties, particularly reliability of scores, are important and must be considered and reported before drawing statistical conclusions.
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Anusic, Ivana; Schimmack, Ulrich
2016-05-01
The stability of individual differences is a fundamental issue in personality psychology. Although accumulating evidence suggests that many psychological attributes are both stable and change over time, existing research rarely takes advantage of theoretical models that capture both stability and change. In this article, we present the Meta-Analytic Stability and Change model (MASC), a novel meta-analytic model for synthesizing data from longitudinal studies. MASC is based on trait-state models that can separate influences of stable and changing factors from unreliable variance (Kenny & Zautra, 1995). We used MASC to evaluate the extent to which personality traits, life satisfaction, affect, and self-esteem are influenced by these different factors. The results showed that the majority of reliable variance in personality traits is attributable to stable influences (83%). Changing factors had a greater influence on reliable variance in life satisfaction, self-esteem, and affect than in personality (42%-56% vs. 17%). In addition, changing influences on well-being were more stable than changing influences on personality traits, suggesting that different changing factors contribute to personality and well-being. Measures of affect were less reliable than measures of the other 3 constructs, reflecting influences of transient factors, such as mood on affective judgments. After accounting for differences in reliability, stability of affect did not differ from other well-being variables. Consistent with previous research, we found that stability of individual differences increases with age. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).
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Perry, Cary; LeMay, Nancy; Rodway, Greg; Tracy, Allison; Galer, Joan
2005-01-01
Background This article describes the validation of an instrument to measure work group climate in public health organizations in developing countries. The instrument, the Work Group Climate Assessment Tool (WCA), was applied in Brazil, Mozambique, and Guinea to assess the intermediate outcomes of a program to develop leadership for performance improvement. Data were collected from 305 individuals in 42 work groups, who completed a self-administered questionnaire. Methods The WCA was initially validated using Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient and exploratory factor analysis. This article presents the results of a second validation study to refine the initial analyses to account for nested data, to provide item-level psychometrics, and to establish construct validity. Analyses included eigenvalue decomposition analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and validity and reliability analyses. Results This study confirmed the validity and reliability of the WCA across work groups with different demographic characteristics (gender, education, management level, and geographical location). The study showed that there is agreement between the theoretical construct of work climate and the items in the WCA tool across different populations. The WCA captures a single perception of climate rather than individual sub-scales of clarity, support, and challenge. Conclusion The WCA is useful for comparing the climates of different work groups, tracking the changes in climate in a single work group over time, or examining differences among individuals' perceptions of their work group climate. Application of the WCA before and after a leadership development process can help work groups hold a discussion about current climate and select a target for improvement. The WCA provides work groups with a tool to take ownership of their own group climate through a process that is simple and objective and that protects individual confidentiality. PMID:16223447
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Walton, David M; Macdermid, Joy C; Nielson, Warren; Teasell, Robert W; Chiasson, Marco; Brown, Lauren
2011-09-01
Clinical measurement. To evaluate the intrarater, interrater, and test-retest reliability of an accessible digital algometer, and to determine the minimum detectable change in normal healthy individuals and a clinical population with neck pain. Pressure pain threshold testing may be a valuable assessment and prognostic indicator for people with neck pain. To date, most of this research has been completed using algometers that are too resource intensive for routine clinical use. Novice raters (physiotherapy students or clinical physiotherapists) were trained to perform algometry testing over 2 clinically relevant sites: the angle of the upper trapezius and the belly of the tibialis anterior. A convenience sample of normal healthy individuals and a clinical sample of people with neck pain were tested by 2 different raters (all participants) and on 2 different days (healthy participants only). Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), standard error of measurement, and minimum detectable change were calculated. A total of 60 healthy volunteers and 40 people with neck pain were recruited. Intrarater reliability was almost perfect (ICC = 0.94-0.97), interrater reliability was substantial to near perfect (ICC = 0.79-0.90), and test-retest reliability was substantial (ICC = 0.76-0.79). Smaller change was detectable in the trapezius compared to the tibialis anterior. This study provides evidence that novice raters can perform digital algometry with adequate reliability for research and clinical use in people with and without neck pain.
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Gonzalez, Javier T; Frampton, James; Deighton, Kevin
2017-01-01
Individual differences in appetite are increasingly appreciated. However, the individual day-to-day reliability of appetite measurement is currently uncharacterised. This study aimed to assess the reliability of appetite following ingestion of mixed-macronutrient liquid meals at a group and individual level. Two experiments were conducted with identical protocols other than meal energy content. During each experiment, 10 non-obese males completed four experimental trials constituting high- and low-energy trials, each performed twice. Experiment one employed 579 kJ (138 kcal) and 1776 kJ (424 kcal) liquid meals. Experiment two employed 828 (198 kcal) and 4188 kJ (1001 kcal) liquid meals. Visual analogue scales were administered to assess appetite for 60 min post-ingestion. The typical error (standard error of measurement) of appetite area under the curve was 6.2 mm⋅60 min -1 (95%CI 4.3-11.3 mm⋅60 min -1 ), 6.5 mm (95%CI 4.5-11.9 mm⋅60 min -1 ), 7.1 mm⋅60 min -1 (95%CI 4.9-12.9 mm⋅60 min -1 ) and 6.5 mm⋅60 min -1 (95%CI 4.5-11.8 mm⋅60 min -1 ) with the 579, 828, 1776 and 4188 kJ meals, respectively. A systematic bias between first and second exposure was detected for all but the 4188 kJ meal. The change in appetite with high-vs. low-energy meals did not differ at a group level between first and second exposure (mean difference: -0.97 mm⋅60 min -1 ; 95%CI -6.48-4.53 mm⋅60 min -1 ), however, ∼50% of individuals differed in their response with first vs second exposure by more than the typical error. Appetite responses are more reliable when liquid meals contain a higher-vs lower-energy content. Appetite suppression with high-vs low-energy meals is reproducible at the group- but not individual level, suggesting that multiple exposures to an intervention are required to understand true individual differences in appetite. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Moore, L; Tapper, K; Dennehy, A; Cooper, A
2005-07-01
To evaluate the validity, reliability and sensitivity of a computerised single day 24-h recall questionnaire designed for the comparison of children's fruit and snack consumption at the group (school) level. Relative validity and reliability were assessed in relation to (i) intake at school and (ii) intake throughout the whole day, using diary-assisted 24-h recall interviews and a 7-day test-retest procedure. Sensitivity was assessed in relation to intake by comparing results from schools with differing food policies, and by sex. Eight schools took part in the validity and reliability assessments, with 78 children completing the 24-h recall interviews and 195 children completing the test-retest procedure. A total of 43 schools (1890 children) took part in the sensitivity analysis. All children were aged 9-11 y. All schools were in South Wales and South-west England. For fruit intake at school, the questionnaire showed fair levels of validity at the individual level (kappa = 0.29). At the group level, there were little or no differences in fruit intake at school between the two measures and two occasions. The questionnaire was sufficiently sensitive to identify statistically significant differences between girls and boys, and between schools with different food policies. For snack intake at school, validity at the individual level was slightly lower (kappa = 0.220.25), but the data remained of value in analyses at the group level. For fruit and snack intake throughout the whole day there was little agreement at the individual level (kappa = 0.00-0.06), and at the group level there tended to be substantial differences between the two measures and two occasions. The computerised questionnaire is a quick and cost-effective means of assessing children's consumption of fruit at school. While further development is required to improve validity and reliability, it has the potential to be particularly useful in randomised controlled trials of school-based dietary interventions.
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They don't all look alike: individuated impressions of other racial groups.
Zebrowitz, L A; Montepare, J M; Lee, H K
1993-07-01
Reliability, content, and homogeneity of own- and other-race impressions were assessed: U.S. White, U.S. Black, and Korean students rated faces of White, Black, or Korean men. High intraracial reliabilities revealed that people of 1 race showed equally high agreement regarding the traits of own- and other-race faces. Racially universal appearance stereotypes--the attractiveness halo effect and the babyface overgeneralization effect--contributed substantially to interracial agreement, which was only marginally lower than intraracial agreement. Moreover, similar attention to variations in appearance yielded similar degrees of own- and other-race trait differentiation. When own- and other-race differences in the differentiation of faces on babyfaceness were statistically controlled, differences in trait differentiation were eliminated. Despite the individuated impressions of other-race faces, certain racial stereotypes persisted.
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Zerr, Christopher L; Berg, Jeffrey J; Nelson, Steven M; Fishell, Andrew K; Savalia, Neil K; McDermott, Kathleen B
2018-06-01
People differ in how quickly they learn information and how long they remember it, yet individual differences in learning abilities within healthy adults have been relatively neglected. In two studies, we examined the relation between learning rate and subsequent retention using a new foreign-language paired-associates task (the learning-efficiency task), which was designed to eliminate ceiling effects that often accompany standardized tests of learning and memory in healthy adults. A key finding was that quicker learners were also more durable learners (i.e., exhibited better retention across a delay), despite studying the material for less time. Additionally, measures of learning and memory from this task were reliable in Study 1 ( N = 281) across 30 hr and Study 2 ( N = 92; follow-up n = 46) across 3 years. We conclude that people vary in how efficiently they learn, and we describe a reliable and valid method for assessing learning efficiency within healthy adults.
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Psychophysical measurements in children: challenges, pitfalls, and considerations.
Witton, Caroline; Talcott, Joel B; Henning, G Bruce
2017-01-01
Measuring sensory sensitivity is important in studying development and developmental disorders. However, with children, there is a need to balance reliable but lengthy sensory tasks with the child's ability to maintain motivation and vigilance. We used simulations to explore the problems associated with shortening adaptive psychophysical procedures, and suggest how these problems might be addressed. We quantify how adaptive procedures with too few reversals can over-estimate thresholds, introduce substantial measurement error, and make estimates of individual thresholds less reliable. The associated measurement error also obscures group differences. Adaptive procedures with children should therefore use as many reversals as possible, to reduce the effects of both Type 1 and Type 2 errors. Differences in response consistency, resulting from lapses in attention, further increase the over-estimation of threshold. Comparisons between data from individuals who may differ in lapse rate are therefore problematic, but measures to estimate and account for lapse rates in analyses may mitigate this problem.
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Sekiyama, Juliana Y; Camargo, Cintia Z; Eduardo, Luís; Andrade, C; Kayser, Cristiane
2013-11-01
To analyze the diagnostic performance and reliability of different parameters evaluated by widefield nailfold capillaroscopy (NFC) with those obtained by video capillaroscopy in patients with Raynaud’s phenomenon (RP). Two hundred fifty-two individuals were assessed, including 101 systemic sclerosis (SSc; scleroderma) patients,61 patients with undifferentiated connective tissue disease, 37 patients with primary RP, and 53 controls. Widefield NFC was performed using a stereomicroscope under 10–25 x magnification and direct measurement of all parameters. Video capillaroscopy was performed under 200 x magnification, with the acquirement of 32 images per individual (4 fields per finger in 8 fingers). The following parameters were analyzed in 8 fingers of the hands (excluding thumbs) by both methods: number of capillaries/mm, number of enlarged and giant capillaries, microhemorrhages, and avascular score.Intra- and interobserver reliability was evaluated by performing both examinations in 20 individuals on 2 different days and by 2 long-term experienced observers. There was a significant correlation (P < 0.000) between widefield NFC and video capillaroscopy in the comparison of all parameters. Kappa values and intraclass correlation coefficient analysis showed excellent intra- and interobserver reproducibility for all parameters evaluated by widefield NFC and video capillaroscopy. Bland-Altman analysis showed high agreement of all parameters evaluated in both methods. According to receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, both methods showed a similar performance in discriminating SSc patients from controls. Widefield NFC and video capillaroscopy are reliable and accurate methods and can be used equally for assessing peripheral microangiopathy in RP and SSc patients. Nonetheless, the high reliability obtained may not be similar for less experienced examiners.
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Ludtke, Oliver; Trautwein, Ulrich; Kunter, Mareike; Baumert, Jurgen
2006-01-01
In educational research, characteristics of the learning environment are generally assessed by asking students to evaluate features of their lessons. The student ratings produced by this simple and efficient research strategy can be analysed from two different perspectives. At the "individual level", they represent the individual student's…
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Laser mass spectrometry for DNA fingerprinting for forensic applications
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Chen, C.H.; Tang, K.; Taranenko, N.I.
The application of DNA fingerprinting has become very broad in forensic analysis, patient identification, diagnostic medicine, and wildlife poaching, since every individual`s DNA structure is identical within all tissues of their body. DNA fingerprinting was initiated by the use of restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP). In 1987, Nakamura et al. found that a variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) often occurred in the alleles. The probability of different individuals having the same number of tandem repeats in several different alleles is very low. Thus, the identification of VNTR from genomic DNA became a very reliable method for identification of individuals.more » DNA fingerprinting is a reliable tool for forensic analysis. In DNA fingerprinting, knowledge of the sequence of tandem repeats and restriction endonuclease sites can provide the basis for identification. The major steps for conventional DNA fingerprinting include (1) specimen processing (2) amplification of selected DNA segments by PCR, and (3) gel electrophoresis to do the final DNA analysis. In this work we propose to use laser desorption mass spectrometry for fast DNA fingerprinting. The process and advantages are discussed.« less
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Affective traits link to reliable neural markers of incentive anticipation.
Wu, Charlene C; Samanez-Larkin, Gregory R; Katovich, Kiefer; Knutson, Brian
2014-01-01
While theorists have speculated that different affective traits are linked to reliable brain activity during anticipation of gains and losses, few have directly tested this prediction. We examined these associations in a community sample of healthy human adults (n=52) as they played a Monetary Incentive Delay task while undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI). Factor analysis of personality measures revealed that subjects independently varied in trait Positive Arousal and trait Negative Arousal. In a subsample (n=14) retested over 2.5years later, left nucleus accumbens (NAcc) activity during anticipation of large gains (+$5.00) and right anterior insula activity during anticipation of large losses (-$5.00) showed significant test-retest reliability (intraclass correlations>0.50, p's<0.01). In the full sample (n=52), trait Positive Arousal correlated with individual differences in left NAcc activity during anticipation of large gains, while trait Negative Arousal correlated with individual differences in right anterior insula activity during anticipation of large losses. Associations of affective traits with neural activity were not attributable to the influence of other potential confounds (including sex, age, wealth, and motion). Together, these results demonstrate selective links between distinct affective traits and reliably-elicited activity in neural circuits associated with anticipation of gain versus loss. The findings thus reveal neural markers for affective dimensions of healthy personality, and potentially for related psychiatric symptoms. © 2013. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Affective traits link to reliable neural markers of incentive anticipation
Wu, Charlene C.; Samanez-Larkin, Gregory R.; Katovich, Kiefer; Knutson, Brian
2013-01-01
While theorists have speculated that different affective traits are linked to reliable brain activity during anticipation of gains and losses, few have directly tested this prediction. We examined these associations in a community sample of healthy human adults (n = 52) as they played a Monetary Incentive Delay Task while undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI). Factor analysis of personality measures revealed that subjects independently varied in trait Positive Arousal and Negative Arousal. In a subsample (n = 14) retested over 2.5 years later, left nucleus accumbens (NAcc) activity during anticipation of large gains (+$5.00) and right anterior insula activity during anticipation of large losses (−$5.00) showed significant test-retest reliability (intraclass correlations > 0.50, p’s < 0.01). In the full sample (n = 52), trait Positive Arousal correlated with individual differences in left NAcc activity during anticipation of large gains, while trait Negative Arousal correlated with individual differences in right anterior insula activity during anticipation of large losses. Associations of affective traits with neural activity were not attributable to the influence of other potential confounds (including sex, age, wealth, and motion). Together, these results demonstrate selective links between distinct affective traits and reliably-elicited activity in neural circuits associated with anticipation of gain versus loss. The findings thus reveal neural markers for affective dimensions of healthy personality, and potentially for related psychiatric symptoms. PMID:24001457
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Polcin, Douglas L.; Galloway, Gantt P.; Bond, Jason; Korcha, Rachael; Greenfield, Thomas K.
2008-01-01
The addiction field lacks an accepted definition and reliable measure of confrontation. The Alcohol and Drug Confrontation Scale (ADCS) defines confrontation as warnings about the potential consequences of substance use. To assess psychometric properties, 323 individual entering recovery houses in U.S. urban and suburban areas were interviewed between 2003 and 2005 (20% women, 68% white). Analyses included test-retest reliability, confirmatory factor analysis, and measures of internal consistency. Findings support the ADCS as a reliable way of assessing two factors: Internal Support and External intensity. Confrontation was experienced as supportive, accurate and helpful. Additional studies should assess confrontation in different contexts. PMID:20686635
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Resting-state fMRI correlations: From link-wise unreliability to whole brain stability.
Pannunzi, Mario; Hindriks, Rikkert; Bettinardi, Ruggero G; Wenger, Elisabeth; Lisofsky, Nina; Martensson, Johan; Butler, Oisin; Filevich, Elisa; Becker, Maxi; Lochstet, Martyna; Kühn, Simone; Deco, Gustavo
2017-08-15
The functional architecture of spontaneous BOLD fluctuations has been characterized in detail by numerous studies, demonstrating its potential relevance as a biomarker. However, the systematic investigation of its consistency is still in its infancy. Here, we analyze within- and between-subject variability and test-retest reliability of resting-state functional connectivity (FC) in a unique data set comprising multiple fMRI scans (42) from 5 subjects, and 50 single scans from 50 subjects. We adopt a statistical framework that enables us to identify different sources of variability in FC. We show that the low reliability of single links can be significantly improved by using multiple scans per subject. Moreover, in contrast to earlier studies, we show that spatial heterogeneity in FC reliability is not significant. Finally, we demonstrate that despite the low reliability of individual links, the information carried by the whole-brain FC matrix is robust and can be used as a functional fingerprint to identify individual subjects from the population. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Interrater reliability assessment using the Test of Gross Motor Development-2.
Barnett, Lisa M; Minto, Christine; Lander, Natalie; Hardy, Louise L
2014-11-01
The aim was to examine interrater reliability of the object control subtest from the Test of Gross Motor Development-2 by live observation in a school field setting. Reliability Study--cross sectional. Raters were rated on their ability to agree on (1) the raw total for the six object control skills; (2) each skill performance and (3) the skill components. Agreement for the object control subtest and the individual skills was assessed by an intraclass correlation (ICC) and a kappa statistic assessed for skill component agreement. A total of 37 children (65% girls) aged 4-8 years (M = 6.2, SD = 0.8) were assessed in six skills by two raters; equating to 222 skill tests. Interrater reliability was excellent for the object control subset (ICC = 0.93), and for individual skills, highest for the dribble (ICC = 0.94) followed by strike (ICC = 0.85), overhand throw (ICC = 0.84), underhand roll (ICC = 0.82), kick (ICC = 0.80) and the catch (ICC = 0.71). The strike and the throw had more components with less agreement. Even though the overall subtest score and individual skill agreement was good, some skill components had lower agreement, suggesting these may be more problematic to assess. This may mean some skill components need to be specified differently in order to improve component reliability. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Validity and reliability of four language mapping paradigms.
Wilson, Stephen M; Bautista, Alexa; Yen, Melodie; Lauderdale, Stefanie; Eriksson, Dana K
2017-01-01
Language areas of the brain can be mapped in individual participants with functional MRI. We investigated the validity and reliability of four language mapping paradigms that may be appropriate for individuals with acquired aphasia: sentence completion, picture naming, naturalistic comprehension, and narrative comprehension. Five neurologically normal older adults were scanned on each of the four paradigms on four separate occasions. Validity was assessed in terms of whether activation patterns reflected the known typical organization of language regions, that is, lateralization to the left hemisphere, and involvement of the left inferior frontal gyrus and the left middle and/or superior temporal gyri. Reliability (test-retest reproducibility) was quantified in terms of the Dice coefficient of similarity, which measures overlap of activations across time points. We explored the impact of different absolute and relative voxelwise thresholds, a range of cluster size cutoffs, and limitation of analyses to a priori potential language regions. We found that the narrative comprehension and sentence completion paradigms offered the best balance of validity and reliability. However, even with optimal combinations of analysis parameters, there were many scans on which known features of typical language organization were not demonstrated, and test-retest reproducibility was only moderate for realistic parameter choices. These limitations in terms of validity and reliability may constitute significant limitations for many clinical or research applications that depend on identifying language regions in individual participants.
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Rincent, R; Laloë, D; Nicolas, S; Altmann, T; Brunel, D; Revilla, P; Rodríguez, V M; Moreno-Gonzalez, J; Melchinger, A; Bauer, E; Schoen, C-C; Meyer, N; Giauffret, C; Bauland, C; Jamin, P; Laborde, J; Monod, H; Flament, P; Charcosset, A; Moreau, L
2012-10-01
Genomic selection refers to the use of genotypic information for predicting breeding values of selection candidates. A prediction formula is calibrated with the genotypes and phenotypes of reference individuals constituting the calibration set. The size and the composition of this set are essential parameters affecting the prediction reliabilities. The objective of this study was to maximize reliabilities by optimizing the calibration set. Different criteria based on the diversity or on the prediction error variance (PEV) derived from the realized additive relationship matrix-best linear unbiased predictions model (RA-BLUP) were used to select the reference individuals. For the latter, we considered the mean of the PEV of the contrasts between each selection candidate and the mean of the population (PEVmean) and the mean of the expected reliabilities of the same contrasts (CDmean). These criteria were tested with phenotypic data collected on two diversity panels of maize (Zea mays L.) genotyped with a 50k SNPs array. In the two panels, samples chosen based on CDmean gave higher reliabilities than random samples for various calibration set sizes. CDmean also appeared superior to PEVmean, which can be explained by the fact that it takes into account the reduction of variance due to the relatedness between individuals. Selected samples were close to optimality for a wide range of trait heritabilities, which suggests that the strategy presented here can efficiently sample subsets in panels of inbred lines. A script to optimize reference samples based on CDmean is available on request.
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Lebenberg, Jessica; Lalande, Alain; Clarysse, Patrick; Buvat, Irene; Casta, Christopher; Cochet, Alexandre; Constantinidès, Constantin; Cousty, Jean; de Cesare, Alain; Jehan-Besson, Stephanie; Lefort, Muriel; Najman, Laurent; Roullot, Elodie; Sarry, Laurent; Tilmant, Christophe; Frouin, Frederique; Garreau, Mireille
2015-01-01
This work aimed at combining different segmentation approaches to produce a robust and accurate segmentation result. Three to five segmentation results of the left ventricle were combined using the STAPLE algorithm and the reliability of the resulting segmentation was evaluated in comparison with the result of each individual segmentation method. This comparison was performed using a supervised approach based on a reference method. Then, we used an unsupervised statistical evaluation, the extended Regression Without Truth (eRWT) that ranks different methods according to their accuracy in estimating a specific biomarker in a population. The segmentation accuracy was evaluated by estimating six cardiac function parameters resulting from the left ventricle contour delineation using a public cardiac cine MRI database. Eight different segmentation methods, including three expert delineations and five automated methods, were considered, and sixteen combinations of the automated methods using STAPLE were investigated. The supervised and unsupervised evaluations demonstrated that in most cases, STAPLE results provided better estimates than individual automated segmentation methods. Overall, combining different automated segmentation methods improved the reliability of the segmentation result compared to that obtained using an individual method and could achieve the accuracy of an expert.
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Lebenberg, Jessica; Lalande, Alain; Clarysse, Patrick; Buvat, Irene; Casta, Christopher; Cochet, Alexandre; Constantinidès, Constantin; Cousty, Jean; de Cesare, Alain; Jehan-Besson, Stephanie; Lefort, Muriel; Najman, Laurent; Roullot, Elodie; Sarry, Laurent; Tilmant, Christophe
2015-01-01
This work aimed at combining different segmentation approaches to produce a robust and accurate segmentation result. Three to five segmentation results of the left ventricle were combined using the STAPLE algorithm and the reliability of the resulting segmentation was evaluated in comparison with the result of each individual segmentation method. This comparison was performed using a supervised approach based on a reference method. Then, we used an unsupervised statistical evaluation, the extended Regression Without Truth (eRWT) that ranks different methods according to their accuracy in estimating a specific biomarker in a population. The segmentation accuracy was evaluated by estimating six cardiac function parameters resulting from the left ventricle contour delineation using a public cardiac cine MRI database. Eight different segmentation methods, including three expert delineations and five automated methods, were considered, and sixteen combinations of the automated methods using STAPLE were investigated. The supervised and unsupervised evaluations demonstrated that in most cases, STAPLE results provided better estimates than individual automated segmentation methods. Overall, combining different automated segmentation methods improved the reliability of the segmentation result compared to that obtained using an individual method and could achieve the accuracy of an expert. PMID:26287691
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Sundén, A; Ekdahl, C; Horstman, V; Gyllensten, A L
2016-06-01
Limitations in everyday movements, physical activities are/or pain are the main reasons for seeking help from a physiotherapist. The purpose of this study was to investigate the psychometric properties of the Body Awareness Scale Movement Quality (BAS MQ) focusing on factor structure, validity and reliability and to explore whether BAS MQ could discriminate between healthy individuals and patients. BAS MQ assesses both limitations and resources concerning functional ability and quality of movements. The total sample in the study (n = 172) consisted of individuals with hip osteoarthritis (OA) (n = 132), individuals with psychiatric disorders (n = 33) and healthy individuals (n = 7). A factor analysis of the BAS MQ was performed for the total group. Inter-rater reliability was tested in a group of individuals with hip OA (n = 24). Concurrent validity was tested in a group of individuals with hip OA (n = 89). The Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), the 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) and the Hip Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (HOOS) were chosen in the validation process. The factor analysis revealed three factors that together explained 60.8% of the total variance of BAS MQ. The inter-rater reliability was considered good or very good with a kappa value of 0.61. Significant correlations between BAS MQ and SF-36, HOOS and 6MWT in the subjects with hip OA confirmed the validity. The BAS MQ was able to discriminate between healthy individuals and individuals with physical and psychiatric limitations. Results of the study revealed that BAS MQ has a satisfactory factor structure. The inter-rater reliability and validity were acceptable in a group of individuals with hip OA. BAS MQ could be a useful assessment tool for physiotherapists when evaluating the quality of everyday movements in different patient groups. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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Schroeder, J; Reer, R; Braumann, K M
2015-02-01
As reliability of raster stereography was proved only for sagittal plane parameters with repeated measures on the same day, the present study was aiming at investigating variability and reliability of back shape reconstruction for all dimensions (sagittal, frontal, transversal) and for different intervals. For a sample of 20 healthy volunteers, intra-individual variability (SEM and CV%) and reliability (ICC ± 95% CI) were proved for sagittal (thoracic kyphosis, lumbar lordosis, pelvis tilt angle, and trunk inclination), frontal (pelvis torsion, pelvis and trunk imbalance, vertebral side deviation, and scoliosis angle), transversal (vertebral rotation), and functional (hyperextension) spine shape reconstruction parameters for different test-retest intervals (on the same day, between-day, between-week) by means of video raster stereography. Reliability was high for the sagittal plane (pelvis tilt, kyphosis and lordosis angle, and trunk inclination: ICC > 0.90), and good to high for lumbar mobility (0.86 < ICC < 0.97). Apart from sagittal plane spinal alignment, there was a lack of certainty for a high reproducibility indicated by wider ICC confidence intervals. So, reliability was fair to high for vertebral side deviation and the scoliosis angle (0.71 < ICC < 0.95), and poor to good for vertebral rotation values as well as for frontal plane upper body and pelvis position parameters (0.65 < ICC < 0.92). Coefficients for the between-day and between-week interval were a little lower than for repeated measures on the same day. Variability (SEM) was less than 1.5° or 1.5 mm, except for trunk inclination. Relative variability (CV) was greater in global trunk position and pelvis parameters (35-98%) than in scoliosis (14-20%) or sagittal sway parameters (4-8 %). Although we found a lower reproducibility for the frontal plane, raster stereography is considered to be a reliable method for the non-invasive, three-dimensional assessment of spinal alignment in normal non-scoliotic individuals in the sagittal plane and partly for scoliosis parameters, which fulfils scientific as well as practical recommendations for spine shape screening and monitoring, but cross-sectional or follow-up effect analyses should take into account the degree of reliability differing in various spine shape parameters. Further investigations should be conducted to analyse reliability in scoliosis patients with differing spinal deformities.
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A Practical Method for Identifying Significant Change Scores
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Cascio, Wayne F.; Kurtines, William M.
1977-01-01
A test of significance for identifying individuals who are most influenced by an experimental treatment as measured by pre-post test change score is presented. The technique requires true difference scores, the reliability of obtained differences, and their standard error of measurement. (Author/JKS)
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McKone, Elinor; Wan, Lulu; Robbins, Rachel; Crookes, Kate; Liu, Jia
2017-07-01
The Cambridge Face Memory Test (CFMT) is widely accepted as providing a valid and reliable tool in diagnosing prosopagnosia (inability to recognize people's faces). Previously, large-sample norms have been available only for Caucasian-face versions, suitable for diagnosis in Caucasian observers. These are invalid for observers of different races due to potentially severe other-race effects. Here, we provide large-sample norms (N = 306) for East Asian observers on an Asian-face version (CFMT-Chinese). We also demonstrate methodological suitability of the CFMT-Chinese for prosopagnosia diagnosis (high internal reliability, approximately normal distribution, norm-score range sufficiently far above chance). Additional findings were a female advantage on mean performance, plus a difference between participants living in the East (China) or the West (international students, second-generation children of immigrants), which we suggest might reflect personality differences associated with willingness to emigrate. Finally, we demonstrate suitability of the CFMT-Chinese for individual differences studies that use correlations within the normal range.
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Thorborg, K; Bandholm, T; Schick, M; Jensen, J; Hölmich, P
2013-08-01
Handheld dynamometry (HHD) is a promising tool for obtaining reliable hip strength measurements in the clinical setting, but intertester reliability has been questioned, especially in situations where testers exhibit differences in upper-extremity muscle strength (male vs female). The purpose of this study was to examine the intertester reliability concerning strength assessments of hip abduction, adduction, external and internal rotation, flexion and extension using HHD, and to test whether systematic differences in test values exist between testers of different upper-extremity strength. Fifty healthy individuals (29 women), aged 25 ± 5 years were included. Two physiotherapist students (one female, one male) of different upper-extremity strength performed the measurements. The tester order and strength test order were randomized. Intraclass correlation coefficients were used to quantify reliability, and ranged from 0.82 to 0.91 for the six strength test. The female tester systematically measured lower strength values for all isometric strength tests (P < 0.05). In hip strength assessments using HHD, systematic bias exists between testers of different sex, which is likely explained by differences in upper-extremity strength. Hence, to improve intertester reliability, the dynamometer likely needs external fixation, as this will eliminate the influence of differences in upper-extremity strength between testers. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
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2016-10-01
Reports an error in "Reliability Generalization of the Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure-Revised (MEIM-R)" by Hayley M. Herrington, Timothy B. Smith, Erika Feinauer and Derek Griner ( Journal of Counseling Psychology , Advanced Online Publication, Mar 17, 2016, np). The name of author Erika Feinauer was misspelled as Erika Feinhauer. All versions of this article have been corrected. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2016-13160-001.) Individuals' strength of ethnic identity has been linked with multiple positive indicators, including academic achievement and overall psychological well-being. The measure researchers use most often to assess ethnic identity, the Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure (MEIM), underwent substantial revision in 2007. To inform scholars investigating ethnic identity, we performed a reliability generalization analysis on data from the revised version (MEIM-R) and compared it with data from the original MEIM. Random-effects weighted models evaluated internal consistency coefficients (Cronbach's alpha). Reliability coefficients for the MEIM-R averaged α = .88 across 37 samples, a statistically significant increase over the average of α = .84 for the MEIM across 75 studies. Reliability coefficients for the MEIM-R did not differ across study and participant characteristics such as sample gender and ethnic composition. However, consistently lower reliability coefficients averaging α = .81 were found among participants with low levels of education, suggesting that greater attention to data reliability is warranted when evaluating the ethnic identity of individuals such as middle-school students. Future research will be needed to ascertain whether data with other measures of aspects of personal identity (e.g., racial identity, gender identity) also differ as a function of participant level of education and associated cognitive or maturation processes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).
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Reproducibility of manual pressure force on provocation of the sacroiliac joint.
Levin, U; Nilsson-Wikmar, L; Stenström, C H; Lundeberg, T
1998-01-01
Previous studies of pain-provocation sacroiliac (SI) joint tests have revealed conflicting results. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the intra- and inter-test reliability of pressure force applied during distraction test, compression test and pressure on the apex sacralis. Seventeen physiotherapists (PTs), median age 43 years and median clinical experience 11 years, all experienced in musculoskeletal evaluation and therapy, participated in the study. Each PT performed each test on the same healthy volunteer for 20 s, on three separate occasions, at intervals of one week using a specially constructed examination table which registered pressure force. The PTs were capable of maintaining a relatively constant pressure force for 20 s. The intra-test reliability was acceptable even though there were individual differences on different occasions between those PTs who used the SI joint tests often and those who seldom or never used them. The inter-test reliability was insufficient. The findings indicate the advantage of registering pressure force as a complement for standardized methods for pain-provoking tests and when learning provocation tests, since individual variability was considerable.
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Anne E. Black; Brooke Baldauf McBride
2013-01-01
This study examined the effects of organisational, environmental, group and individual characteristics on five components of safety climate (High Reliability Organising Practices, Leadership, Group Culture, Learning Orientation and Mission Clarity) in the US federal wildland fire management community. Of particular interest were differences between perceptions based on...
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RELIABILITY CONCERNS IN THE REPEATED COMPUTERIZED ASSESSMENT OF ATTENTION IN CHILDREN
Zabel, T. Andrew; von Thomsen, Christian; Cole, Carolyn; Martin, Rebecca; Mahone, E. Mark
2010-01-01
Assessment of attentional processes via computerized assessment is frequently used to quantify intra-individual cognitive improvement or decline in response to treatment. However, assessment of intra-individual change is highly dependent on sufficient test reliability. We examined the test–retest reliability of selected variables from one popular computerized continuous performance test (CPT)—i.e., the Conners’ CPT – Second Edition (CPT-II). Participants were 39 healthy children (20 girls) ages 6–18 without intellectual impairment (mean PPVT-III SS = 102.6), LD, or psychiatric disorders (DICA-IV). Test–retest reliability over the 3–8 month interval (mean = 6 months) was acceptable (Intraclass Correlations [ICC] = .82 to .92) on comparison measures (Beery Test of Visual Perception, WISC-IV Block Design, PPVT-III). In contrast, test–retest reliability was only modest for CPT-II raw scores (ICCs ranging from .62 to .82) and T-scores (ICCs ranging from .33 to .65) for variables of interest (Omissions, Commissions, Variability, Hit Reaction Time, and Attentiveness). Using test–retest reliability information published in the CPT-II manual, 90% confidence intervals based on reliable change index (RCI) methodology were constructed to examine the significance of test–retest difference/change scores. Of the participants in this sample of typically developing youth, 30% generated intra-individual changes in T-scores on the Omissions and Attentiveness variables that exceeded the 90% confidence intervals and qualified as “statistically rare” changes in score. These results suggest a considerable degree of normal variability in CPT-II test scores over extended test–retest intervals, and suggest a need for caution when interpreting test score changes in neurologically unstable clinical populations. PMID:19452302
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Reliability generalization of the Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure-Revised (MEIM-R).
Herrington, Hayley M; Smith, Timothy B; Feinauer, Erika; Griner, Derek
2016-10-01
[Correction Notice: An Erratum for this article was reported in Vol 63(5) of Journal of Counseling Psychology (see record 2016-33161-001). The name of author Erika Feinauer was misspelled as Erika Feinhauer. All versions of this article have been corrected.] Individuals' strength of ethnic identity has been linked with multiple positive indicators, including academic achievement and overall psychological well-being. The measure researchers use most often to assess ethnic identity, the Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure (MEIM), underwent substantial revision in 2007. To inform scholars investigating ethnic identity, we performed a reliability generalization analysis on data from the revised version (MEIM-R) and compared it with data from the original MEIM. Random-effects weighted models evaluated internal consistency coefficients (Cronbach's alpha). Reliability coefficients for the MEIM-R averaged α = .88 across 37 samples, a statistically significant increase over the average of α = .84 for the MEIM across 75 studies. Reliability coefficients for the MEIM-R did not differ across study and participant characteristics such as sample gender and ethnic composition. However, consistently lower reliability coefficients averaging α = .81 were found among participants with low levels of education, suggesting that greater attention to data reliability is warranted when evaluating the ethnic identity of individuals such as middle-school students. Future research will be needed to ascertain whether data with other measures of aspects of personal identity (e.g., racial identity, gender identity) also differ as a function of participant level of education and associated cognitive or maturation processes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).
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Compulsive sexual behavior inventory: a preliminary study of reliability and validity.
Coleman, E; Miner, M; Ohlerking, F; Raymond, N
2001-01-01
This preliminary study was designed to develop empirically a scale of compulsive sexual behavior (CSB) and to test its reliability and validity in a sample of individuals with nonparaphilic CSB (N = 15), in a sample of pedophiles (N = 35) in treatment for sexual offending, and in a sample of normal controls (N = 42). Following a factor analysis and a varimax rotation, those items with factor loadings on the rotated factors of greater than .60 were retained. Three factors were identified, which appeared to measure control, abuse, and violence. Cronbach's alphas indicated that the subscales have good reliability. The 28-item scale was then tested for validity by a linear discriminant function analysis. The scale successfully discriminated the nonparaphilic CSB sample and the pedophiles from controls. Further analysis indicated that this scale is a valid measure of CSB in that there were significant differences between the three groups on the control subscale. Pedophiles scored significantly lower than the other two groups on the abuse subscale, with the other two groups not scoring significantly differently from one another. This indicated that pedophiles were more abusive than the nonparaphilic CSB individuals or the controls. Pedophiles scored significantly lower than controls on the violence subscale. Nonparaphilic individuals with compulsive sexual behavior scored slightly lower on the violence subscale, although not significantly different. As a preliminary study, there are several limitations to this study, which should be addressed, in further studies with larger sample sizes.
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Individual Aesthetic Preferences for Faces Are Shaped Mostly by Environments, Not Genes.
Germine, Laura; Russell, Richard; Bronstad, P Matthew; Blokland, Gabriëlla A M; Smoller, Jordan W; Kwok, Holum; Anthony, Samuel E; Nakayama, Ken; Rhodes, Gillian; Wilmer, Jeremy B
2015-10-19
Although certain characteristics of human faces are broadly considered more attractive (e.g., symmetry, averageness), people also routinely disagree with each other on the relative attractiveness of faces. That is, to some significant degree, beauty is in the "eye of the beholder." Here, we investigate the origins of these individual differences in face preferences using a twin design, allowing us to estimate the relative contributions of genetic and environmental variation to individual face attractiveness judgments or face preferences. We first show that individual face preferences (IP) can be reliably measured and are readily dissociable from other types of attractiveness judgments (e.g., judgments of scenes, objects). Next, we show that individual face preferences result primarily from environments that are unique to each individual. This is in striking contrast to individual differences in face identity recognition, which result primarily from variations in genes [1]. We thus complete an etiological double dissociation between two core domains of social perception (judgments of identity versus attractiveness) within the same visual stimulus (the face). At the same time, we provide an example, rare in behavioral genetics, of a reliably and objectively measured behavioral characteristic where variations are shaped mostly by the environment. The large impact of experience on individual face preferences provides a novel window into the evolution and architecture of the social brain, while lending new empirical support to the long-standing claim that environments shape individual notions of what is attractive. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Wennberg, Richard; Cheyne, Douglas
2014-05-01
To assess the reliability of MEG source imaging (MSI) of anterior temporal spikes through detailed analysis of the localization and orientation of source solutions obtained for a large number of spikes that were separately confirmed by intracranial EEG to be focally generated within a single, well-characterized spike focus. MSI was performed on 64 identical right anterior temporal spikes from an anterolateral temporal neocortical spike focus. The effects of different volume conductors (sphere and realistic head model), removal of noise with low frequency filters (LFFs) and averaging multiple spikes were assessed in terms of the reliability of the source solutions. MSI of single spikes resulted in scattered dipole source solutions that showed reasonable reliability for localization at the lobar level, but only for solutions with a goodness-of-fit exceeding 80% using a LFF of 3 Hz. Reliability at a finer level of intralobar localization was limited. Spike averaging significantly improved the reliability of source solutions and averaging 8 or more spikes reduced dependency on goodness-of-fit and data filtering. MSI performed on topographically identical individual spikes from an intracranially defined classical anterior temporal lobe spike focus was limited by low reliability (i.e., scattered source solutions) in terms of fine, sublobar localization within the ipsilateral temporal lobe. Spike averaging significantly improved reliability. MSI performed on individual anterior temporal spikes is limited by low reliability. Reduction of background noise through spike averaging significantly improves the reliability of MSI solutions. Copyright © 2013 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Individual modulation of pain sensitivity under stress.
Reinhardt, Tatyana; Kleindienst, Nikolaus; Treede, Rolf-Detlef; Bohus, Martin; Schmahl, Christian
2013-05-01
Stress has a strong influence on pain sensitivity. However, the direction of this influence is unclear. Recent studies reported both decreased and increased pain sensitivities under stress, and one hypothesis is that interindividual differences account for these differences. The aim of our study was to investigate the effect of stress on individual pain sensitivity in a relatively large female sample. Eighty female participants were included. Pain thresholds and temporal summation of pain were tested before and after stress, which was induced by the Mannheim Multicomponent Stress Test. In an independent sample of 20 women, correlation coefficients between 0.45 and 0.89 indicated relatively high test-retest reliability for pain measurements. On average, there were significant differences between pain thresholds under non-stress and stress conditions, indicating an increased sensitivity to pain under stress. No significant differences between non-stress and stress conditions were found for temporal summation of pain. On an individual basis, both decreased and increased pain sensitivities under stress conditions based on Jacobson's criteria for reliable change were observed. Furthermore, we found significant negative associations between pain sensitivity under non-stress conditions and individual change of pain sensitivity under stress. Participants with relatively high pain sensitivity under non-stress conditions became less sensitive under stress and vice versa. These findings support the view that pain sensitivity under stress shows large interindividual variability, and point to a possible dichotomy of altered pain sensitivity under stress. Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Construct validity of the individual work performance questionnaire.
Koopmans, Linda; Bernaards, Claire M; Hildebrandt, Vincent H; de Vet, Henrica C W; van der Beek, Allard J
2014-03-01
To examine the construct validity of the Individual Work Performance Questionnaire (IWPQ). A total of 1424 Dutch workers from three occupational sectors (blue, pink, and white collar) participated in the study. First, IWPQ scores were correlated with related constructs (convergent validity). Second, differences between known groups were tested (discriminative validity). First, IWPQ scores correlated weakly to moderately with absolute and relative presenteeism, and work engagement. Second, significant differences in IWPQ scores were observed for workers differing in job satisfaction, and workers differing in health. Overall, the results indicate acceptable construct validity of the IWPQ. Researchers are provided with a reliable and valid instrument to measure individual work performance comprehensively and generically, among workers from different occupational sectors, with and without health problems.
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Impact of mounting methods in computerized axiography on assessment of condylar inclination.
Schierz, Oliver; Wagner, Philipp; Rauch, Angelika; Reissmann, Daniel R
2017-08-30
Valid and reliable recording is a key requirement for accurately simulating individual jaw movements. Horizontal condylar inclination (HCI) and Bennett's angle were measured using a digital jaw tracker (Cadiax® Compact 2) in 27 young adults. Three mounting methods (paraocclusal tray adapter, periocclusal tray adapter, and tray adapter with mandibular clamp) were tested. The mean values of the HCI differed by up to 10° between the mounting methods; however, the values for Bennett's angle did not differ substantially. While the intersession reliability of the Bennett's angle assessment did not depend on the mounting method, the reliability of the HCI assessment was only fair to good for the paraocclusal mounting method but poor for both periocclusal mounting methods. For attaching the tracing bow of jaw trackers to the mandible, a paraocclusal tray adapter should be applied, to achieve the most reliable results.
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Hudson, Robyn; Chacha, Jimena; Bánszegi, Oxána; Szenczi, Péter; Rödel, Heiko G
2017-04-01
Study of the development of individuality is often hampered by rapidly changing behavioral repertoires and the need for minimally intrusive tests. We individually tested 33 kittens from eight litters of the domestic cat in an arena for 3 min once a week for the first 3 postnatal weeks, recording the number of separation calls and the duration of locomotor activity. Kittens showed consistent and stable individual differences on both measures across and within trials. Stable individual differences in the emission of separation calls across trials emerged already within the first 10 s of testing, and in locomotor activity within the first 30 s. Furthermore, individual kittens' emission of separation calls, but not their locomotor activity, was highly stable within trials. We conclude that separation calls provide an efficient, minimally intrusive and reliable measure of individual differences in behavior during development in the cat, and possibly in other species emitting such calls. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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The impact of symptom stability on time frame and recall reliability in CFS.
Evans, Meredyth; Jason, Leonard A
This study is an investigation of the potential impact of perceived symptom stability on the recall reliability of symptom severity and frequency as reported by individuals with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Symptoms were recalled using three different recall timeframes (the past week, the past month, and the past six months) and at two assessment points (with one week in between each assessment). Participants were 51 adults (45 women and 6 men), between the ages of 29 and 66 with a current diagnosis of CFS. Multilevel Model (MLM) Analyses were used to determine the optimal recall timeframe (in terms of test-retest reliability) for reporting symptoms perceived as variable and as stable over time. Headaches were recalled more reliably when they were reported as stable over time. Furthermore, the optimal timeframe in terms of test-retest reliability for stable symptoms was highly uniform, such that all Fukuda 1 CFS symptoms were more reliably recalled at the six month timeframe. Furthermore, the optimal timeframe for CFS symptoms perceived as variable, differed across symptoms. Symptom stability and recall timeframe are important to consider in order to improve the accuracy and reliability of the current methods for diagnosing this illness.
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Hafer, Jocelyn F; Boyer, Katherine A
2017-01-01
Coordination variability (CV) quantifies the variety of movement patterns an individual uses during a task and may provide a measure of the flexibility of that individual's motor system. While there is growing popularity of segment CV as a marker of motor system health or adaptability, it is not known how many strides of data are needed to reliably calculate CV. This study aimed to determine the number of strides needed to reliably calculate CV in treadmill walking and running, and to compare CV between walking and running in a healthy population. Ten healthy young adults walked and ran at preferred speeds on a treadmill and a modified vector coding technique was used to calculate CV for the following segment couples: pelvis frontal plane vs. thigh frontal plane, thigh sagittal plane vs. shank sagittal plane, thigh sagittal plane vs. shank transverse plane, and shank transverse plane vs. rearfoot frontal plane. CV for each coupling of interest was calculated for 2-15 strides for each participant and gait type. Mean CV was calculated across the entire gait cycle and, separately, for 4 phases of the gait cycle. For running and walking 8 and 10 strides, respectively, were sufficient to obtain a reliable CV estimate. CV was significantly different between walking and running for the thigh vs. shank couple comparisons. These results suggest that 10 strides of treadmill data are needed to reliably calculate CV for walking and running. Additionally, the differences in CV between walking and running suggest that the role of knee (i.e., inter-thigh- shank) control may differ between these forms of locomotion. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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Scherr, Karen A.; Fagerlin, Angela; Williamson, Lillie D.; Davis, J. Kelly; Fridman, Ilona; Atyeo, Natalie; Ubel, Peter A.
2016-01-01
Background Physicians’ recommendations affect patients’ treatment choices. However, most research relies on physicians’ or patients’ retrospective reports of recommendations, which offer a limited perspective and have limitations such as recall bias. Objective To develop a reliable and valid method to measure the strength of physician recommendations using direct observation of clinical encounters. Methods Clinical encounters (n = 257) were recorded as part of a larger study of prostate cancer decision making. We used an iterative process to create the 5-point Physician Recommendation Coding System (PhyReCS). To determine reliability, research assistants double-coded 50 transcripts. To establish content validity, we used one-way ANOVAs to determine whether relative treatment recommendation scores differed as a function of which treatment patients received. To establish concurrent validity, we examined whether patients’ perceived treatment recommendations matched our coded recommendations. Results The PhyReCS was highly reliable (Krippendorf’s alpha =. 89, 95% CI [.86, .91]). The average relative treatment recommendation score for each treatment was higher for individuals who received that particular treatment. For example, the average relative surgery recommendation score was higher for individuals who received surgery versus radiation (mean difference = .98, SE = .18, p < .001) or active surveillance (mean difference = 1.10, SE = .14, p < .001). Patients’ perceived recommendations matched coded recommendations 81% of the time. Conclusion The PhyReCS is a reliable and valid way to capture the strength of physician recommendations. We believe that the PhyReCS would be helpful for other researchers who wish to study physician recommendations, an important part of patient decision making. PMID:27343015
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Scherr, Karen A; Fagerlin, Angela; Williamson, Lillie D; Davis, J Kelly; Fridman, Ilona; Atyeo, Natalie; Ubel, Peter A
2017-01-01
Physicians' recommendations affect patients' treatment choices. However, most research relies on physicians' or patients' retrospective reports of recommendations, which offer a limited perspective and have limitations such as recall bias. To develop a reliable and valid method to measure the strength of physician recommendations using direct observation of clinical encounters. Clinical encounters (n = 257) were recorded as part of a larger study of prostate cancer decision making. We used an iterative process to create the 5-point Physician Recommendation Coding System (PhyReCS). To determine reliability, research assistants double-coded 50 transcripts. To establish content validity, we used 1-way analyses of variance to determine whether relative treatment recommendation scores differed as a function of which treatment patients received. To establish concurrent validity, we examined whether patients' perceived treatment recommendations matched our coded recommendations. The PhyReCS was highly reliable (Krippendorf's alpha = 0.89, 95% CI [0.86, 0.91]). The average relative treatment recommendation score for each treatment was higher for individuals who received that particular treatment. For example, the average relative surgery recommendation score was higher for individuals who received surgery versus radiation (mean difference = 0.98, SE = 0.18, P < 0.001) or active surveillance (mean difference = 1.10, SE = 0.14, P < 0.001). Patients' perceived recommendations matched coded recommendations 81% of the time. The PhyReCS is a reliable and valid way to capture the strength of physician recommendations. We believe that the PhyReCS would be helpful for other researchers who wish to study physician recommendations, an important part of patient decision making. © The Author(s) 2016.
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Stoller, Oliver; de Bruin, Eling D; Schindelholz, Matthias; Schuster-Amft, Corina; de Bie, Rob A; Hunt, Kenneth J
2014-10-11
Exercise capacity is seriously reduced after stroke. While cardiopulmonary assessment and intervention strategies have been validated for the mildly and moderately impaired populations post-stroke, there is a lack of effective concepts for stroke survivors suffering from severe motor limitations. This study investigated the test-retest reliability and repeatability of cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) using feedback-controlled robotics-assisted treadmill exercise (FC-RATE) in severely motor impaired individuals early after stroke. 20 subjects (age 44-84 years, <6 month post-stroke) with severe motor limitations (Functional Ambulatory Classification 0-2) were selected for consecutive constant load testing (CLT) and incremental exercise testing (IET) within a powered exoskeleton, synchronised with a treadmill and a body weight support system. A manual human-in-the-loop feedback system was used to guide individual work rate levels. Outcome variables focussed on standard cardiopulmonary performance parameters. Relative and absolute test-retest reliability were assessed by intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), standard error of the measurement (SEM), and minimal detectable change (MDC). Mean difference, limits of agreement, and coefficient of variation (CoV) were estimated to assess repeatability. Peak performance parameters during IET yielded good to excellent relative reliability: absolute peak oxygen uptake (ICC =0.82), relative peak oxygen uptake (ICC =0.72), peak work rate (ICC =0.91), peak heart rate (ICC =0.80), absolute gas exchange threshold (ICC =0.91), relative gas exchange threshold (ICC =0.88), oxygen cost of work (ICC =0.87), oxygen pulse at peak oxygen uptake (ICC =0.92), ventilation rate versus carbon dioxide output slope (ICC =0.78). For these variables, SEM was 4-13%, MDC 12-36%, and CoV 0.10-0.36. CLT revealed high mean differences and insufficient test-retest reliability for all variables studied. This study presents first evidence on reliability and repeatability for CPET in severely motor impaired individuals early after stroke using a feedback-controlled robotics-assisted treadmill. The results demonstrate good to excellent test-retest reliability and appropriate repeatability for the most important peak cardiopulmonary performance parameters. These findings have important implications for the design and implementation of cardiovascular exercise interventions in severely impaired populations. Future research needs to develop advanced control strategies to enable the true limit of functional exercise capacity to be reached and to further assess test-retest reliability and repeatability in larger samples.
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Inter-Rater Reliability and Intra-Rater Reliability of Assessing the 2-Minute Push-Up Test.
Fielitz, Lynn; Coelho, Jeffrey; Horne, Thomas; Brechue, William
2016-02-01
The purpose of this study was to assess inter-rater reliability and intra-rater reliability of the 2-minute, 90° push-up test as utilized in the Army Physical Fitness Test. Analysis of rater assessment reliability included both total score agreement and agreement across individual push-up repetitions. This study utilized 8 Raters who assessed 15 different videotaped push-up performances over 4 iterations separated by a minimum of 1 week. The 15 push-up participants were videotaped during the semiannual Army Physical Fitness Test. Each Rater randomly viewed the 15 push-up and verbally responded with a "yes" or "no" to each push-up repetition. The data generated were analyzed using the Pearson product-moment correlation as well as the kappa, modified kappa and the intra-class correlation coefficient (3,1). An attribute agreement analysis was conducted to determine the percent of inter-rater and intra-rater agreement across individual push-ups.The results indicated that Raters varied a great deal in assessing push-ups. Over the 4 trials of 15 participants, the overall scores of the Raters varied between 3.0 and 35.7 push-ups. Post hoc comparisons found that there was significant increase in the grand mean of push-ups from trials 1-3 to trial 4 (p < 0.05). Also, there was a significant difference among raters over the 4 trials (p < 0.05). Pearson correlation coefficients for inter-rater and intra-rater reliability identified inter-rater reliability coefficients were between 0.10 and 0.97. Intra-rater coefficients were between 0.48 and 0.99. Intra-rater agreement for individual push-up repetitions ranged from 41.8% to 84.8%. The results indicated that the raters failed to assess the same push-up repetition with the same score (below 70% agreement) as well as failed to agree when viewed between raters (29%). Interestingly, as previously mentioned, scores on trial 4 increased significantly which might have been caused by rater drift or that the Raters did not maintain the push-up standard over the trials. It does appear that the final push-up scores received by each participant was a close approximation of actual performance (within 65%) but when assessing physical performance for retention in the Army, a more reliable test might be considered. Reprint & Copyright © 2016 Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.
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Dunleavy, Kim; Neil, Joseph; Tallon, Allison; Adamo, Diane E
2015-09-01
The cervical range of motion device (CROM) has been shown to provide reliable forward head position (FHP) measurement when the upper cervical angle (UCA) is controlled. However, measurement without UCA standardization is reflective of habitual patterns. Criterion validity has not been reported. The purposes of this study were to establish: (1) criterion validity of CROM FHP and UCA compared to Optotrak data, (2) relative reliability and minimal detectable change (MDC95) in patients with and without cervical pain, and (3) to compare UCA and FHP in patients with and without pain in habitual postures. (1) Within-subjects single session concurrent criterion validity design. Simultaneous CROM and OP measurement was conducted in habitual sitting posture in 16 healthy young adults. (2) Reliability and MDC95 of UCA and FHP were calculated from three trials. (3) Values for adults over 35 years with cervical pain and age-matched healthy controls were compared. (1) Forward head position distances were moderately correlated and UCA angles were highly correlated. The mean (standard deviation) differences can be expected to vary between 1·48 cm (1·74) for FHP and -1·7 (2·46)° for UCA. (2) Reliability for CROM FHP measurements were good to excellent (no pain) and moderate (pain). Cervical range of motion FHP MDC95 was moderately low (no pain), and moderate (pain). Reliability for CROM UCA measurements was excellent and MDC95 low for both groups. There was no difference in FHP distances between the pain and no pain groups, UCA was significantly more extended in the pain group (P<0·05). Cervical range of motion FHP measurements were only moderately correlated with Optotrak data, and limits of agreement (LOA) and MDC95 were relatively large. There was also no difference in CROM FHP distance between older symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals. Cervical range of motion FHP measurement is therefore not recommended as a clinical outcome measure. Cervical range of motion UCA measurements showed good criterion validity, excellent test-retest reliability, and achievable MDC95 in asymptomatic and symptomatic participants. Differences of more than 6° are required to exceed error. Cervical range of motion UCA shows promise as a useful reliable and valid measurement, particularly as patients with cervical pain exhibited significantly more extended angles.
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Neil, Joseph; Tallon, Allison; Adamo, Diane E.
2015-01-01
Objectives The cervical range of motion device (CROM) has been shown to provide reliable forward head position (FHP) measurement when the upper cervical angle (UCA) is controlled. However, measurement without UCA standardization is reflective of habitual patterns. Criterion validity has not been reported. The purposes of this study were to establish: (1) criterion validity of CROM FHP and UCA compared to Optotrak data, (2) relative reliability and minimal detectable change (MDC95) in patients with and without cervical pain, and (3) to compare UCA and FHP in patients with and without pain in habitual postures. Methods (1) Within-subjects single session concurrent criterion validity design. Simultaneous CROM and OP measurement was conducted in habitual sitting posture in 16 healthy young adults. (2) Reliability and MDC95 of UCA and FHP were calculated from three trials. (3) Values for adults over 35 years with cervical pain and age-matched healthy controls were compared. Results (1) Forward head position distances were moderately correlated and UCA angles were highly correlated. The mean (standard deviation) differences can be expected to vary between 1·48 cm (1·74) for FHP and −1·7 (2·46)° for UCA. (2) Reliability for CROM FHP measurements were good to excellent (no pain) and moderate (pain). Cervical range of motion FHP MDC95 was moderately low (no pain), and moderate (pain). Reliability for CROM UCA measurements was excellent and MDC95 low for both groups. There was no difference in FHP distances between the pain and no pain groups, UCA was significantly more extended in the pain group (P<0·05). Discussion Cervical range of motion FHP measurements were only moderately correlated with Optotrak data, and limits of agreement (LOA) and MDC95 were relatively large. There was also no difference in CROM FHP distance between older symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals. Cervical range of motion FHP measurement is therefore not recommended as a clinical outcome measure. Cervical range of motion UCA measurements showed good criterion validity, excellent test–retest reliability, and achievable MDC95 in asymptomatic and symptomatic participants. Differences of more than 6° are required to exceed error. Cervical range of motion UCA shows promise as a useful reliable and valid measurement, particularly as patients with cervical pain exhibited significantly more extended angles. PMID:26917936
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Tahiroglu, Deniz; Moses, Louis J; Carlson, Stephanie M; Mahy, Caitlin E V; Olofson, Eric L; Sabbagh, Mark A
2014-11-01
Children's theory of mind (ToM) is typically measured with laboratory assessments of performance. Although these measures have generated a wealth of informative data concerning developmental progressions in ToM, they may be less useful as the sole source of information about individual differences in ToM and their relation to other facets of development. In the current research, we aimed to expand the repertoire of methods available for measuring ToM by developing and validating a parent-report ToM measure: the Children's Social Understanding Scale (CSUS). We present 3 studies assessing the psychometric properties of the CSUS. Study 1 describes item analysis, internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and relation of the scale to children's performance on laboratory ToM tasks. Study 2 presents cross-validation data for the scale in a different sample of preschool children with a different set of ToM tasks. Study 3 presents further validation data for the scale with a slightly older age group and a more advanced ToM task, while controlling for several other relevant cognitive abilities. The findings indicate that the CSUS is a reliable and valid measure of individual differences in children's ToM that may be of great value as a complement to standard ToM tasks in many different research contexts. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved).
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Reliability and validity of the Wolfram Unified Rating Scale (WURS)
2012-01-01
Background Wolfram syndrome (WFS) is a rare, neurodegenerative disease that typically presents with childhood onset insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, followed by optic atrophy, diabetes insipidus, deafness, and neurological and psychiatric dysfunction. There is no cure for the disease, but recent advances in research have improved understanding of the disease course. Measuring disease severity and progression with reliable and validated tools is a prerequisite for clinical trials of any new intervention for neurodegenerative conditions. To this end, we developed the Wolfram Unified Rating Scale (WURS) to measure the severity and individual variability of WFS symptoms. The aim of this study is to develop and test the reliability and validity of the Wolfram Unified Rating Scale (WURS). Methods A rating scale of disease severity in WFS was developed by modifying a standardized assessment for another neurodegenerative condition (Batten disease). WFS experts scored the representativeness of WURS items for the disease. The WURS was administered to 13 individuals with WFS (6-25 years of age). Motor, balance, mood and quality of life were also evaluated with standard instruments. Inter-rater reliability, internal consistency reliability, concurrent, predictive and content validity of the WURS were calculated. Results The WURS had high inter-rater reliability (ICCs>.93), moderate to high internal consistency reliability (Cronbach’s α = 0.78-0.91) and demonstrated good concurrent and predictive validity. There were significant correlations between the WURS Physical Assessment and motor and balance tests (rs>.67, p<.03), between the WURS Behavioral Scale and reports of mood and behavior (rs>.76, p<.04) and between WURS Total scores and quality of life (rs=-.86, p=.001). The WURS demonstrated acceptable content validity (Scale-Content Validity Index=0.83). Conclusions These preliminary findings demonstrate that the WURS has acceptable reliability and validity and captures individual differences in disease severity in children and young adults with WFS. PMID:23148655
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Falcone, Brian; Wada, Atsushi; Parasuraman, Raja
2018-01-01
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been shown to enhance cognitive performance on a variety of tasks. It is hypothesized that tDCS enhances performance by affecting task related cortical excitability changes in networks underlying or connected to the site of stimulation facilitating long term potentiation. However, many recent studies have called into question the reliability and efficacy of tDCS to induce modulatory changes in brain activity. In this study, our goal is to investigate the individual differences in tDCS induced modulatory effects on brain activity related to the degree of enhancement in performance, providing insight into this lack of reliability. In accomplishing this goal, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) concurrently with tDCS stimulation (1 mA, 30 minutes duration) using a visual search task simulating real world conditions. The experiment consisted of three fMRI sessions: pre-training (no performance feedback), training (performance feedback which included response accuracy and target location and either real tDCS or sham stimulation given), and post-training (no performance feedback). The right posterior parietal cortex was selected as the site of anodal tDCS based on its known role in visual search and spatial attention processing. Our results identified a region in the right precentral gyrus, known to be involved with visual spatial attention and orienting, that showed tDCS induced task related changes in cortical excitability that were associated with individual differences in improved performance. This same region showed greater activity during the training session for target feedback of incorrect (target-error feedback) over correct trials for the tDCS stim over sham group indicating greater attention to target features during training feedback when trials were incorrect. These results give important insight into the nature of neural excitability induced by tDCS as it relates to variability in individual differences in improved performance shedding some light the apparent lack of reliability found in tDCS research. PMID:29782510
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Brogårdh, Christina; Flansbjer, Ulla-Britt; Carlsson, Håkan; Lexell, Jan
2015-10-01
Muscle weakness in the upper limb is common in persons with late effects of polio. To be able to measure muscle strength and follow changes over time, reliable measurements are needed. To evaluate the intra-rater reliability of isometric and isokinetic arm and hand muscle strength measurements in persons with late effects of polio. A test-retest design. A university hospital outpatient clinic. Twenty-eight persons (mean age 68 years, SD 11 years) with late effects of polio in their upper limbs. Isometric shoulder abduction, isokinetic concentric elbow flexion and extension, isometric elbow flexion, and isometric grip strength were measured twice, 14 days apart. Reliability was evaluated with the intra-class correlation coefficient, the mean difference between the test sessions (d¯), together with the 95% confidence intervals for d¯ , the standard error of measurement (SEM and SEM%), the smallest real difference (SRD and SRD%), and Bland-Altman graphs. A fixed dynamometer (Biodex) was used to measure arm strength and an electronic dynamometer (GRIP-it) was used to measure grip strength. Intra-rater reliability was high, with intra-class correlation coefficients between 0.87 and 0.98. The SEM%, representing the smallest change for a group of persons, ranged from 7%-24% for all strength measurements, and the SRD%, representing the smallest change for an individual person, ranged from 20%-67%. Muscle strength in the upper limbs can be reliably measured in persons with late effects of polio. However, the measurement errors indicate that the method is more suitable to detect changes in muscle strength for a group of persons than for an individual person. Copyright © 2015 American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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The reliability and validity of the Turkish version of Fullerton Advanced Balance (FAB-T) scale.
Iyigun, Gozde; Kirmizigil, Berkiye; Angin, Ender; Oksuz, Sevim; Can, Filiz; Eker, Levent; Rose, Debra J
2018-06-04
The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Turkish version of the FAB(FAB-T) scale in the older Turkish adults. The reliability and validity of the scale was tested on 200 community-dwelling older adults. FAB-T scale was scored by different physiotherapists on different days to evaluate inter-rater and intrarater reliability. The Berg Balance Scale (BBS) was used for the evaluation of convergent validity, and the content validity of the FAB-T scale was investigated. The FAB-T scale showed very high inter- and intra-rater reliability. For inter-rater agreement, on the individual test items and total score ICC values were 0.92 (95 %CI; 0.90-0.94) and 0.96 (95% CI; 0.95-0.97) respectively. The intra-rater agreement, on the individual test items and total score ICC values were 0.93 (95 %CI; 0.91- 0.95) and 0.96 (95% CI; 0.95- 0.97) respectively. There was a good agreement between the FAB-T and BBS scales. A high correlation was found between the BBS and FAB-T scales [rho = 0.70 (%95 CI; 0.62-0.76)] indicating good convergent validity. Considering the content validity of the FAB-T scale, no floor (floor score: 0%) or ceiling (ceiling score: 6.5%) effect was detected. The FAB-T scale was successfully translated from the original English version (FAB) and demonstrated strong psychometric features. It was found that the FAB-T scale has very high inter-rater and intra-rater reliability. Considering the convergent validity, the scale has high correlation with the BBS. The FAB-T has no floor and ceiling effect. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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Examination of Automation-Induced Complacency and Individual Difference Variates
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Prinzel, Lawrence J., III; DeVries, Holly; Freeman, Fred G.; Mikulka, Peter
2001-01-01
Automation-induced complacency has been documented as a cause or contributing factor in many airplane accidents throughout the last two decades. It is surmised that the condition results when a crew is working in highly reliable automated environments in which they serve as supervisory controllers monitoring system states for occasional automation failures. Although many reports have discussed the dangers of complacency, little empirical research has been produced to substantiate its harmful effects on performance as well as what factors produce complacency. There have been some suggestions, however, that individual characteristics could serve as possible predictors of performance in automated systems. The present study examined relationship between the individual differences of complacency potential, boredom proneness, and cognitive failure, automation-induced complacency. Workload and boredom scores were also collected and analyzed in relation to the three individual differences. The results of the study demonstrated that there are personality individual differences that are related to whether an individual will succumb to automation-induced complacency. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
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Reliability and Validity of Nonradiologic Measures of Forward Flexed Posture in Parkinson Disease.
Nair, Prajakta; Bohannon, Richard W; Devaney, Laurie; Maloney, Catherine; Romano, Alexis
2017-03-01
To examine the intertester reliability and validity of 5 nonradiologic measures of forward flexed posture in individuals with Parkinson disease (PD). Cross-sectional observational study. University outpatient facility and community centers. Individuals (N=28) with PD with Hoehn and Yahr scores of 1 through 4. Not applicable. Occiput to wall status, tragus to wall distance, C7 to wall distance, photographically derived trunk flexion angle, and inclinometric kyphosis measure. Participants were older adults (mean, 69.7±10.6y) with a 14-month to 15-year (mean, 5.9±3.5y) history of PD. Intertester reliability was excellent for all measures (κ=.89 [cued condition] and 1.0 [relaxed condition] for occiput to wall status; intraclass correlation coefficients, .779-.897 for tragus to wall distance, C7 to wall distance, flexion angle, and inclinometric kyphosis measure). Convergent validity was supported for all measures by significant correlations between the same measures obtained during relaxed and cued conditions (eg, occiput to wall relaxed and cued) and for most measures by significant correlations between measures obtained under the same condition (eg, occiput to wall cued and tragus to wall cued). Significant correlations between tragus to wall distance, C7 to wall distance, flexion angle, and inclinometric kyphosis measure and the Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale item 28 (posture) also supported convergent validity. Significant differences between tragus to wall distance, C7 to wall distance, and inclinometric kyphosis measure values under relaxed and cued conditions supported known condition validity. Known group validity was demonstrated by significant differences in tragus to wall distance, C7 to wall distance, and inclinometric kyphosis measure obtained from individuals able and individuals unable to touch their occiput to wall when cued to stand tall. Tragus to wall distance, C7 to wall distance, and inclinometric kyphosis measure are reliable and valid nonradiologic measures of forward flexed posture in PD. Copyright © 2016 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Measuring Work Values of Public School Administrators.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Hales, Loyde W.; Waggoner, Jacqueline
This paper presents the results of research investigating (1) the reliability and validity of the Ohio Work Values Inventory (OWVI) when used with public school administrators; (2) the work values of public school administrators; (3) differences in work values of male and female administrators; and (4) differences in work values of individuals at…
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Petscher, Yaacov; Mitchell, Alison M; Foorman, Barbara R
2015-01-01
A growing body of literature suggests that response latency, the amount of time it takes an individual to respond to an item, may be an important factor to consider when using assessment data to estimate the ability of an individual. Considering that tests of passage and list fluency are being adapted to a computer administration format, it is possible that accounting for individual differences in response times may be an increasingly feasible option to strengthen the precision of individual scores. The present research evaluated the differential reliability of scores when using classical test theory and item response theory as compared to a conditional item response model which includes response time as an item parameter. Results indicated that the precision of student ability scores increased by an average of 5 % when using the conditional item response model, with greater improvements for those who were average or high ability. Implications for measurement models of speeded assessments are discussed.
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Petscher, Yaacov; Mitchell, Alison M.; Foorman, Barbara R.
2016-01-01
A growing body of literature suggests that response latency, the amount of time it takes an individual to respond to an item, may be an important factor to consider when using assessment data to estimate the ability of an individual. Considering that tests of passage and list fluency are being adapted to a computer administration format, it is possible that accounting for individual differences in response times may be an increasingly feasible option to strengthen the precision of individual scores. The present research evaluated the differential reliability of scores when using classical test theory and item response theory as compared to a conditional item response model which includes response time as an item parameter. Results indicated that the precision of student ability scores increased by an average of 5 % when using the conditional item response model, with greater improvements for those who were average or high ability. Implications for measurement models of speeded assessments are discussed. PMID:27721568
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Rodger, Sylvia; Turpin, Merrill; Copley, Jodie; Coleman, Allison; Chien, Chi-Wen; Caine, Anne-Maree; Brown, Ted
2014-08-01
The reliable evaluation of occupational therapy students completing practice education placements along with provision of appropriate feedback is critical for both students and for universities from a quality assurance perspective. This study describes the development of a comment bank for use with an online version of the Student Practice Evaluation Form-Revised Edition (SPEF-R Online) and investigates its reliability. A preliminary bank of 109 individual comments (based on previous students' placement performance) was developed via five stages. These comments reflected all 11 SPEF-R domains. A purpose-designed online survey was used to examine the reliability of the comment bank. A total of 37 practice educators returned surveys, 31 of which were fully completed. Participants were asked to rate each individual comment using the five-point SPEF-R rating scale. One hundred and two of 109 comments demonstrated satisfactory agreement with their respective default ratings that were determined by the development team. At each domain level, the intra-class correlation coefficients (ranging between 0.86 and 0.96) also demonstrated good to excellent inter-rater reliability. There were only seven items that required rewording prior to inclusion in the final SPEF-R Online comment bank. The development of the SPEF-R Online comment bank offers a source of reliable comments (consistent with the SPEF-R rating scale across different domains) and aims to assist practice educators in providing reliable and timely feedback to students in a user-friendly manner. © 2014 Occupational Therapy Australia.
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Versey, Nathan G; Gore, Christopher J; Halson, Shona L; Plowman, Jamie S; Dawson, Brian T
2011-09-01
We determined the validity and reliability of heat flow thermistors, flexible thermocouple probes and general purpose thermistors compared with a calibrated reference thermometer in a stirred water bath. Validity (bias) was defined as the difference between the observed and criterion values, and reliability as the repeatability (standard deviation or typical error) of measurement. Data were logged every 5 s for 10 min at water temperatures of 14, 26 and 38 °C for ten heat flow thermistors and 24 general purpose thermistors, and at 35, 38 and 41 °C for eight flexible thermocouple probes. Statistical analyses were conducted using spreadsheets for validity and reliability, where an acceptable bias was set at ±0.1 °C. None of the heat flow thermistors, 17% of the flexible thermocouple probes and 71% of the general purpose thermistors met the validity criterion for temperature. The inter-probe reliabilities were 0.03 °C for heat flow thermistors, 0.04 °C for flexible thermocouple probes and 0.09 °C for general purpose thermistors. The within trial intra-probe reliability of all three temperature probes was 0.01 °C. The results suggest that these temperature sensors should be calibrated individually before use at relevant temperatures and the raw data corrected using individual linear regression equations.
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Grimm, Annegret; Gruber, Bernd; Henle, Klaus
2014-01-01
Reliable estimates of population size are fundamental in many ecological studies and biodiversity conservation. Selecting appropriate methods to estimate abundance is often very difficult, especially if data are scarce. Most studies concerning the reliability of different estimators used simulation data based on assumptions about capture variability that do not necessarily reflect conditions in natural populations. Here, we used data from an intensively studied closed population of the arboreal gecko Gehyra variegata to construct reference population sizes for assessing twelve different population size estimators in terms of bias, precision, accuracy, and their 95%-confidence intervals. Two of the reference populations reflect natural biological entities, whereas the other reference populations reflect artificial subsets of the population. Since individual heterogeneity was assumed, we tested modifications of the Lincoln-Petersen estimator, a set of models in programs MARK and CARE-2, and a truncated geometric distribution. Ranking of methods was similar across criteria. Models accounting for individual heterogeneity performed best in all assessment criteria. For populations from heterogeneous habitats without obvious covariates explaining individual heterogeneity, we recommend using the moment estimator or the interpolated jackknife estimator (both implemented in CAPTURE/MARK). If data for capture frequencies are substantial, we recommend the sample coverage or the estimating equation (both models implemented in CARE-2). Depending on the distribution of catchabilities, our proposed multiple Lincoln-Petersen and a truncated geometric distribution obtained comparably good results. The former usually resulted in a minimum population size and the latter can be recommended when there is a long tail of low capture probabilities. Models with covariates and mixture models performed poorly. Our approach identified suitable methods and extended options to evaluate the performance of mark-recapture population size estimators under field conditions, which is essential for selecting an appropriate method and obtaining reliable results in ecology and conservation biology, and thus for sound management. PMID:24896260
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COMPARISON OF DIFFERENT TRUNK ENDURANCE TESTING METHODS IN COLLEGE‐AGED INDIVIDUALS
Krier, Amber D.; Nelson, Julie A.; Rogers, Michael A.; Stuke, Zachariah O.; Smith, Barbara S.
2012-01-01
Objective: Determine the reliability of two different modified (MOD1 and MOD2) testing methods compared to a standard method (ST) for testing trunk flexion and extension endurance. Participants: Twenty‐eight healthy individuals (age 26.4 ± 3.2 years, height 1.75 ± m, weight 71.8 ± 10.3 kg, body mass index 23.6 ± 3.4 m/kg2). Method: Trunk endurance time was measured in seconds for flexion and extension under the three different stabilization conditions. The MOD1 testing procedure utilized a female clinician (70.3 kg) and MOD2 utilized a male clinician (90.7 kg) to provide stabilization as opposed to the ST method of belt stabilization. Results: No significant differences occurred between flexion and extension times. Intraclass correlations (ICCs3,1) for the different testing conditions ranged from .79 to .95 (p <.000) and are found in Table 3. Concurrent validity using the ST flexion times as the gold standard coefficients were .95 for MOD1 and .90 for MOD2. For ST extension, coefficients were .91 and .80, for MOD1 and MOD2 respectively (p <.01). Conclusions: These methods proved to be a reliable substitute for previously accepted ST testing methods in normal college‐aged individuals. These modified testing procedures can be implemented in athletic training rooms and weight rooms lacking appropriate tables for the ST testing. Level of Evidence: 3 PMID:23091786
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La Porta, Fabio; Caselli, Serena; Ianes, Aladar Bruno; Cameli, Olivia; Lino, Mario; Piperno, Roberto; Sighinolfi, Antonella; Lombardi, Francesco; Tennant, Alan
2013-03-01
(1) To appraise, by the means of Rasch analysis, the internal validity and reliability of the Coma Recovery Scale-Revised (CRS-R) in a sample of patients with disorder of consciousness (DOC); and (2) to provide information about the comparability of CRS-R scores across persons with DOC across different settings and groups, including different etiologies. Multicenter observational prospective study. Two rehabilitation wards, 1 intermediate care facility, and 2 nursing homes in Italy. Consecutively admitted patients (N=129) for which assessments at 2 different time points were available, giving a total sample of 258 observations. Not applicable. CRS-R. After controlling for any possible dependency between persons' measures collected at different time points, and for uniform differential item functioning by etiology showed by the visual subscale, Rasch analysis demonstrated adequate satisfaction of all the model's requirements, including adequate ordering of scoring categories, unidimensionality, local independence, invariance (χ(2)21=27.798, P=.146), and absence of differential item functioning across patients' sex, age, time, and setting. The reliability (person separation index=.896) was adequate for individual person measurement. We devised a practical raw score to measure conversion tables based on the CRS-R calibrations. The CRS-R is a psychometrically sound and robust measurement tool. The linear measures of ability derived from the CRS-R total scores do satisfy all the principles of scientific measurement and are sufficiently reliable for high stakes assessments, such as the diagnosis of the level of consciousness in individual patients. Future studies are needed to directly explore the capabilities of the CRS-R measures to reduce the risk of vegetative state misdiagnosis. Copyright © 2013 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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O’Connor, David; Potler, Natan Vega; Kovacs, Meagan; Xu, Ting; Ai, Lei; Pellman, John; Vanderwal, Tamara; Parra, Lucas C.; Cohen, Samantha; Ghosh, Satrajit; Escalera, Jasmine; Grant-Villegas, Natalie; Osman, Yael; Bui, Anastasia; Craddock, R. Cameron
2017-01-01
Abstract Background: Although typically measured during the resting state, a growing literature is illustrating the ability to map intrinsic connectivity with functional MRI during task and naturalistic viewing conditions. These paradigms are drawing excitement due to their greater tolerability in clinical and developing populations and because they enable a wider range of analyses (e.g., inter-subject correlations). To be clinically useful, the test-retest reliability of connectivity measured during these paradigms needs to be established. This resource provides data for evaluating test-retest reliability for full-brain connectivity patterns detected during each of four scan conditions that differ with respect to level of engagement (rest, abstract animations, movie clips, flanker task). Data are provided for 13 participants, each scanned in 12 sessions with 10 minutes for each scan of the four conditions. Diffusion kurtosis imaging data was also obtained at each session. Findings: Technical validation and demonstrative reliability analyses were carried out at the connection-level using the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient and at network-level representations of the data using the Image Intraclass Correlation Coefficient. Variation in intrinsic functional connectivity across sessions was generally found to be greater than that attributable to scan condition. Between-condition reliability was generally high, particularly for the frontoparietal and default networks. Between-session reliabilities obtained separately for the different scan conditions were comparable, though notably lower than between-condition reliabilities. Conclusions: This resource provides a test-bed for quantifying the reliability of connectivity indices across subjects, conditions and time. The resource can be used to compare and optimize different frameworks for measuring connectivity and data collection parameters such as scan length. Additionally, investigators can explore the unique perspectives of the brain's functional architecture offered by each of the scan conditions. PMID:28369458
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Test Reliability at the Individual Level
Hu, Yueqin; Nesselroade, John R.; Erbacher, Monica K.; Boker, Steven M.; Burt, S. Alexandra; Keel, Pamela K.; Neale, Michael C.; Sisk, Cheryl L.; Klump, Kelly
2016-01-01
Reliability has a long history as one of the key psychometric properties of a test. However, a given test might not measure people equally reliably. Test scores from some individuals may have considerably greater error than others. This study proposed two approaches using intraindividual variation to estimate test reliability for each person. A simulation study suggested that the parallel tests approach and the structural equation modeling approach recovered the simulated reliability coefficients. Then in an empirical study, where forty-five females were measured daily on the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) for 45 consecutive days, separate estimates of reliability were generated for each person. Results showed that reliability estimates of the PANAS varied substantially from person to person. The methods provided in this article apply to tests measuring changeable attributes and require repeated measures across time on each individual. This article also provides a set of parallel forms of PANAS. PMID:28936107
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Williams, Valerie J; Piva, Sara R; Irrgang, James J; Crossley, Chad; Fitzgerald, G Kelley
2012-08-01
Secondary analysis, pretreatment-posttreatment observational study. To compare the reliability and responsiveness of the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), the Knee Outcome Survey activities of daily living subscale (KOS-ADL), and the Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS) in individuals with knee osteoarthritis (OA). The WOMAC is the current standard in patient-reported measures of function in patients with knee OA. The KOS-ADL and LEFS were designed for potential use in patients with knee OA. If the KOS-ADL and LEFS are to be considered viable alternatives to the WOMAC for measuring patient-reported function in individuals with knee OA, they should have measurement properties comparable to the WOMAC. It would also be important to determine whether either of these instruments may be superior to the WOMAC in terms of reliability or responsiveness in this population. Data from 168 subjects with knee OA, who participated in a rehabilitation program, were used in the analyses. Reliability and responsiveness of each outcome measure were estimated at follow-ups of 2, 6, and 12 months. Reliability was estimated by calculating the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC2,1) for subjects who were unchanged in status from baseline at each follow-up time, based on a global rating of change score. To examine responsiveness, the standard error of the measurement, minimal detectable change, minimal clinically important difference, and the Guyatt responsiveness index were calculated for each outcome measure at each follow-up time. All 3 outcome measures demonstrated reasonable reliability and responsiveness to change. Reliability and responsiveness tended to decrease somewhat with increasing follow-up time. There were no substantial differences between outcome measures for reliability or any of the 3 measures of responsiveness at any follow-up time. The results do not indicate that one outcome measure is more reliable or responsive than another when applied to subjects with knee OA. We believe that all 3 instruments are appropriate outcome measures to examine change in functional status of patients with knee OA.
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Individual differences in intrinsic brain connectivity predict decision strategy.
Barnes, Kelly Anne; Anderson, Kevin M; Plitt, Mark; Martin, Alex
2014-10-15
When humans are provided with ample time to make a decision, individual differences in strategy emerge. Using an adaptation of a well-studied decision making paradigm, motion direction discrimination, we probed the neural basis of individual differences in strategy. We tested whether strategies emerged from moment-to-moment reconfiguration of functional brain networks involved in decision making with task-evoked functional MRI (fMRI) and whether intrinsic properties of functional brain networks, measured at rest with functional connectivity MRI (fcMRI), were associated with strategy use. We found that human participants reliably selected one of two strategies across 2 days of task performance, either continuously accumulating evidence or waiting for task difficulty to decrease. Individual differences in decision strategy were predicted both by the degree of task-evoked activation of decision-related brain regions and by the strength of pretask correlated spontaneous brain activity. These results suggest that spontaneous brain activity constrains strategy selection on perceptual decisions.
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Examining the Quality of IEPs for Young Children with Autism
McGrew, John; Dalrymple, Nancy; Jung, Lee Ann
2011-01-01
The purpose of this study was to develop an Individual Education Program (IEP) evaluation tool based on Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requirements and National Research Council recommendations for children with autism; determine the tool’s reliability; test the tool on a pilot sample of IEPs of young children; and examine associations between IEP quality and school, teacher, and child characteristics. IEPs for 35 students with autism (Mage = 6.1 years; SD = 1.6) from 35 different classrooms were examined. The IEP tool had adequate interrater reliability (ICC = .70). Results identified no statistically significant association between demographics and IEP quality, and IEPs contained relatively clear descriptions of present levels of performance. Weaknesses of IEPs were described and recommendations provided. PMID:20373007
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Examining the quality of IEPs for young children with autism.
Ruble, Lisa A; McGrew, John; Dalrymple, Nancy; Jung, Lee Ann
2010-12-01
The purpose of this study was to develop an Individual Education Program (IEP) evaluation tool based on Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requirements and National Research Council recommendations for children with autism; determine the tool's reliability; test the tool on a pilot sample of IEPs of young children; and examine associations between IEP quality and school, teacher, and child characteristics. IEPs for 35 students with autism (Mage = 6.1 years; SD = 1.6) from 35 different classrooms were examined. The IEP tool had adequate interrater reliability (ICC = .70). Results identified no statistically significant association between demographics and IEP quality, and IEPs contained relatively clear descriptions of present levels of performance. Weaknesses of IEPs were described and recommendations provided.
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Feelings about culture scales: development, factor structure, reliability, and validity.
Maffini, Cara S; Wong, Y Joel
2015-04-01
Although measures of cultural identity, values, and behavior exist in the multicultural psychological literature, there is currently no measure that explicitly assesses ethnic minority individuals' positive and negative affect toward culture. Therefore, we developed 2 new measures called the Feelings About Culture Scale--Ethnic Culture and Feelings About Culture Scale--Mainstream American Culture and tested their psychometric properties. In 6 studies, we piloted the measures, conducted factor analyses to clarify their factor structure, and examined reliability and validity. The factor structure revealed 2 dimensions reflecting positive and negative affect for each measure. Results provided evidence for convergent, discriminant, criterion-related, and incremental validity as well as the reliability of the scales. The Feelings About Culture Scales are the first known measures to examine both positive and negative affect toward an individual's ethnic culture and mainstream American culture. The focus on affect captures dimensions of psychological experiences that differ from cognitive and behavioral constructs often used to measure cultural orientation. These measures can serve as a valuable contribution to both research and counseling by providing insight into the nuanced affective experiences ethnic minority individuals have toward culture. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).
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Balaguier, Romain; Madeleine, Pascal; Vuillerme, Nicolas
2016-01-01
The assessment of pressure pain threshold (PPT) provides a quantitative value related to the mechanical sensitivity to pain of deep structures. Although excellent reliability of PPT has been reported in numerous anatomical locations, its absolute and relative reliability in the lower back region remains to be determined. Because of the high prevalence of low back pain in the general population and because low back pain is one of the leading causes of disability in industrialized countries, assessing pressure pain thresholds over the low back is particularly of interest. The purpose of this study study was (1) to evaluate the intra- and inter- absolute and relative reliability of PPT within 14 locations covering the low back region of asymptomatic individuals and (2) to determine the number of trial required to ensure reliable PPT measurements. Fifteen asymptomatic subjects were included in this study. PPTs were assessed among 14 anatomical locations in the low back region over two sessions separated by one hour interval. For the two sessions, three PPT assessments were performed on each location. Reliability was assessed computing intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), standard error of measurement (SEM) and minimum detectable change (MDC) for all possible combinations between trials and sessions. Bland-Altman plots were also generated to assess potential bias in the dataset. Relative reliability for both intra- and inter- session was almost perfect with ICC ranged from 0.85 to 0.99. With respect to the intra-session, no statistical difference was reported for ICCs and SEM regardless of the conducted comparisons between trials. Conversely, for inter-session, ICCs and SEM values were significantly larger when two consecutive PPT measurements were used for data analysis. No significant difference was observed for the comparison between two consecutive measurements and three measurements. Excellent relative and absolute reliabilities were reported for both intra- and inter-session. Reliable measurements can be equally achieved when using the mean of two or three consecutive PPT measurements, as usually proposed in the literature, or with only the first one. Although reliability was almost perfect regardless of the conducted comparison between PPT assessments, our results suggest using two consecutive measurements to obtain higher short term absolute reliability.
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Liu, Ying-Buh; Yang, Stephen S; Hsieh, Cheng-Hsing; Lin, Chia-Da; Chang, Shang-Jen
2014-05-01
To evaluate the inter-observer, intra-observer and intra-individual reliability of uroflowmetry and post-void residual urine (PVR) tests in adult men. Healthy volunteers aged over 40 years were enrolled. Every participant underwent two sets of uroflowmetry and PVR tests with a 2-week interval between the tests. The uroflowmetry tests were interpreted by four urologists independently. Uroflowmetry curves were classified as bell-shaped, bell-shaped with tail, obstructive, restrictive, staccato, interrupted and tower-shaped and scored from 1 (highly abnormal) to 5 (absolutely normal). The agreements between the observers, interpretations and tests within individuals were analyzed using kappa statistics and intraclass correlation coefficients. Generalizability theory with decision analysis was used to determine how many observers, tests, and interpretations were needed to obtain an acceptable reliability (> 0.80). Of 108 volunteers, we randomly selected the uroflowmetry results from 25 participants for the evaluation of reliability. The mean age of the studied adults was 55.3 years. The intra-individual and intra-observer reliability on uroflowmetry tests ranged from good to very good. However, the inter-observer reliability on normalcy and specific type of flow pattern were relatively lower. In generalizability theory, three observers were needed to obtain an acceptable reliability on normalcy of uroflow pattern if the patient underwent uroflowmetry tests twice with one observation. The intra-individual and intra-observer reliability on uroflowmetry tests were good while the inter-observer reliability was relatively lower. To improve inter-observer reliability, the definition of uroflowmetry should be clarified by the International Continence Society. © 2013 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.
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Mahowald, Kyle; Fedorenko, Evelina
2016-10-01
The majority of functional neuroimaging investigations aim to characterize an average human brain. However, another important goal of cognitive neuroscience is to understand the ways in which individuals differ from one another and the significance of these differences. This latter goal is given special weight by the recent reconceptualization of neurological disorders where sharp boundaries are no longer drawn either between health and neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders, or among different disorders (e.g., Insel et al., 2010). Consequently, even the variability in the healthy population can inform our understanding of brain disorders. However, because the use of functional neural markers is still in its infancy, no consensus presently exists about which measures (e.g., effect size?, extent of activation?, degree of lateralization?) are the best ones to use. We here attempt to address this question with respect to one large-scale neural system: the set of brain regions in the frontal and temporal cortices that jointly support high-level linguistic processing (e.g., Binder et al., 1997; Fedorenko, Hsieh, Nieto-Castanon, Whitfield-Gabrieli, & Kanwisher, 2010). In particular, using data from 150 individuals all of whom had performed a language "localizer" task contrasting sentences and nonword sequences (Fedorenko et al., 2010), we: a) characterize the distributions of the values for four key neural measures of language activity (region effect sizes, region volumes, lateralization based on effect sizes, and lateralization based on volumes); b) test the reliability of these measures in a subset of 32 individuals who were scanned across two sessions; c) evaluate the relationship among the different regions of the language system; and d) evaluate the relationship among the different neural measures. Based on our results, we provide some recommendations for future studies of brain-behavior and brain-genes relationships. Although some of our conclusions are specific to the language system, others (e.g., the fact that effect-size-based measures tend to be more reliable than volume-based measures) are likely to generalize to the rest of the brain. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Orbell, Sheina; Hagger, Martin
2006-07-01
Reliable individual differences in the extent to which people consider the long- and short-term consequences of their own behaviors are hypothesized to influence the impact of a persuasive communication. In a field experiment, the time frame of occurrence of positive and negative consequences of taking part in a proposed Type 2 diabetes screening program was manipulated in a sample of 210 adults with a mean age of 53 years. Individual differences in consideration of future consequences (CFC; A. Strathman, F. Gleicher, D. S. Boninger, & C. S. Edwards, 1994) moderated (a) the generation of positive and negative thoughts and (b) the persuasive impact of the different communications. Low-CFC individuals were more persuaded when positive consequences were short term and negative consequences were long term. The opposite was true of high-CFC individuals. Path analyses show that net positive thoughts generated mediated the effect of the CFC x Time Frame manipulations on behavioral intentions.
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Evaluation of an interview process for admission into a school of pharmacy.
Kelsch, Michael P; Friesner, Daniel L
2012-03-12
To evaluate the doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) admissions interview process at North Dakota State University (NDSU). Faculty pairs interviewed candidates using a standardized grading rubric to evaluate qualitative parameters or attributes such as ethics, relevant life and work experience, emotional maturity, commitment to patient care, leadership, and understanding of the pharmacy profession. Total interview scores, individual attribute domain scores, and the consistency and reliability of the interviewers were assessed. The total mean interview score for the candidate pool was 17.4 of 25 points. Mean scores for individual domains ranged from 2.3 to 3.0 on a Likert-scale of 0-4. Nine of the 11 faculty pairs showed no mean differences from their interview partner in total interview scores given. Evaluations by 8 of the 11 faculty pairs produced high interrater reliability. The current interview process is generally consistent and reliable; however, future improvements such as additional interviewer training and adoption of a multiple mini-interview format could be made.
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Kong, Anthony Pak-Hin; Lam, Pinky Hiu-Ping; Ho, Diana Wai-Lam; Lau, Johnny King; Humphreys, Glyn W; Riddoch, Jane; Weekes, Brendan
2016-09-01
This study reports the validation of the Hong Kong version of Oxford Cognitive Screen (HK-OCS). Seventy Cantonese-speaking healthy individuals participated to establish normative data and 46 chronic stroke survivors were assessed using the HK-OCS, Albert's Test of Visual Neglect, short test of gestural production, and Hong Kong version of the following assessments: Western Aphasia Battery, MMSE, MoCA, Modified Barthel Index, and Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living scale. The validity of the HK-OCS was appraised by the difference between the two participant groups. Neurologically unimpaired individuals performed significantly better than stroke survivors on the HK-OCS. Positive and significant correlations found between cognitive subtests in the HK-OCS and related assessments indicated good concurrent validity. Excellent intra-rater and inter-rater reliabilities, fair test-retest reliability, and acceptable internal consistency suggested that the HK-OCS had good reliability. Specific HK-OCS subtests including semantics, episodic memory, number writing, and orientation were the best predictors of functional outcomes.
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Evaluation of an Interview Process for Admission Into a School of Pharmacy
Friesner, Daniel L.
2012-01-01
Objective. To evaluate the doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) admissions interview process at North Dakota State University (NDSU). Methods. Faculty pairs interviewed candidates using a standardized grading rubric to evaluate qualitative parameters or attributes such as ethics, relevant life and work experience, emotional maturity, commitment to patient care, leadership, and understanding of the pharmacy profession. Total interview scores, individual attribute domain scores, and the consistency and reliability of the interviewers were assessed. Results. The total mean interview score for the candidate pool was 17.4 of 25 points. Mean scores for individual domains ranged from 2.3 to 3.0 on a Likert-scale of 0-4. Nine of the 11 faculty pairs showed no mean differences from their interview partner in total interview scores given. Evaluations by 8 of the 11 faculty pairs produced high interrater reliability. Conclusions. The current interview process is generally consistent and reliable; however, future improvements such as additional interviewer training and adoption of a multiple mini-interview format could be made. PMID:22438594
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Brogårdh, Christina; Lexell, Jan
2016-05-01
A new 13-item rating scale, the Self-Reported Impairments in Persons with Late Effects of Polio (SIPP), has been developed. The SIPP has been analyzed using the Rasch method and has shown good construct validity and internal consistency. To establish its clinical utility, further evaluation of its psychometric properties is needed. To evaluate the test-retest reliability of the SIPP and to define limits for the smallest change that indicates a real change, both for a group of persons and a single individual. A postal survey. University Hospital. Fifty-one persons (31 men and 20 women; mean age, 72 years) with clinically verified late effects of polio. Not applicable. The participants completed the SIPP twice, 2 weeks apart. The response frequencies at test occasion 1 (T1) and test occasion 2 (T2) were calculated. Test-retest reliability was analyzed using the percentage agreement of each item, the intraclass correlation coefficient, and the mean difference between the test occasions (đ), together with the 95% confidence intervals for đ, the standard error of measurement, the smallest real difference, and a Bland-Altman plot. The percentage agreement (ie, the same scoring at both test occasions) was >70% for 10 of 13 items. The mean score (standard deviation) was 27.9 (5.7) points at T1 and 28.2 (6.0) points at T2, with no systematic difference between the test occasions. The intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.88, the standard error of measurement (the smallest change for a group of persons) was 2.0 points, and the smallest real difference (the smallest change for a single individual) was 5.6 points, respectively. The SIPP is a reliable rating scale in persons with late effects of polio and can be used to evaluate effects of rehabilitation interventions and changes of perceived impairments over time both for a group of persons and for a single individual. Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Drechsler, Axel; Helling, Tobias; Steinfartz, Sebastian
2015-01-01
Capture–mark–recapture (CMR) approaches are the backbone of many studies in population ecology to gain insight on the life cycle, migration, habitat use, and demography of target species. The reliable and repeatable recognition of an individual throughout its lifetime is the basic requirement of a CMR study. Although invasive techniques are available to mark individuals permanently, noninvasive methods for individual recognition mainly rest on photographic identification of external body markings, which are unique at the individual level. The re-identification of an individual based on comparing shape patterns of photographs by eye is commonly used. Automated processes for photographic re-identification have been recently established, but their performance in large datasets (i.e., > 1000 individuals) has rarely been tested thoroughly. Here, we evaluated the performance of the program AMPHIDENT, an automatic algorithm to identify individuals on the basis of ventral spot patterns in the great crested newt (Triturus cristatus) versus the genotypic fingerprint of individuals based on highly polymorphic microsatellite loci using GENECAP. Between 2008 and 2010, we captured, sampled and photographed adult newts and calculated for 1648 samples/photographs recapture rates for both approaches. Recapture rates differed slightly with 8.34% for GENECAP and 9.83% for AMPHIDENT. With an estimated rate of 2% false rejections (FRR) and 0.00% false acceptances (FAR), AMPHIDENT proved to be a highly reliable algorithm for CMR studies of large datasets. We conclude that the application of automatic recognition software of individual photographs can be a rather powerful and reliable tool in noninvasive CMR studies for a large number of individuals. Because the cross-correlation of standardized shape patterns is generally applicable to any pattern that provides enough information, this algorithm is capable of becoming a single application with broad use in CMR studies for many species. PMID:25628871
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The Impact of Entrepreneurial Cognition on the Founding and Survival of New Small Businesses
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Hird, Andrew P.
2012-01-01
This paper reports on an investigation into nascent entrepreneurship. Developing and sustaining a new business is a complex and uncertain process, and different types of individuals react to this uncertainty in different ways. It is argued that cognitive factors play a crucial role. Validated and reliable psychometric instruments were administered…
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2012-01-01
Background Clinicians frequently rely on subjective categorization of impairments in mobility, strength, and endurance for clinical decision-making; however, these assessments are often unreliable and lack sensitivity to change. The objective of this study was to determine the inter-rater reliability, minimum detectable change (MDC), and group differences in quantitative cervicothoracic measures for individuals with and without chronic neck pain (NP). Methods Nineteen individuals with NP and 20 healthy controls participated in this case control study. Two physical therapists performed a 30-minute examination on separate days. A handheld dynamometer, gravity inclinometer, ruler, and stopwatch were used to quantify cervical range of motion (ROM), cervical muscle strength and endurance, and scapulothoracic muscle length and strength, respectively. Results Intraclass correlation coefficients for inter-rater reliability were significantly greater than zero for most impairment measures, with point estimates ranging from 0.45 to 0.93. The NP group exhibited reduced cervical ROM (P ≤ 0.012) and muscle strength (P ≤ 0.038) in most movement directions, reduced cervical extensor endurance (P = 0.029), and reduced rhomboid and middle trapezius muscle strength (P ≤ 0.049). Conclusions Results demonstrate the feasibility of obtaining objective cervicothoracic impairment measures with acceptable inter-rater agreement across time. The clinical utility of these measures is supported by evidence of impaired mobility, strength, and endurance among patients with NP, with corresponding MDC values that can help establish benchmarks for clinically significant change. PMID:23114092
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An experiment in software reliability
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Dunham, J. R.; Pierce, J. L.
1986-01-01
The results of a software reliability experiment conducted in a controlled laboratory setting are reported. The experiment was undertaken to gather data on software failures and is one in a series of experiments being pursued by the Fault Tolerant Systems Branch of NASA Langley Research Center to find a means of credibly performing reliability evaluations of flight control software. The experiment tests a small sample of implementations of radar tracking software having ultra-reliability requirements and uses n-version programming for error detection, and repetitive run modeling for failure and fault rate estimation. The experiment results agree with those of Nagel and Skrivan in that the program error rates suggest an approximate log-linear pattern and the individual faults occurred with significantly different error rates. Additional analysis of the experimental data raises new questions concerning the phenomenon of interacting faults. This phenomenon may provide one explanation for software reliability decay.
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Sjoding, Michael W; Hofer, Timothy P; Co, Ivan; Courey, Anthony; Cooke, Colin R; Iwashyna, Theodore J
2018-02-01
Failure to reliably diagnose ARDS may be a major driver of negative clinical trials and underrecognition and treatment in clinical practice. We sought to examine the interobserver reliability of the Berlin ARDS definition and examine strategies for improving the reliability of ARDS diagnosis. Two hundred five patients with hypoxic respiratory failure from four ICUs were reviewed independently by three clinicians, who evaluated whether patients had ARDS, the diagnostic confidence of the reviewers, whether patients met individual ARDS criteria, and the time when criteria were met. Interobserver reliability of an ARDS diagnosis was "moderate" (kappa = 0.50; 95% CI, 0.40-0.59). Sixty-seven percent of diagnostic disagreements between clinicians reviewing the same patient was explained by differences in how chest imaging studies were interpreted, with other ARDS criteria contributing less (identification of ARDS risk factor, 15%; cardiac edema/volume overload exclusion, 7%). Combining the independent reviews of three clinicians can increase reliability to "substantial" (kappa = 0.75; 95% CI, 0.68-0.80). When a clinician diagnosed ARDS with "high confidence," all other clinicians agreed with the diagnosis in 72% of reviews. There was close agreement between clinicians about the time when a patient met all ARDS criteria if ARDS developed within the first 48 hours of hospitalization (median difference, 5 hours). The reliability of the Berlin ARDS definition is moderate, driven primarily by differences in chest imaging interpretation. Combining independent reviews by multiple clinicians or improving methods to identify bilateral infiltrates on chest imaging are important strategies for improving the reliability of ARDS diagnosis. Copyright © 2017 American College of Chest Physicians. All rights reserved.
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Leddy, Abigail L; Crowner, Beth E; Earhart, Gammon M
2011-01-01
Gait impairments, balance impairments, and falls are prevalent in individuals with Parkinson disease (PD). Although the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) can be considered the reference standard for the determination of fall risk, it has a noted ceiling effect. Development of ceiling-free measures that can assess balance and are good at discriminating "fallers" from "nonfallers" is needed. The purpose of this study was to compare the Functional Gait Assessment (FGA) and the Balance Evaluation Systems Test (BESTest) with the BBS among individuals with PD and evaluate the tests' reliability, validity, and discriminatory sensitivity and specificity for fallers versus nonfallers. This was an observational study of community-dwelling individuals with idiopathic PD. The BBS, FGA, and BESTest were administered to 80 individuals with PD. Interrater reliability (n=15) was assessed by 3 raters. Test-retest reliability was based on 2 tests of participants (n=24), 2 weeks apart. Intraclass correlation coefficients (2,1) were used to calculate reliability, and Spearman correlation coefficients were used to assess validity. Cutoff points, sensitivity, and specificity were based on receiver operating characteristic plots. Test-retest reliability was .80 for the BBS, .91 for the FGA, and .88 for the BESTest. Interrater reliability was greater than .93 for all 3 tests. The FGA and BESTest were correlated with the BBS (r=.78 and r=.87, respectively). Cutoff scores to identify fallers were 47/56 for the BBS, 15/30 for the FGA, and 69% for the BESTest. The overall accuracy (area under the curve) for the BBS, FGA, and BESTest was .79, .80, and .85, respectively. Fall reports were retrospective. Both the FGA and the BESTest have reliability and validity for assessing balance in individuals with PD. The BESTest is most sensitive for identifying fallers.
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NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Fisher, W. P., Jr.; Elbaum, B.; Coulter, A.
2010-07-01
Reliability coefficients indicate the proportion of total variance attributable to differences among measures separated along a quantitative continuum by a testing, survey, or assessment instrument. Reliability is usually considered to be influenced by both the internal consistency of a data set and the number of items, though textbooks and research papers rarely evaluate the extent to which these factors independently affect the data in question. Probabilistic formulations of the requirements for unidimensional measurement separate consistency from error by modelling individual response processes instead of group-level variation. The utility of this separation is illustrated via analyses of small sets of simulated data, and of subsets of data from a 78-item survey of over 2,500 parents of children with disabilities. Measurement reliability ultimately concerns the structural invariance specified in models requiring sufficient statistics, parameter separation, unidimensionality, and other qualities that historically have made quantification simple, practical, and convenient for end users. The paper concludes with suggestions for a research program aimed at focusing measurement research more on the calibration and wide dissemination of tools applicable to individuals, and less on the statistical study of inter-variable relations in large data sets.
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Dinkel, Philipp Johannes; Willmes, Klaus; Krinzinger, Helga; Konrad, Kerstin; Koten Jr, Jan Willem
2013-01-01
FMRI-studies are mostly based on a group study approach, either analyzing one group or comparing multiple groups, or on approaches that correlate brain activation with clinically relevant criteria or behavioral measures. In this study we investigate the potential of fMRI-techniques focusing on individual differences in brain activation within a test-retest reliability context. We employ a single-case analysis approach, which contrasts dyscalculic children with a control group of typically developing children. In a second step, a support-vector machine analysis and cluster analysis techniques served to investigate similarities in multivariate brain activation patterns. Children were confronted with a non-symbolic number comparison and a non-symbolic exact calculation task during fMRI acquisition. Conventional second level group comparison analysis only showed small differences around the angular gyrus bilaterally and the left parieto-occipital sulcus. Analyses based on single-case statistical procedures revealed that developmental dyscalculia is characterized by individual differences predominantly in visual processing areas. Dyscalculic children seemed to compensate for relative under-activation in the primary visual cortex through an upregulation in higher visual areas. However, overlap in deviant activation was low for the dyscalculic children, indicating that developmental dyscalculia is a disorder characterized by heterogeneous brain activation differences. Using support vector machine analysis and cluster analysis, we tried to group dyscalculic and typically developing children according to brain activation. Fronto-parietal systems seem to qualify for a distinction between the two groups. However, this was only effective when reliable brain activations of both tasks were employed simultaneously. Results suggest that deficits in number representation in the visual-parietal cortex get compensated for through finger related aspects of number representation in fronto-parietal cortex. We conclude that dyscalculic children show large individual differences in brain activation patterns. Nonetheless, the majority of dyscalculic children can be differentiated from controls employing brain activation patterns when appropriate methods are used. PMID:24349547
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Dinkel, Philipp Johannes; Willmes, Klaus; Krinzinger, Helga; Konrad, Kerstin; Koten, Jan Willem
2013-01-01
FMRI-studies are mostly based on a group study approach, either analyzing one group or comparing multiple groups, or on approaches that correlate brain activation with clinically relevant criteria or behavioral measures. In this study we investigate the potential of fMRI-techniques focusing on individual differences in brain activation within a test-retest reliability context. We employ a single-case analysis approach, which contrasts dyscalculic children with a control group of typically developing children. In a second step, a support-vector machine analysis and cluster analysis techniques served to investigate similarities in multivariate brain activation patterns. Children were confronted with a non-symbolic number comparison and a non-symbolic exact calculation task during fMRI acquisition. Conventional second level group comparison analysis only showed small differences around the angular gyrus bilaterally and the left parieto-occipital sulcus. Analyses based on single-case statistical procedures revealed that developmental dyscalculia is characterized by individual differences predominantly in visual processing areas. Dyscalculic children seemed to compensate for relative under-activation in the primary visual cortex through an upregulation in higher visual areas. However, overlap in deviant activation was low for the dyscalculic children, indicating that developmental dyscalculia is a disorder characterized by heterogeneous brain activation differences. Using support vector machine analysis and cluster analysis, we tried to group dyscalculic and typically developing children according to brain activation. Fronto-parietal systems seem to qualify for a distinction between the two groups. However, this was only effective when reliable brain activations of both tasks were employed simultaneously. Results suggest that deficits in number representation in the visual-parietal cortex get compensated for through finger related aspects of number representation in fronto-parietal cortex. We conclude that dyscalculic children show large individual differences in brain activation patterns. Nonetheless, the majority of dyscalculic children can be differentiated from controls employing brain activation patterns when appropriate methods are used.
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Black, Anne C; Serowik, Kristin L; Ablondi, Karen M; Rosen, Marc I
2013-01-01
The need for accurate and reliable information about income and resources available to individuals with psychiatric disabilities is critical for the assessment of need and evaluation of programs designed to alleviate financial hardship or affect finance allocation. Measurement of finances is ubiquitous in studies of economics, poverty, and social services. However, evidence has demonstrated that these measures often contain error. We compare the 1-week test-retest reliability of income and finance data from 24 adult psychiatric outpatients using assessment-as-usual (AAU) and a new instrument, the Timeline Historical Review of Income and Financial Transactions (THRIFT). Reliability estimates obtained with the THRIFT for Income (0.77), Expenses (0.91), and Debt (0.99) domains were significantly better than those obtained with AAU. Reliability estimates for Balance did not differ. THRIFT reduced measurement error and provided more reliable information than AAU for assessment of personal finances in psychiatric patients receiving Social Security benefits. The instrument also may be useful with other low-income groups.
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Probability interpretations of intraclass reliabilities.
Ellis, Jules L
2013-11-20
Research where many organizations are rated by different samples of individuals such as clients, patients, or employees frequently uses reliabilities computed from intraclass correlations. Consumers of statistical information, such as patients and policy makers, may not have sufficient background for deciding which levels of reliability are acceptable. It is shown that the reliability is related to various probabilities that may be easier to understand, for example, the proportion of organizations that will be classed significantly above (or below) the mean and the probability that an organization is classed correctly given that it is classed significantly above (or below) the mean. One can view these probabilities as the amount of information of the classification and the correctness of the classification. These probabilities have an inverse relationship: given a reliability, one can 'buy' correctness at the cost of informativeness and conversely. This article discusses how this can be used to make judgments about the required level of reliabilities. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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Neurobehavioural correlates of body mass index and eating behaviours in adults: A systematic review
Vainik, Uku; Dagher, Alain; Dubé, Laurette; Fellows, Lesley K
2014-01-01
The worldwide increase in obesity has spurred numerous efforts to understand the regulation of eating behaviours and underlying brain mechanisms. These mechanisms can affordably be studied via neurobehavioural measures. Here, we systematically review these efforts, evaluating neurocognitive tests and personality questionnaires based on: a) consistent relationship with obesity and eating behaviour, and b) reliability. We also considered the measures’ potential to shed light on the brain mechanisms underlying these individual differences. Sixty-six neurocognitive tasks were examined. Less than 11%, mainly measures of executive functions and food motivation, yielded both replicated and reliable effects. Several different personality questionnaires were consistently related to BMI. However, further analysis found that many of these questionnaires relate closely to Conscientiousness, Extraversion and Neuroticism within the Five-Factor Model of personality. Both neurocognitive tests and personality questionnaires suggest that the critical neural systems related to individual differences in obesity are lateral prefrontal structures underpinning self-control and striatal regions implicated in food motivation. This review can guide selection of the highest yield neurobehavioural measures for future studies. PMID:23261403
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The Reliability of Individualized Load-Velocity Profiles.
Banyard, Harry G; Nosaka, K; Vernon, Alex D; Haff, G Gregory
2017-11-15
This study examined the reliability of peak velocity (PV), mean propulsive velocity (MPV), and mean velocity (MV) in the development of load-velocity profiles (LVP) in the full depth free-weight back squat performed with maximal concentric effort. Eighteen resistance-trained men performed a baseline one-repetition maximum (1RM) back squat trial and three subsequent 1RM trials used for reliability analyses, with 48-hours interval between trials. 1RM trials comprised lifts from six relative loads including 20, 40, 60, 80, 90, and 100% 1RM. Individualized LVPs for PV, MPV, or MV were derived from loads that were highly reliable based on the following criteria: intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) >0.70, coefficient of variation (CV) ≤10%, and Cohen's d effect size (ES) <0.60. PV was highly reliable at all six loads. Importantly, MPV and MV were highly reliable at 20, 40, 60, 80 and 90% but not 100% 1RM (MPV: ICC=0.66, CV=18.0%, ES=0.10, standard error of the estimate [SEM]=0.04m·s -1 ; MV: ICC=0.55, CV=19.4%, ES=0.08, SEM=0.04m·s -1 ). When considering the reliable ranges, almost perfect correlations were observed for LVPs derived from PV 20-100% (r=0.91-0.93), MPV 20-90% (r=0.92-0.94) and MV 20-90% (r=0.94-0.95). Furthermore, the LVPs were not significantly different (p>0.05) between trials, movement velocities, or between linear regression versus second order polynomial fits. PV 20-100% , MPV 20-90% , and MV 20-90% are reliable and can be utilized to develop LVPs using linear regression. Conceptually, LVPs can be used to monitor changes in movement velocity and employed as a method for adjusting sessional training loads according to daily readiness.
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Individual Differences in Base Rate Neglect: A Fuzzy Processing Preference Index
Wolfe, Christopher R.; Fisher, Christopher R.
2013-01-01
Little is known about individual differences in integrating numeric base-rates and qualitative text in making probability judgments. Fuzzy-Trace Theory predicts a preference for fuzzy processing. We conducted six studies to develop the FPPI, a reliable and valid instrument assessing individual differences in this fuzzy processing preference. It consists of 19 probability estimation items plus 4 "M-Scale" items that distinguish simple pattern matching from “base rate respect.” Cronbach's Alpha was consistently above 0.90. Validity is suggested by significant correlations between FPPI scores and three other measurers: "Rule Based" Process Dissociation Procedure scores; the number of conjunction fallacies in joint probability estimation; and logic index scores on syllogistic reasoning. Replicating norms collected in a university study with a web-based study produced negligible differences in FPPI scores, indicating robustness. The predicted relationships between individual differences in base rate respect and both conjunction fallacies and syllogistic reasoning were partially replicated in two web-based studies. PMID:23935255
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Confidence mediates the sex difference in mental rotation performance.
Estes, Zachary; Felker, Sydney
2012-06-01
On tasks that require the mental rotation of 3-dimensional figures, males typically exhibit higher accuracy than females. Using the most common measure of mental rotation (i.e., the Mental Rotations Test), we investigated whether individual variability in confidence mediates this sex difference in mental rotation performance. In each of four experiments, the sex difference was reliably elicited and eliminated by controlling or manipulating participants' confidence. Specifically, confidence predicted performance within and between sexes (Experiment 1), rendering confidence irrelevant to the task reliably eliminated the sex difference in performance (Experiments 2 and 3), and manipulating confidence significantly affected performance (Experiment 4). Thus, confidence mediates the sex difference in mental rotation performance and hence the sex difference appears to be a difference of performance rather than ability. Results are discussed in relation to other potential mediators and mechanisms, such as gender roles, sex stereotypes, spatial experience, rotation strategies, working memory, and spatial attention.
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Flight calls signal group and individual identity but not kinship in a cooperatively breeding bird.
Keen, Sara C; Meliza, C Daniel; Rubenstein, Dustin R
2013-11-01
In many complex societies, intricate communication and recognition systems may evolve to help support both direct and indirect benefits of group membership. In cooperatively breeding species where groups typically comprise relatives, both learned and innate vocal signals may serve as reliable cues for kin recognition. Here, we investigated vocal communication in the plural cooperatively breeding superb starling, Lamprotornis superbus , where flight calls-short, stereotyped vocalizations used when approaching conspecifics-may communicate kin relationships, group membership, and/or individual identity. We found that flight calls were most similar within individual repertoires but were also more similar within groups than within the larger population. Although starlings responded differently to playback of calls from their own versus other neighboring and distant social groups, call similarity was uncorrelated with genetic relatedness. Additionally, immigrant females showed similar patterns to birds born in the study population. Together, these results suggest that flight calls are learned signals that reflect social association but may also carry a signal of individuality. Flight calls, therefore, provide a reliable recognition mechanism for groups and may also be used to recognize individuals. In complex societies comprising related and unrelated individuals, signaling individuality and group association, rather than kinship, may be a route to cooperation.
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Togari, Taisuke; Yamazaki, Yoshihiko; Koide, Syotaro; Miyata, Ayako
2006-01-01
In community and workplace health plans, the Perceived Health Competence Scale (PHCS) is employed as an index of health competency. The purpose of this research was to examine the reliability and validity of a modified Japanese PHCS. Interviews were sought with 3,000 randomly selected Japanese individuals using a two-step stratified method. Valid PHCS responses were obtained from 1,910 individuals, yielding a 63.7% response rate. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha coefficient (henceforth, alpha) to evaluate internal consistency, and by employing item-total correlation and alpha coefficient analyses to assess the effect of removal of variables from the model. To examine content validity, we assessed the correlation between the PHCS score and four respondent attribute characteristics, that is, sex, age, the presence of chronic disease, and the existence of chronic disease at age 18. The correlation between PHCS score and commonly employed healthy lifestyle indices was examined to assess construct validity. General linear model statistical analysis was employed. The modified Japanese PHCS demonstrated a satisfactory alpha coefficient of 0.869. Moreover, reliability was confirmed by item-total correlation and alpha coefficient analyses after removal of variables from the model. Differences in PHCS scores were seen between individuals 60 years and older, and younger individuals. These with current chronic disease, or who had had a chronic disease at age 18, tended to have lower PHCS scores. After controlling for the presence of current or age 18 chronic disease, age, and sex, significant correlations were seen between PHCS scores and tobacco use, dietary habits, and exercise, but not alcohol use or frequency of medical consultation. This study supports the reliability and validity, and hence supports the use, of the modified Japanese PHCS. Future longitudinal research is needed to evaluate the predictive power of modified Japanese PHCS scores, to examine factors influencing the development of perceived health competence, and to assess the effects of interventions on perceived health competence.
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Reliability and validity of the Fear of Intimacy Scale in China.
Ingersoll, Travis S; Norvilitis, Jill M; Zhang, Jie; Jia, Shuhua; Tetewsky, Sheldon
2008-05-01
Participants in China (n = 343) and the United States (n = 283) completed measures to assess the reliability and validity of the Fear of Intimacy Scale (Descutner & Thelen, 1991) with a Chinese population. Internal consistency was strong in both cultures, and the factor structure was also similar between cultures, with confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) identifying three-factor models in both samples. As evidence of convergent validity, the scale was positively correlated with depression and negatively correlated with social support and self-esteem. There were gender differences between cultures, but low levels of femininity were predictive of fear of intimacy in both cultures. The influence of individualism and collectivism varied, with high levels of individualism more predictive of a fear of intimacy in China than in the United States.
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Schmitz, Florian; Kunina-Habenicht, Olga; Hildebrandt, Andrea; Oberauer, Klaus; Wilhelm, Oliver
2018-01-01
The Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) is one of the most prominent paradigms employed for the assessment of risk taking in the laboratory, and it was shown to distinguish between various patient groups and controls. The present study was conducted to test the psychometric characteristics of the original IGT and of a new gambling task variant for assessing individual differences. Two studies were conducted with adults of the general population ( n = 220) and with adolescents ( n = 389). Participants were also tested on multiple measures of working memory capacity, fluid intelligence, personality traits associated with risk-taking behavior, and self-reported risk taking in various domains. Both gambling tasks had only moderate retest reliability within the same session. Moderate relations were obtained with cognitive ability. However, card selections in the gambling tasks were not correlated with personality or risk taking. These findings point to limitations of IGT type gambling tasks for the assessment of individual differences in risky decision making.
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Stability of individual loudness functions obtained by magnitude estimation and production
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Hellman, R. P.
1981-01-01
A correlational analysis of individual magnitude estimation and production exponents at the same frequency is performed, as is an analysis of individual exponents produced in different sessions by the same procedure across frequency (250, 1000, and 3000 Hz). Taken as a whole, the results show that individual exponent differences do not decrease by counterbalancing magnitude estimation with magnitude production and that individual exponent differences remain stable over time despite changes in stimulus frequency. Further results show that although individual magnitude estimation and production exponents do not necessarily obey the .6 power law, it is possible to predict the slope of an equal-sensation function averaged for a group of listeners from individual magnitude estimation and production data. On the assumption that individual listeners with sensorineural hearing also produce stable and reliable magnitude functions, it is also shown that the slope of the loudness-recruitment function measured by magnitude estimation and production can be predicted for individuals with bilateral losses of long duration. Results obtained in normal and pathological ears thus suggest that individual listeners can produce loudness judgements that reveal, although indirectly, the input-output characteristic of the auditory system.
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Judah, Gaby; de Witt Huberts, Jessie; Drassal, Allan; Aunger, Robert
2017-01-01
The accurate measurement of behaviour is vitally important to many disciplines and practitioners of various kinds. While different methods have been used (such as observation, diaries, questionnaire), none are able to accurately monitor behaviour over the long term in the natural context of people's own lives. The aim of this work was therefore to develop and test a reliable system for unobtrusively monitoring various behaviours of multiple individuals within the same household over a period of several months. A commercial Real Time Location System was adapted to meet these requirements and subsequently validated in three households by monitoring various bathroom behaviours. The results indicate that the system is robust, can monitor behaviours over the long-term in different households and can reliably distinguish between individuals. Precision rates were high and consistent. Recall rates were less consistent across households and behaviours, although recall rates improved considerably with practice at set-up of the system. The achieved precision and recall rates were comparable to the rates observed in more controlled environments using more valid methods of ground truthing. These initial findings indicate that the system is a valuable, flexible and robust system for monitoring behaviour in its natural environment that would allow new research questions to be addressed.
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Kuçukosmanoglu, Hayrettin Onur
2015-01-01
The main purpose of this study is to develop a scale to determine students' attitude levels on individual instruments and individual instrument courses in instrument training, which is an important dimension of music education, and to conduct a validity-reliability research of the scale that has been developed. The scale consists of 16 items. The…
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Further examination of the temporal stability of alcohol demand.
Acuff, Samuel F; Murphy, James G
2017-08-01
Demand, or the amount of a substance consumed as a function of price, is a central dependent measure in behavioral economic research and represents the relative valuation of a substance. Although demand is often utilized as an index of substance use severity and is assumed to be relatively stable, recent experimental and clinical research has identified conditions in which demand can be manipulated, such as through craving and stress inductions, and treatment. Our study examines the 1-month reliability of the alcohol purchase task in a sample of heavy drinking college students. We also analyzed reliability in subgroup of individuals whose consumption decreased, increased, or stayed the same over the 1-month period, and in individuals with moderate/severe Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) vs. those with no/mild AUD. Reliability was moderate in the full sample, high in the group with stable consumption, and did not differ appreciably between AUD groups. Observed indices and indices derived from an exponentiated equation (Koffarnus et al., 2015) were generally comparable, although P max observed had very low reliability. Area under the curve, O max derived, and essential value showed the greatest reliability in the full sample (rs=0.75-0.77). These results provide evidence for the relative stability over time of demand and across AUD groups, particularly in those whose consumption remains stable. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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Test-Retest Reliability of fMRI Brain Activity during Memory Encoding
Brandt, David J.; Sommer, Jens; Krach, Sören; Bedenbender, Johannes; Kircher, Tilo; Paulus, Frieder M.; Jansen, Andreas
2013-01-01
The mechanisms underlying hemispheric specialization of memory are not completely understood. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) can be used to develop and test models of hemispheric specialization. In particular for memory tasks however, the interpretation of fMRI results is often hampered by the low reliability of the data. In the present study we therefore analyzed the test-retest reliability of fMRI brain activation related to an implicit memory encoding task, with a particular focus on brain activity of the medial temporal lobe (MTL). Fifteen healthy subjects were scanned with fMRI on two sessions (average retest interval 35 days) using a commonly applied novelty encoding paradigm contrasting known and unknown stimuli. To assess brain lateralization, we used three different stimuli classes that differed in their verbalizability (words, scenes, fractals). Test-retest reliability of fMRI brain activation was assessed by an intraclass-correlation coefficient (ICC), describing the stability of inter-individual differences in the brain activation magnitude over time. We found as expected a left-lateralized brain activation network for the words paradigm, a bilateral network for the scenes paradigm, and predominantly right-hemispheric brain activation for the fractals paradigm. Although these networks were consistently activated in both sessions on the group level, across-subject reliabilities were only poor to fair (ICCs ≤ 0.45). Overall, the highest ICC values were obtained for the scenes paradigm, but only in strongly activated brain regions. In particular the reliability of brain activity of the MTL was poor for all paradigms. In conclusion, for novelty encoding paradigms the interpretation of fMRI results on a single subject level is hampered by its low reliability. More studies are needed to optimize the retest reliability of fMRI activation for memory tasks. PMID:24367338
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Intertester reliability of the acceptable noise level.
Gordon-Hickey, Susan; Adams, Elizabeth; Moore, Robert; Gaal, Ashley; Berry, Katie; Brock, Sommer
2012-01-01
The acceptable noise level (ANL) serves to accurately predict the listener's likelihood of success with amplification. It has been proposed as a pre-hearing aid fitting protocol for hearing aid selection and counseling purposes. The ANL is a subjective measure of the listener's ability to accept background noise. Measurement of ANL relies on the tester and listener to follow the instructions set forth. To date, no research has explored the reliability of ANL as measured across clinicians or testers. To examine the intertester reliability of ANL. A descriptive quasi-experimental reliability study was completed. ANL was measured for one group of listeners by three testers. Three participants served as testers. Each tester was familiar with basic audiometry. Twenty-five young adults with normal hearing served as listeners. Each tester was stationed in a laboratory with the needed equipment. Listeners were instructed to report to these laboratories in a random order provided by the experimenters. The testers assessed most comfortable listening level (MCL) and background noise level (BNL) for all 25 listeners. Intraclass correlation coefficients were significant and revealed that MCL, BNL, and ANLs are reliable across testers. Additionally, one-way ANOVAs for MCL, BNL, and ANL were not significant. These findings indicate that MCL, BNL, and ANL do not differ significantly when measured by different testers. If the ANL instruction set is accurately followed, ANL can be reliably measured across testers, laboratories, and clinics. Intertester reliability of ANL allows for comparison across ANLs measured by different individuals. Findings of the present study indicate that tester reliability can be ruled out as a factor contributing to the disparity of mean ANLs reported in the literature. American Academy of Audiology.
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Are inspectors' assessments reliable? Ratings of NHS acute hospital trust services in England.
Boyd, Alan; Addicott, Rachael; Robertson, Ruth; Ross, Shilpa; Walshe, Kieran
2017-01-01
The credibility of a regulator could be threatened if stakeholders perceive that assessments of performance made by its inspectors are unreliable. Yet there is little published research on the reliability of inspectors' assessments of health care organizations' services. Objectives We investigated the inter-rater reliability of assessments made by inspectors inspecting acute hospitals in England during the piloting of a new regulatory model implemented by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) during 2013 and 2014. Multi-professional teams of inspectors rated service provision on a four-point scale for each of five domains: safety; effectiveness; caring; responsiveness; and leadership. Methods In an online survey, we asked individual inspectors to assign a domain and a rating to each of 10 vignettes of service information extracted from CQC inspection reports. We used these data to simulate the ratings that might be produced by teams of inspectors. We also observed inspection teams in action, and interviewed inspectors and staff from hospitals that had been inspected. Results Levels of agreement varied substantially from vignette to vignette. Characteristics such as professional background explained only a very small part of the variation. Overall, agreement was higher on ratings than on domains, and for groups of inspectors compared with individual inspectors. A number of potential causes of disagreement were identified, such as differences regarding the weight that should be given to contextual factors and general uncertainty about interpreting the rating and domain categories. Conclusion Groups of inspectors produced more reliable assessments than individual inspectors, and there is evidence to support the utility of appropriate discussions between inspectors in improving reliability. The reliability of domain allocations was lower than for ratings. It is important to define categories and rating levels clearly, and to train inspectors in their use. Further research is needed to replicate these results now that the model has been fully implemented, and to understand better the impact that inspector uncertainty and disagreement may have on published CQC ratings.
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Horvath, Jared Cooney; Vogrin, Simon J; Carter, Olivia; Cook, Mark J; Forte, Jason D
2016-09-01
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) uses a weak electric current to modulate neuronal activity. A neurophysiologic outcome measure to demonstrate reliable tDCS modulation at the group level is transcranial magnetic stimulation engendered motor evoked potentials (MEPs). Here, we conduct a study testing the reliability of individual MEP response patterns following a common tDCS protocol. Fourteen participants (7m/7f) each underwent nine randomized sessions of 1 mA, 10 min tDCS (3 anode; 3 cathode; 3 sham) delivered using an M1/orbito-frontal electrode montage (sessions separated by an average of ~5.5 days). Fifteen MEPs were obtained prior to, immediately following and in 5 min intervals for 30 min following tDCS. TMS was delivered at 130 % resting motor threshold using neuronavigation to ensure consistent coil localization. A number of non-experimental variables were collected during each session. At the individual level, considerable variability was seen among different testing sessions. No participant demonstrated an excitatory response ≥20 % to all three anodal sessions, and no participant demonstrated an inhibitory response ≥20 % to all three cathodal sessions. Intra-class correlation revealed poor anodal and cathodal test-retest reliability [anode: ICC(2,1) = 0.062; cathode: ICC(2,1) = 0.055] and moderate sham test-retest reliability [ICC(2,1) = 0.433]. Results also revealed no significant effect of tDCS at the group level. Using this common protocol, we found the effects of tDCS on MEP amplitudes to be highly variable at the individual level. In addition, no significant effects of tDCS on MEP amplitude were found at the group level. Future studies should consider utilizing a more strict experimental protocol to potentially account for intra-individual response variations.
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Automated lung volumetry from routine thoracic CT scans: how reliable is the result?
Haas, Matthias; Hamm, Bernd; Niehues, Stefan M
2014-05-01
Today, lung volumes can be easily calculated from chest computed tomography (CT) scans. Modern postprocessing workstations allow automated volume measurement of data sets acquired. However, there are challenges in the use of lung volume as an indicator of pulmonary disease when it is obtained from routine CT. Intra-individual variation and methodologic aspects have to be considered. Our goal was to assess the reliability of volumetric measurements in routine CT lung scans. Forty adult cancer patients whose lungs were unaffected by the disease underwent routine chest CT scans in 3-month intervals, resulting in a total number of 302 chest CT scans. Lung volume was calculated by automatic volumetry software. On average of 7.2 CT scans were successfully evaluable per patient (range 2-15). Intra-individual changes were assessed. In the set of patients investigated, lung volume was approximately normally distributed, with a mean of 5283 cm(3) (standard deviation = 947 cm(3), skewness = -0.34, and curtosis = 0.16). Between different scans in one and the same patient the median intra-individual standard deviation in lung volume was 853 cm(3) (16% of the mean lung volume). Automatic lung segmentation of routine chest CT scans allows a technically stable estimation of lung volume. However, substantial intra-individual variations have to be considered. A median intra-individual deviation of 16% in lung volume between different routine scans was found. Copyright © 2014 AUR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Serina, Peter; Riley, Ian; Hernandez, Bernardo; Flaxman, Abraham D; Praveen, Devarsetty; Tallo, Veronica; Joshi, Rohina; Sanvictores, Diozele; Stewart, Andrea; Mooney, Meghan D; Murray, Christopher J L; Lopez, Alan D
2016-01-01
We believe that it is important that governments understand the reliability of the mortality data which they have at their disposable to guide policy debates. In many instances, verbal autopsy (VA) will be the only source of mortality data for populations, yet little is known about how the accuracy of VA diagnoses is affected by the reliability of the symptom responses. We previously described the effect of the duration of time between death and VA administration on VA validity. In this paper, using the same dataset, we assess the relationship between the reliability and completeness of symptom responses and the reliability and accuracy of cause of death (COD) prediction. The study was based on VAs in the Population Health Metrics Research Consortium (PHMRC) VA Validation Dataset from study sites in Bohol and Manila, Philippines and Andhra Pradesh, India. The initial interview was repeated within 3-52 months of death. Question responses were assessed for reliability and completeness between the two survey rounds. COD was predicted by Tariff Method. A sample of 4226 VAs was collected for 2113 decedents, including 1394 adults, 349 children, and 370 neonates. Mean question reliability was unexpectedly low ( kappa = 0.447): 42.5 % of responses positive at the first interview were negative at the second, and 47.9 % of responses positive at the second had been negative at the first. Question reliability was greater for the short form of the PHMRC instrument ( kappa = 0.497) and when analyzed at the level of the individual decedent ( kappa = 0.610). Reliability at the level of the individual decedent was associated with COD predictive reliability and predictive accuracy. Families give coherent accounts of events leading to death but the details vary from interview to interview for the same case. Accounts are accurate but inconsistent; different subsets of symptoms are identified on each occasion. However, there are sufficient accurate and consistent subsets of symptoms to enable the Tariff Method to assign a COD. Questions which contributed most to COD prediction were also the most reliable and consistent across repeat interviews; these have been included in the short form VA questionnaire. Accuracy and reliability of diagnosis for an individual death depend on the quality of interview. This has considerable implications for the progressive roll out of VAs into civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) systems.
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Grooten, Wilhelmus Johannes Andreas; Sandberg, Lisa; Ressman, John; Diamantoglou, Nicolas; Johansson, Elin; Rasmussen-Barr, Eva
2018-01-08
Clinical examinations are subjective and often show a low validity and reliability. Objective and highly reliable quantitative assessments are available in laboratory settings using 3D motion analysis, but these systems are too expensive to use for simple clinical examinations. Qinematic™ is an interactive movement analyses system based on the Kinect camera and is an easy-to-use clinical measurement system for assessing posture, balance and side-bending. The aim of the study was to test the test-retest the reliability and construct validity of Qinematic™ in a healthy population, and to calculate the minimal clinical differences for the variables of interest. A further aim was to identify the discriminative validity of Qinematic™ in people with low-back pain (LBP). We performed a test-retest reliability study (n = 37) with around 1 week between the occasions, a construct validity study (n = 30) in which Qinematic™ was tested against a 3D motion capture system, and a discriminative validity study, in which a group of people with LBP (n = 20) was compared to healthy controls (n = 17). We tested a large range of psychometric properties of 18 variables in three sections: posture (head and pelvic position, weight distribution), balance (sway area and velocity in single- and double-leg stance), and side-bending. The majority of the variables in the posture and balance sections, showed poor/fair reliability (ICC < 0.4) and poor/fair validity (Spearman <0.4), with significant differences between occasions, between Qinematic™ and the 3D-motion capture system. In the clinical study, Qinematic™ did not differ between people with LPB and healthy for these variables. For one variable, side-bending to the left, there was excellent reliability (ICC =0.898), excellent validity (r = 0.943), and Qinematic™ could differentiate between LPB and healthy individuals (p = 0.012). This paper shows that a novel software program (Qinematic™) based on the Kinect camera for measuring balance, posture and side-bending has poor psychometric properties, indicating that the variables on balance and posture should not be used for monitoring individual changes over time or in research. Future research on the dynamic tasks of Qinematic™ is warranted.
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Papageorgiou, Kostas A; Smith, Tim J; Wu, Rachel; Johnson, Mark H; Kirkham, Natasha Z; Ronald, Angelica
2014-07-01
Individual differences in fixation duration are considered a reliable measure of attentional control in adults. However, the degree to which individual differences in fixation duration in infancy (0-12 months) relate to temperament and behavior in childhood is largely unknown. In the present study, data were examined from 120 infants (mean age = 7.69 months, SD = 1.90) who previously participated in an eye-tracking study. At follow-up, parents completed age-appropriate questionnaires about their child's temperament and behavior (mean age of children = 41.59 months, SD = 9.83). Mean fixation duration in infancy was positively associated with effortful control (β = 0.20, R (2) = .02, p = .04) and negatively with surgency (β = -0.37, R (2) = .07, p = .003) and hyperactivity-inattention (β = -0.35, R (2) = .06, p = .005) in childhood. These findings suggest that individual differences in mean fixation duration in infancy are linked to attentional and behavioral control in childhood. © The Author(s) 2014.
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Individual differences in GABA content are reliable but are not uniform across the human cortex
Greenhouse, Ian; Noah, Sean; Maddock, Richard J; Ivry, Richard B
2016-01-01
1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) provides a powerful tool to measure gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), the principle inhibitory neurotransmitter in the human brain. We asked whether individual differences in MRS estimates of GABA are uniform across the cortex or vary between regions. In two sessions, resting GABA concentrations in the lateral prefrontal, sensorimotor, dorsal premotor, and occipital cortices were measured in twenty-eight healthy individuals. GABA estimates within each region were stable across weeks, with low coefficients of variation. Despite this stability, the GABA estimates were not correlated between regions. In contrast, the percentage of brain tissue per volume, a control measure, was correlated between the three anterior regions. These results provide an interesting dissociation between an anatomical measure of individual differences and a neurochemical measure. The different patterns of anatomy and GABA concentrations have implications for understanding regional variation in the molecular topography of the brain in health and disease. PMID:27288552
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A Bayesian-Based EDA Tool for Nano-circuits Reliability Calculations
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Ibrahim, Walid; Beiu, Valeriu
As the sizes of (nano-)devices are aggressively scaled deep into the nanometer range, the design and manufacturing of future (nano-)circuits will become extremely complex and inevitably will introduce more defects while their functioning will be adversely affected by transient faults. Therefore, accurately calculating the reliability of future designs will become a very important aspect for (nano-)circuit designers as they investigate several design alternatives to optimize the trade-offs between the conflicting metrics of area-power-energy-delay versus reliability. This paper introduces a novel generic technique for the accurate calculation of the reliability of future nano-circuits. Our aim is to provide both educational and research institutions (as well as the semiconductor industry at a later stage) with an accurate and easy to use tool for closely comparing the reliability of different design alternatives, and for being able to easily select the design that best fits a set of given (design) constraints. Moreover, the reliability model generated by the tool should empower designers with the unique opportunity of understanding the influence individual gates play on the design’s overall reliability, and identifying those (few) gates which impact the design’s reliability most significantly.
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Skinner, Ian W; Hübscher, Markus; Moseley, G Lorimer; Lee, Hopin; Wand, Benedict M; Traeger, Adrian C; Gustin, Sylvia M; McAuley, James H
2017-08-15
Eyetracking is commonly used to investigate attentional bias. Although some studies have investigated the internal consistency of eyetracking, data are scarce on the test-retest reliability and agreement of eyetracking to investigate attentional bias. This study reports the test-retest reliability, measurement error, and internal consistency of 12 commonly used outcome measures thought to reflect the different components of attentional bias: overall attention, early attention, and late attention. Healthy participants completed a preferential-looking eyetracking task that involved the presentation of threatening (sensory words, general threat words, and affective words) and nonthreatening words. We used intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) to measure test-retest reliability (ICC > .70 indicates adequate reliability). The ICCs(2, 1) ranged from -.31 to .71. Reliability varied according to the outcome measure and threat word category. Sensory words had a lower mean ICC (.08) than either affective words (.32) or general threat words (.29). A longer exposure time was associated with higher test-retest reliability. All of the outcome measures, except second-run dwell time, demonstrated low measurement error (<6%). Most of the outcome measures reported high internal consistency (α > .93). Recommendations are discussed for improving the reliability of eyetracking tasks in future research.
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O'Connor, David; Potler, Natan Vega; Kovacs, Meagan; Xu, Ting; Ai, Lei; Pellman, John; Vanderwal, Tamara; Parra, Lucas C; Cohen, Samantha; Ghosh, Satrajit; Escalera, Jasmine; Grant-Villegas, Natalie; Osman, Yael; Bui, Anastasia; Craddock, R Cameron; Milham, Michael P
2017-02-01
Although typically measured during the resting state, a growing literature is illustrating the ability to map intrinsic connectivity with functional MRI during task and naturalistic viewing conditions. These paradigms are drawing excitement due to their greater tolerability in clinical and developing populations and because they enable a wider range of analyses (e.g., inter-subject correlations). To be clinically useful, the test-retest reliability of connectivity measured during these paradigms needs to be established. This resource provides data for evaluating test-retest reliability for full-brain connectivity patterns detected during each of four scan conditions that differ with respect to level of engagement (rest, abstract animations, movie clips, flanker task). Data are provided for 13 participants, each scanned in 12 sessions with 10 minutes for each scan of the four conditions. Diffusion kurtosis imaging data was also obtained at each session. Technical validation and demonstrative reliability analyses were carried out at the connection-level using the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient and at network-level representations of the data using the Image Intraclass Correlation Coefficient. Variation in intrinsic functional connectivity across sessions was generally found to be greater than that attributable to scan condition. Between-condition reliability was generally high, particularly for the frontoparietal and default networks. Between-session reliabilities obtained separately for the different scan conditions were comparable, though notably lower than between-condition reliabilities. This resource provides a test-bed for quantifying the reliability of connectivity indices across subjects, conditions and time. The resource can be used to compare and optimize different frameworks for measuring connectivity and data collection parameters such as scan length. Additionally, investigators can explore the unique perspectives of the brain's functional architecture offered by each of the scan conditions. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press.
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Beck, Alison; Burdett, Mark; Lewis, Helen
2015-06-01
To investigate the impact of waiting for psychological therapy on client well-being as measured by the Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation-Outcome Measure (CORE-OM) global distress (GD) score. Global distress scores were retrieved for all clients referred for psychological therapy in a secondary care mental health service between November 2006 and May 2013 and who had completed a CORE-OM at assessment and first session. GD scores for a subgroup of 103 clients who had completed a CORE-OM during the last therapy session were also reviewed. The study sample experienced a median wait of 41.14 weeks between assessment and first session. The relationship between wait time from referral acceptance to assessment, and assessment GD score was not significant. During the period between assessment and first session no significant difference in GD score was observed. Nevertheless 29.1% of the sample experienced reliable change; 16.0% of clients reliably improved and 13.1% reliably deteriorated whilst waiting for therapy. Demographic factors were not found to have a significant effect on the change in GD score between assessment and first session. Waiting time was associated with post-therapy outcomes but not to a degree which was meaningful. The majority of individuals (54.4%), regardless of whether they improved or deteriorated whilst waiting for therapy, showed reliable improvement at end of therapy as measured by the CORE-OM. The majority of GD scores remained stable while waiting for therapy; however, 29.1% of secondary care clients experienced either reliable improvement or deterioration. Irrespective of whether they improved, deteriorated or remained unchanged whilst waiting for therapy, most individuals who had a complete end of therapy assessment showed reliable improvements following therapy. There was no significant difference in GD score between assessment and first session recordings. A proportion of clients (29.1%) showed reliable change, either improvement or deterioration, as measured by the GD score while waiting for therapy. Of the individuals with last session CORE-OMs (54.4%) showed significant improvement following therapy regardless of whether or not they experienced change while waiting for therapy. Limitations include: Problems of data quality, the data were from a routine data set and data were lost at each stage of the analysis. A focus on the CORE-OM limits exploration of the subjective experience of waiting for psychotherapy and the impact this has on psychological well-being. © 2014 The British Psychological Society.
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Arquero, José L; McLain, David L
2010-05-01
Despite widespread interest in ambiguity tolerance and other information-related individual differences, existing measures are conceptually dispersed and psychometrically weak. This paper presents the Spanish version of MSTAT-II, a short, stimulus-oriented, and psychometrically improved measure of an individual's orientation toward ambiguous stimuli. Results obtained reveal adequate reliability, validity, and temporal stability. These results support the use of MSTAT-II as an adequate measure of ambiguity tolerance.
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Rahnama, Leila; Rezasoltani, Asghar; Khalkhali-Zavieh, Minoo; Rahnama, Behnam; Noori-Kochi, Farhang
2015-01-01
OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted with the purpose of evaluating the inter-session reliability of new software to measure the diameters of the cervical multifidus muscle (CMM), both at rest and during isometric contractions of the shoulder abductors in subjects with neck pain and in healthy individuals. METHOD: In the present study, the reliability of measuring the diameters of the CMM with the Sonosynch software was evaluated by using 24 participants, including 12 subjects with chronic neck pain and 12 healthy individuals. The anterior-posterior diameter (APD) and the lateral diameter (LD) of the CMM were measured in a resting state and then repeated during isometric contraction of the shoulder abductors. Measurements were taken on separate occasions 3 to 7 days apart in order to determine inter-session reliability. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), standard error of measurement (SEM), and smallest detectable difference (SDD) were used to evaluate the relative and absolute reliability, respectively. RESULTS: The Sonosynch software has shown to be highly reliable in measuring the diameters of the CMM both in healthy subjects and in those with neck pain. The ICCs 95% CI for APD ranged from 0.84 to 0.94 in subjects with neck pain and from 0.86 to 0.94 in healthy subjects. For LD, the ICC 95% CI ranged from 0.64 to 0.95 in subjects with neck pain and from 0.82 to 0.92 in healthy subjects. CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasonographic measurement of the diameters of the CMM using Sonosynch has proved to be reliable especially for APD in healthy subjects as well as subjects with neck pain. PMID:26443975
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Gomiero, Tiziano; Bertelli, Marco; Deb, Shoumitro; Weger, Elisabeth; Marangoni, Annachiara; De Bastiani, Elisa; Mantesso, Ulrico; De Vreese, Luc Pieter
2017-01-01
The USA National Task Group (NTG) guidelines advocate the use of an adapted version of Dementia Screening Questionnaire for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (DSQIID) for dementia screening of individuals with Down syndrome (DS) and with other forms of ID (non-DS). In order to meet these guidelines, this study verifies the psychometric properties of an Italian version of the original DSQIID in a population composed of adults aged 40 years and over with DS and non-DS ID. Internal consistency, inter-rater and intra-rater reliabilities, structural validity, convergent validity and known group differences of DSQIID-I were assessed with 200 individuals with ID (mean of 55.2 years; range: 40-80 years) recruited from 15 different centers in Italy. Diagnosis of dementia was done according to IASSID diagnostic criteria and its degree of clinical certainty was defined according to Silverman et al.'s classification (2004). Cronbach's alpha for the DSQIID-I was 0.94. The ICCs for inter-rater and test-retest reliability were both 0.89. A Principal Component analysis revealed three domains, namely memory and confusion- related items, motor and functional disabilities, depression and apathy, which explained almost 40% of the overall variance. The total DSQIID-I score correlated significantly with DMR and differed significantly among those individuals (n = 34) with cognitive decline from those without (n = 166). Age, gender and severity of ID were unrelated to the DSQIID-I. The present study confirms the cross-cultural value of DSQIID which was proved to be a psychometrically valid and user-friendly observer-rated scale for dementia screening in adults with both DS and non-DS ID. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.
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Fojas, Christina L; Kim, Jieun; Minsky-Rowland, Jocelyn D; Algee-Hewitt, Bridget F B
2018-01-01
Skeletal age estimation is an integral part of the biological profile. Recent work shows how multiple-trait approaches better capture senescence as it occurs at different rates among individuals. Furthermore, a Bayesian statistical framework of analysis provides more useful age estimates. The component-scoring method of Transition Analysis (TA) may resolve many of the functional and statistical limitations of traditional phase-aging methods and is applicable to both paleodemography and forensic casework. The present study contributes to TA-research by validating TA for multiple, differently experienced observers using a collection of modern forensic skeletal cases. Five researchers independently applied TA to a random sample of 58 documented individuals from the William M. Bass Forensic Skeletal Collection, for whom knowledge of chronological age was withheld. Resulting scores were input into the ADBOU software and maximum likelihood estimates (MLEs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were produced using the forensic prior. Krippendorff's alpha was used to evaluate interrater reliability and agreement. Inaccuracy and bias were measured to gauge the magnitude and direction of difference between estimated ages and chronological ages among the five observers. The majority of traits had moderate to excellent agreement among observers (≥0.6). The superior surface morphology had the least congruence (0.4), while the ventral symphyseal margin had the most (0.9) among scores. Inaccuracy was the lowest for individuals younger than 30 and the greatest for individuals over 60. Consistent over-estimation of individuals younger than 30 and under-estimation of individuals over 40 years old occurred. Individuals in their 30s showed a mixed pattern of under- and over-estimation among observers. These results support the use of the TA method by researchers of varying experience levels. Further, they validate its use on forensic cases, given the low error overall. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Pattyn, Elise; Rajendran, Dévan
2014-04-01
Practitioners traditionally use observation to classify the position of patients' anatomical landmarks. This information may contribute to diagnosis and patient management. To calculate a) Inter-rater reliability of categorising the sagittal plane position of four anatomical landmarks (lateral femoral epicondyle, greater trochanter, mastoid process and acromion) on side-view photographs (with landmarks highlighted and not-highlighted) of anonymised subjects; b) Intra-rater reliability; c) Individual landmark inter-rater reliability; d) Validity against a 'gold standard' photograph. Online inter- and intra-rater reliability study. Photographed subjects: convenience sample of asymptomatic students; raters: randomly selected UK registered osteopaths. 40 photographs of 30 subjects were used, a priori clinically acceptable reliability was ≥0.4. Inter-rater arm: 20 photographs without landmark highlights plus 10 with highlights; Intra-rater arm: 10 duplicate photographs (non-highlighted landmarks). Validity arm: highlighted landmark scores versus 'gold standard' photographs with vertical line. Research ethics approval obtained. Osteopaths (n = 48) categorised landmark position relative to imagined vertical-line; Gwet's Agreement Coefficient 1 (AC1) calculated and chance-corrected coefficient benchmarked against Landis and Koch's scale; Validity calculation used Kendall's tau-B. Inter-rater reliability was 'fair' (AC1 = 0.342; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.279-0.404) for non-highlighted landmarks and 'moderate' (AC1 = 0.700; 95% CI = 0.596-0.805) for highlighted landmarks. Intra-rater reliability was 'fair' (AC1 = 0.522); range was 'poor' (AC1 = 0.160) to 'substantial' (AC1 = 0.896). No differences were found between individual landmarks. Validity was 'low' (TB = 0.327; p = 0.104). Both inter- and intra-rater reliability was 'fair' but below clinically acceptable levels, validity was 'low'. Together these results challenge the clinical practice of using observation to categorise anterio-posterior landmark position. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Chen, J Y C; Terrence, P I
2009-08-01
This study investigated the performance and workload of the combined position of gunner and robotics operator in a simulated military multitasking environment. Specifically, the study investigated how aided target recognition (AiTR) capabilities for the gunnery task with imperfect reliability (false-alarm-prone vs. miss-prone) might affect the concurrent robotics and communication tasks. Additionally, the study examined whether performance was affected by individual differences in spatial ability and attentional control. Results showed that when the robotics task was simply monitoring the video, participants had the best performance in their gunnery and communication tasks and the lowest perceived workload, compared with the other robotics tasking conditions. There was a strong interaction between the type of AiTR unreliability and participants' perceived attentional control. Overall, for participants with higher perceived attentional control, false-alarm-prone alerts were more detrimental; for low attentional control participants, conversely, miss-prone automation was more harmful. Low spatial ability participants preferred visual cueing and high spatial ability participants favoured tactile cueing. Potential applications of the findings include personnel selection for robotics operation, robotics user interface designs and training development. The present results will provide further understanding of the interplays among automation reliability, multitasking performance and individual differences in military tasking environments. These results will also facilitate the implementation of robots in military settings and will provide useful data to military system designs.
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Individual Differences in the "Myside Bias" in Reasoning and Written Argumentation
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Wolfe, Christopher R.
2012-01-01
Three studies examined the "myside bias" in reasoning, evaluating written arguments, and writing argumentative essays. Previous research suggests that some people possess a fact-based argumentation schema and some people have a balanced argumentation schema. I developed reliable Likert scale instruments (1-7 rating) for these constructs…
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A Performance of Individual Differences in Selective Attention.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Wahl, Otto
A reliable, easily administered performance test of selective attentional ability was sought. A monaural listening task provided a baseline control for adequate hearing and memory; a dichotic listening task then provided indices of ability to focus attention and resist distraction while a simultaneous listening task provided measures of ability to…
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Cultural Competency: How Is It Measured? Does It Make a Difference?
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Geron, Scott Miyake
2002-01-01
Shortcomings in the measurement of cultural competence of health care and social service providers include the following: (1) failure to define individual and organizational cultural competence; (2) failure to include client/patient perspectives in design; and (3) failure to test reliability, validity, and psychometric properties of instruments.…
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Guedes, Keyte; Pereira, Cecília; Pavan, Karina; Valério, Berenice Cataldo Oliveira
2010-02-01
The aim of this study is the cross-cultural, as well as to validate in Portuguese language the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale - Revised (ALSFRS-R). We performed a prospective study of individuals with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) clinically defined. The scale, after obtaining the final version in Portuguese, was administered in 22 individuals and three weeks after re-applied. There were no significant differences between the application and reapplication of the scale (p=0.069). The linear regression and internal consistency measured by Pearson correlation and alpha Conbrach were significant with r=0.975 e alpha=0.934. The reliability test-retest demonstrated by intraclass correlation coefficient was strong with ICC=0.975. Therefore, this version proved to be applicable, reliable and easy to be conducted in clinical practice and research.
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NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kammel, H.; Haase, H.
An experimental psycho-physiological method is presented for the evaluation of visual-cognitive performance preconditions and operational reliability of pilots and cosmonauts. As visual-cognitive stress are used tachistoscopically presented instrument symbols under conditions of individual speed of work and time pressure. The results of the compared extreme groups consisting of pilots with good and insufficient flight performance showed that the pilots with impairments to the quality of flight activity differ already before the test in their individual habitual characteristics and actual motivation, during the stress in their operational parameters, in the dimensions of their cardiorespiratory activation as well as in their efficiency and after the stress in their subjective experience of the stress. Conclusions are drawn for the evaluation of the aptitude of pilots and cosmonauts.
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Noble, Adam J; Reilly, James; Temple, James; Fisher, Peter L
2018-05-07
Psychological treatment is recommended for depression and anxiety in those with epilepsy. This review used standardised criteria to evaluate, for the first time, the clinical relevance of any symptom change these treatments afford patients. Databases were searched until March 2017 for relevant trials in adults. Trial quality was assessed and trial authors asked for individual participants' pre-treatment and post-treatment distress data. Jacobson's methodology determined the proportion in the different trial arms demonstrating reliable symptom change on primary and secondary outcome measures and its direction. Search yielded 580 unique articles; only eight eligible trials were identified. Individual participant data for five trials-which included 398 (85%) of the 470 participants randomised by the trials-were received. The treatments evaluated lasted ~7 hours and all incorporated cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT). Depression was the primary outcome in all; anxiety a secondary outcome in one. On average, post-treatment assessments occurred 12 weeks following randomisation; 2 weeks after treatment had finished. There were some limitations in how trials were conducted, but overall trial quality was 'good'. Pooled risk difference indicated likelihood of reliable improvement in depression symptoms was significantly higher for those randomised to CBT. The extent of gain was though low-the depressive symptoms of most participants (66.9%) receiving CBT were 'unchanged' and 2.7% 'reliably deteriorated'. Only 30.4% made a 'reliable improvement. This compares with 10.2% of participants in the control arms who 'reliably improved' without intervention. The effect of the treatments on secondary outcome measures, including anxiety, was also low. Existing CBT treatments appear to have limited benefit for depression symptoms in epilepsy. Almost 70% of people with epilepsy do not reliably improve following CBT. Only a limited number of trials have though been conducted in this area and there remains a need for large, well-conducted trials. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.
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Unreliable evoked responses in autism
Dinstein, Ilan; Heeger, David J.; Lorenzi, Lauren; Minshew, Nancy J.; Malach, Rafael; Behrmann, Marlene
2012-01-01
Summary Autism has been described as a disorder of general neural processing, but the particular processing characteristics that might be abnormal in autism have mostly remained obscure. Here, we present evidence of one such characteristic: poor evoked response reliability. We compared cortical response amplitude and reliability (consistency across trials) in visual, auditory, and somatosensory cortices of high-functioning individuals with autism and controls. Mean response amplitudes were statistically indistinguishable across groups, yet trial-by-trial response reliability was significantly weaker in autism, yielding smaller signal-to-noise ratios in all sensory systems. Response reliability differences were evident only in evoked cortical responses and not in ongoing resting-state activity. These findings reveal that abnormally unreliable cortical responses, even to elementary non-social sensory stimuli, may represent a fundamental physiological alteration of neural processing in autism. The results motivate a critical expansion of autism research to determine whether (and how) basic neural processing properties such as reliability, plasticity, and adaptation/habituation are altered in autism. PMID:22998867
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NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Williams, Richard S. (Editor); Doarn, Charles R. (Editor); Shepanek, Marc A.
2017-01-01
In the realm of aerospace engineering and the physical sciences, we have developed laws of physics based on empirical and research evidence that reliably guide design, research, and development efforts. For instance, an engineer designs a system based on data and experience that can be consistently and repeatedly verified. This reproducibility depends on the consistency and dependability of the materials on which the engineer works and is subject to physics, geometry and convention. In life sciences and medicine, these apply as well, but individuality introduces a host of variables into the mix, resulting in characteristics and outcomes that can be quite broad within a population of individuals. This individuality ranges from differences at the genetic and cellular level to differences in an individuals personality and abilities due to sex and gender, environment, education, etc.
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Szepsenwol, Ohad; Simpson, Jeffry A
2018-03-15
In this article, we discuss theory and research on how individual differences in adult attachment mediate the adaptive calibration of reproductive strategies, cognitive schemas, and emotional expression and regulation. We first present an integration of attachment theory and life history theory. Then, we discuss how early harsh and/or unpredictable environments may promote insecure attachment by hampering parents' ability to provide sensitive and reliable care to their children. Finally, we discuss how, in the context of harsh and/or unpredictable environments, different types of insecure attachment (i.e. anxiety and avoidance) may promote evolutionary adaptive reproductive strategies, cognitive schemas, and emotional expression and regulation profiles. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Haist, Frank; Wazny, Jarnet H; Toomarian, Elizabeth; Adamo, Maha
2015-02-01
A central question in cognitive and educational neuroscience is whether brain operations supporting nonlinguistic intuitive number sense (numerosity) predict individual acquisition and academic achievement for symbolic or "formal" math knowledge. Here, we conducted a developmental functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study of nonsymbolic numerosity task performance in 44 participants including 14 school age children (6-12 years old), 14 adolescents (13-17 years old), and 16 adults and compared a brain activity measure of numerosity precision to scores from the Woodcock-Johnson III Broad Math index of math academic achievement. Accuracy and reaction time from the numerosity task did not reliably predict formal math achievement. We found a significant positive developmental trend for improved numerosity precision in the parietal cortex and intraparietal sulcus specifically. Controlling for age and overall cognitive ability, we found a reliable positive relationship between individual math achievement scores and parietal lobe activity only in children. In addition, children showed robust positive relationships between math achievement and numerosity precision within ventral stream processing areas bilaterally. The pattern of results suggests a dynamic developmental trajectory for visual discrimination strategies that predict the acquisition of formal math knowledge. In adults, the efficiency of visual discrimination marked by numerosity acuity in ventral occipital-temporal cortex and hippocampus differentiated individuals with better or worse formal math achievement, respectively. Overall, these results suggest that two different brain systems for nonsymbolic numerosity acuity may contribute to individual differences in math achievement and that the contribution of these systems differs across development. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Haist, Frank; Wazny, Jarnet H.; Toomarian, Elizabeth; Adamo, Maha
2015-01-01
A central question in cognitive and educational neuroscience is whether brain operations supporting non-linguistic intuitive number sense (numerosity) predict individual acquisition and academic achievement for symbolic or “formal” math knowledge. Here, we conducted a developmental functional MRI study of nonsymbolic numerosity task performance in 44 participants including 14 school age children (6–12 years-old), 14 adolescents (13–17 years-old), and 16 adults and compared a brain activity measure of numerosity precision to scores from the Woodcock-Johnson III Broad Math index of math academic achievement. Accuracy and reaction time from the numerosity task did not reliably predict formal math achievement. We found a significant positive developmental trend for improved numerosity precision in the parietal cortex and intraparietal sulcus (IPS) specifically. Controlling for age and overall cognitive ability, we found a reliable positive relationship between individual math achievement scores and parietal lobe activity only in children. In addition, children showed robust positive relationships between math achievement and numerosity precision within ventral stream processing areas bilaterally. The pattern of results suggests a dynamic developmental trajectory for visual discrimination strategies that predict the acquisition of formal math knowledge. In adults, the efficiency of visual discrimination marked by numerosity acuity in ventral occipital-temporal cortex and hippocampus differentiated individuals with better or worse formal math achievement, respectively. Overall, these results suggest that two different brain systems for nonsymbolic numerosity acuity may contribute to individual differences in math achievement and that the contribution of these systems differs across development. PMID:25327879
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Paesani, Daniel A; Guarda-Nardini, Luca; Gelos, Carlota; Salmaso, Luigi; Manfredini, Daniele
2014-03-01
The aim was to answer the clinical research question: is incisal/occlusal tooth wear assessment on dental casts performed by five professionals with expertise in different fields of dentistry reliable? Five examiners with different fields of expertise in the dental profession assessed tooth wear on dental casts of 45 subjects, based on a six-degree rating of incisal/occlusal wear. After a calibration meeting, the examiners evaluated the casts individually and various issues concerning interexaminer agreement and reliability were assessed. A total of 872 teeth were evaluated. The five examiners agreed only for the rating of 6.6% of the teeth. The teeth with the highest percentage of agreement were the premolars. Pairwise comparison of the assessments of the examiners #1 (bruxism expert), #2 (orthodontist), #3 (temporomandibular disorders [TMD] and occlusion expert), #4 (dental nurse) showed fair to moderate agreement, with κ-values ranging from 0.306 to 0.577, whilst the examiner #5 (lab technician) achieved low interexaminer reliability values with all the other four examiners. The interexaminer reliability of tooth wear assessment on dental casts performed by five professionals with expertise in different fields of dentistry is highly variable. General practitioners should keep in mind that consensus decisions by the examiners and assessment by raters belonging to the same dental discipline are recommended strategies to increase the reliability of tooth wear evaluation in the clinical setting. This investigation adds to the literature suggesting that, in a clinical setting, a single examiner's assessment of tooth wear on dental casts does not have optimal reliability and that it may be source of internal validity problems in the research setting.
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Lee, Shu-Chun; Tang, Shih-Fen; Lu, Wen-Shian; Huang, Sheau-Ling; Deng, Nai-Yu; Lue, Wen-Chyn; Hsieh, Ching-Lin
2016-12-30
The minimal detectable change (MDC) of the Personal and Social Performance scale (PSP) has not yet been investigated, limiting its utility in data interpretation. The purpose of this study was to determine the MDCs of the PSP administered by the same rater or different raters in individuals with schizophrenia. Participants with schizophrenia were recruited from two psychiatric community rehabilitation centers to complete the PSP assessments twice, 2 weeks apart, by the same rater or 2 different raters. MDC values were calculated from the coefficients of intra- and inter-rater reliability (i.e., intraclass correlation coefficients). Forty patients (mean age 36.9 years, SD 9.7) from one center participated in the intra-rater reliability study. Another 40 patients (mean age 44.3 years, SD 11.1) from the other center participated in the inter-rater study. The MDCs (MDC%) of the PSP were 10.7 (17.1%) for the same rater and 16.2 (24.1%) for different raters. The MDCs of the PSP appeared appropriate for clinical trials aiming to determine whether a real change in social functioning has occurred in people with schizophrenia. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Ultra Reliability Workshop Introduction
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Shapiro, Andrew A.
2006-01-01
This plan is the accumulation of substantial work by a large number of individuals. The Ultra-Reliability team consists of representatives from each center who have agreed to champion the program and be the focal point for their center. A number of individuals from NASA, government agencies (including the military), universities, industry and non-governmental organizations also contributed significantly to this effort. Most of their names may be found on the Ultra-Reliability PBMA website.
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Liuzzo, Derek M; Peters, Denise M; Middleton, Addie; Lanier, Wes; Chain, Rebecca; Barksdale, Brittany; Fritz, Stacy L
Clinicians and researchers have used bathroom scales, balance performance monitors with feedback, postural scale analysis, and force platforms to evaluate weight bearing asymmetry (WBA). Now video game consoles offer a novel alternative for assessing this construct. By using specialized software, the Nintendo Wii Fit balance board can provide reliable measurements of WBA in healthy, young adults. However, reliability of measurements obtained using only the factory settings to assess WBA in older adults and individuals with stroke has not been established. To determine whether measurements of WBA obtained using the Nintendo Wii Fit balance board and default settings are reliable in older adults and individuals with stroke. Weight bearing asymmetry was assessed using the Nintendo Wii Fit balance board in 2 groups of participants-individuals older than 65 years (n = 41) and individuals with stroke (n = 41). Participants were given a standardized set of instructions and were not provided auditory or visual feedback. Two trials were performed. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), standard error of measure (SEM), and minimal detectable change (MDC) scores were determined for each group. The ICC for the older adults sample was 0.59 (0.35-0.76) with SEM95 = 6.2% and MDC95 = 8.8%. The ICC for the sample including individuals with stroke was 0.60 (0.47-0.70) with SEM95 = 9.6% and MDC95 = 13.6%. Although measurements of WBA obtained using the Nintendo Wii Fit balance board, and its default factory settings, demonstrate moderate reliability in older adults and individuals with stroke, the relatively high associated SEM and MDC values substantially reduce the clinical utility of the Nintendo Wii Fit balance board as an assessment tool for WBA. Weight bearing asymmetry cannot be measured reliably in older adults and individuals with stroke using the Nintendo Wii Fit balance board without the use of specialized software.
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Liuzzo, Derek M.; Peters, Denise M.; Middleton, Addie; Lanier, Wes; Chain, Rebecca; Barksdale, Brittany; Fritz, Stacy L.
2015-01-01
Background Clinicians and researchers have used bathroom scales, balance performance monitors with feedback, postural scale analysis, and force platforms to evaluate weight bearing asymmetry (WBA). Now video game consoles offer a novel alternative for assessing this construct. By using specialized software, the Nintendo Wii Fit balance board can provide reliable measurements of WBA in healthy, young adults. However, reliability of measurements obtained using only the factory settings to assess WBA in older adults and individuals with stroke has not been established. Purpose To determine whether measurements of WBA obtained using the Nintendo Wii Fit balance board and default settings are reliable in older adults and individuals with stroke. Methods Weight bearing asymmetry was assessed using the Nintendo Wii Fit balance board in 2 groups of participants—individuals older than 65 years (n = 41) and individuals with stroke (n = 41). Participants were given a standardized set of instructions and were not provided auditory or visual feedback. Two trials were performed. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), standard error of measure (SEM), and minimal detectable change (MDC) scores were determined for each group. Results The ICC for the older adults sample was 0.59 (0.35–0.76) with SEM95= 6.2% and MDC95= 8.8%. The ICC for the sample including individuals with stroke was 0.60 (0.47–0.70) with SEM95= 9.6% and MDC95= 13.6%. Discussion Although measurements of WBA obtained using the Nintendo Wii Fit balance board, and its default factory settings, demonstrate moderate reliability in older adults and individuals with stroke, the relatively high associated SEM and MDC values substantially reduce the clinical utility of the Nintendo Wii Fit balance board as an assessment tool for WBA. Conclusions Weight bearing asymmetry cannot be measured reliably in older adults and individuals with stroke using the Nintendo Wii Fit balance board without the use of specialized software. PMID:26288237
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Immediate responses to individual dialogic music therapy in patients in low awareness states.
Binzer, Isolde; Schmidt, Hans Ulrich; Timmermann, Tonius; Jochheim, Maret; Bender, Andreas
2016-01-01
The aim of this study was to analyse immediate responses to individual dialogic music therapy (IDMT) of patients with unresponsive wakefulness syndrome (UWS) and individuals in a minimally conscious state (MCS) and to develop an assessment tool for IDMT. Seven patients were subjected to three conditions: (1) sounds and stimuli of the daily environment immediately before IDMT, (2) specific improvisational music therapy intended to establish a dialogue with the patient (IDMT) and (3) sounds and stimuli of the daily environment immediately after IDMT. Video recordings were analysed by six independent assessors using 'Music Therapy in a Vegetative or Minimally Conscious State (MUVES)', an assessment tool developed in this study. Diagnosis of UWS or MCS was established using the coma recovery scale-revised (CRS-R). During IDMT, MUVES total score was higher than during the other conditions (mean difference = 3.36; p = 0.02). During IDMT, there was no significant difference in MUVES total score between the UWS and MCS sub-groups (p = 0.29). Mean inter-rater-reliability of MUVES total score was 0.76. IDMT may induce immediate responses in patients in low awareness states, particularly also in patients with UWS. MUVES appears to be an acceptably reliable assessment tool for IDMT.
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Jones, Anne; Sealey, Rebecca; Crowe, Michael; Gordon, Susan
2014-10-01
The aim of this study was to assess the concurrent validity and reliability of the Simple Goniometer (SG) iPhone® app compared to the Universal Goniometer (UG). Within subject comparison design comparing the UG with the SG app. James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia. Thirty-six volunteer participants, with a mean age of 60.6 years (SD 6.2). Not applicable. Thirty-six participants performed three standing lunges during which the knee joint angle was measured with the SG app and the UG. There were no significant differences in the measures of individual knee joint angles between the UG and the SG app. Pearson correlations of 0.96-0.98 and intraclass correlation coefficients of 0.97-0.99 (95% confidence interval: 0.95-1.00) were recorded for all measures. Using the Bland-Altman method, the standard error of the mean of the differences and the standard deviation of the mean of the differences were low. The measurements from the SG iPhone® app were reliable and possessed concurrent validity for this sample and protocol when compared to the UG.
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Judging in Rhythmic Gymnastics at Different Levels of Performance.
Leandro, Catarina; Ávila-Carvalho, Lurdes; Sierra-Palmeiro, Elena; Bobo-Arce, Marta
2017-12-01
This study aimed to analyse the quality of difficulty judging in rhythmic gymnastics, at different levels of performance. The sample consisted of 1152 difficulty scores concerning 288 individual routines, performed in the World Championships in 2013. The data were analysed using the mean absolute judge deviation from the final difficulty score, a Cronbach's alpha coefficient and intra-class correlations, for consistency and reliability assessment. For validity assessment, mean deviations of judges' difficulty scores, the Kendall's coefficient of concordance W and ANOVA eta-squared values were calculated. Overall, the results in terms of consistency (Cronbach's alpha mostly above 0.90) and reliability (intra-class correlations for single and average measures above 0.70 and 0.90, respectively) were satisfactory, in the first and third parts of the ranking on all apparatus. The medium level gymnasts, those in the second part of the ranking, had inferior reliability indices and highest score dispersion. In this part, the minimum of corrected item-total correlation of individual judges was 0.55, with most values well below, and the matrix for between-judge correlations identified remarkable inferior correlations. These findings suggest that the quality of difficulty judging in rhythmic gymnastics may be compromised at certain levels of performance. In future, special attention should be paid to the judging analysis of the medium level gymnasts, as well as the Code of Points applicability at this level.
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Judging in Rhythmic Gymnastics at Different Levels of Performance
Ávila-Carvalho, Lurdes; Sierra-Palmeiro, Elena; Bobo-Arce, Marta
2017-01-01
Abstract This study aimed to analyse the quality of difficulty judging in rhythmic gymnastics, at different levels of performance. The sample consisted of 1152 difficulty scores concerning 288 individual routines, performed in the World Championships in 2013. The data were analysed using the mean absolute judge deviation from the final difficulty score, a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient and intra-class correlations, for consistency and reliability assessment. For validity assessment, mean deviations of judges’ difficulty scores, the Kendall’s coefficient of concordance W and ANOVA eta-squared values were calculated. Overall, the results in terms of consistency (Cronbach’s alpha mostly above 0.90) and reliability (intra-class correlations for single and average measures above 0.70 and 0.90, respectively) were satisfactory, in the first and third parts of the ranking on all apparatus. The medium level gymnasts, those in the second part of the ranking, had inferior reliability indices and highest score dispersion. In this part, the minimum of corrected item-total correlation of individual judges was 0.55, with most values well below, and the matrix for between-judge correlations identified remarkable inferior correlations. These findings suggest that the quality of difficulty judging in rhythmic gymnastics may be compromised at certain levels of performance. In future, special attention should be paid to the judging analysis of the medium level gymnasts, as well as the Code of Points applicability at this level. PMID:29339996
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Reliability and Maintainability Analysis for the Amine Swingbed Carbon Dioxide Removal System
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Dunbar, Tyler
2016-01-01
I have performed a reliability & maintainability analysis for the Amine Swingbed payload system. The Amine Swingbed is a carbon dioxide removal technology that has gone through 2,400 hours of International Space Station on-orbit use between 2013 and 2016. While the Amine Swingbed is currently an experimental payload system, the Amine Swingbed may be converted to system hardware. If the Amine Swingbed becomes system hardware, it will supplement the Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) as the primary CO2 removal technology on the International Space Station. NASA is also considering using the Amine Swingbed as the primary carbon dioxide removal technology for future extravehicular mobility units and for the Orion, which will be used for the Asteroid Redirect and Journey to Mars missions. The qualitative component of the reliability and maintainability analysis is a Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA). In the FMEA, I have investigated how individual components in the Amine Swingbed may fail, and what the worst case scenario is should a failure occur. The significant failure effects are the loss of ability to remove carbon dioxide, the formation of ammonia due to chemical degradation of the amine, and loss of atmosphere because the Amine Swingbed uses the vacuum of space to regenerate the Amine Swingbed. In the quantitative component of the reliability and maintainability analysis, I have assumed a constant failure rate for both electronic and nonelectronic parts. Using this data, I have created a Poisson distribution to predict the failure rate of the Amine Swingbed as a whole. I have determined a mean time to failure for the Amine Swingbed to be approximately 1,400 hours. The observed mean time to failure for the system is between 600 and 1,200 hours. This range includes initial testing of the Amine Swingbed, as well as software faults that are understood to be non-critical. If many of the commercial parts were switched to military-grade parts, the expected mean time to failure would be 2,300 hours. Both calculated mean times to failure for the Amine Swingbed use conservative failure rate models. The observed mean time to failure for CDRA is 2,500 hours. Working on this project and for NASA in general has helped me gain insight into current aeronautics missions, reliability engineering, circuit analysis, and different cultures. Prior my internship, I did not have a lot knowledge about the work being performed at NASA. As a chemical engineer, I had not really considered working for NASA as a career path. By engaging in interactions with civil servants, contractors, and other interns, I have learned a great deal about modern challenges that NASA is addressing. My work has helped me develop a knowledge base in safety and reliability that would be difficult to find elsewhere. Prior to this internship, I had not thought about reliability engineering. Now, I have gained a skillset in performing reliability analyses, and understanding the inner workings of a large mechanical system. I have also gained experience in understanding how electrical systems work while I was analyzing the electrical components of the Amine Swingbed. I did not expect to be exposed to as many different cultures as I have while working at NASA. I am referring to both within NASA and the Houston area. NASA employs individuals with a broad range of backgrounds. It has been great to learn from individuals who have highly diverse experiences and outlooks on the world. In the Houston area, I have come across individuals from different parts of the world. Interacting with such a high number of individuals with significantly different backgrounds has helped me to grow as a person in ways that I did not expect. My time at NASA has opened a window into the field of aeronautics. After earning a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering, I plan to go to graduate school for a PhD in engineering. Prior to coming to NASA, I was not aware of the graduate Pathways program. I intend to apply for the graduate Pathways program as positions are opened up. I would like to pursue future opportunities with NASA, especially as my engineering career progresses.
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Shaw, Rachael C
2017-01-01
Developing cognitive tasks to reliably quantify individual differences in cognitive ability is critical to advance our understanding of the fitness consequences of cognition in the wild. Several factors may influence individual performance in a cognitive task, with some being unrelated to the cognitive ability that is the target of the test. It is therefore essential to assess how extraneous factors may affect task performance, particularly for those tasks that are frequently used to quantify individual differences in cognitive ability. The current study therefore measured the performance of wild North Island robins in two tasks commonly used to measure individual differences in avian cognition: a novel motor task and a detour reaching task. The robins' performance in the motor task was affected by prior experience; individuals that had previously participated in a similar task that required a different motor action pattern outperformed naïve subjects. By contrast, detour reaching performance was influenced by an individual's body condition, suggesting that energetic state may affect inhibitory control in robins. Designing tasks that limit the influence of past experience and developing means of standardising motivation across animals tested in the wild remain key challenges to improving current measurements of cognitive ability in birds. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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Fleck, Jessica I.; Green, Deborah L.; Stevenson, Jennifer L.; Payne, Lisa; Bowden, Edward M.; Jung-Beeman, Mark; Kounios, John
2008-01-01
Transliminality reflects individual differences in the threshold at which unconscious processes or external stimuli enter into consciousness. Individuals high in transliminality possess characteristics such as magical ideation, belief in the paranormal, and creative personality traits, and also report the occurrence of manic/mystic experiences. The goal of the present research was to determine if resting brain activity differs for individuals high versus low in transliminality. We compared baseline EEG recordings (eyes-closed) between individuals high versus low in transliminality, assessed using The Revised Transliminality Scale of Lange et al. (2000). Identifying reliable differences at rest between high- and low-transliminality individuals would support a predisposition for transliminality-related traits. Individuals high in transliminality exhibited lower alpha, beta, and gamma power than individuals low in transliminality over left posterior association cortex and lower high alpha, low beta, and gamma power over the right superior temporal region. In contrast, when compared to individuals low in transliminality, individuals high in transliminality exhibited greater gamma power over the frontal-midline region. These results are consistent with prior research reporting reductions in left temporal/parietal activity, as well as the desynchronization of right temporal activity in schizotypy and related schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Further, differences between high- and low-transliminality groups extend existing theories linking altered hemispheric asymmetries in brain activity to a predisposition toward schizophrenia, paranormal beliefs, and unusual experiences. PMID:18814870
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Individual Differences in Response to Automation: The Five Factor Model of Personality
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Szalma, James L.; Taylor, Grant S.
2011-01-01
This study examined the relationship of operator personality (Five Factor Model) and characteristics of the task and of adaptive automation (reliability and adaptiveness--whether the automation was well-matched to changes in task demand) to operator performance, workload, stress, and coping. This represents the first investigation of how the Five…
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Schlotz, Wolff; Yim, Ilona S.; Zoccola, Peggy M.; Jansen, Lars; Schulz, Peter
2011-01-01
There is accumulating evidence that individual differences in stress reactivity contribute to the risk for stress-related disease. However, the assessment of stress reactivity remains challenging, and there is a relative lack of questionnaires reliably assessing this construct. We here present the Perceived Stress Reactivity Scale (PSRS), a…
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Ruble, Lisa; McGrew, John H.; Toland, Michael D.
2012-01-01
Goal attainment scaling (GAS) holds promise as an idiographic approach for measuring outcomes of psychosocial interventions in community settings. GAS has been criticized for untested assumptions of scaling level (i.e., interval or ordinal), inter-individual equivalence and comparability, and reliability of coding across different behavioral…
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The inter and intra rater reliability of the Netball Movement Screening Tool.
Reid, Duncan A; Vanweerd, Rebecca J; Larmer, Peter J; Kingstone, Rachel
2015-05-01
To establish the inter- and intra-rater reliability of the Netball Movement Screening Tool, for screening adolescent female netball players. Inter- and intra-rater reliability study. Forty secondary school netball players were recruited to take part in the study. Twenty subjects were screened simultaneously and independently by two raters to ascertain inter-rater agreement. Twenty subjects were scored by rater one on two occasions, separated by a week, to ascertain intra-rater agreement. Inter and intra-rater agreement was assessed utilising the two-way mixed inter class correlation coefficient and weighted kappa statistics. No significant demographic differences were found between the inter and intra-rater groups of subjects. Inter class correlation coefficients' demonstrated excellent inter-rater (two-way mixed inter class correlation coefficients 0.84, standard error of measurement 0.25) and intra-rater (two-way mixed inter class correlation coefficients 0.96, standard error of measurement 0.13) reliability for the overall Netball Movement Screening Tool score and substantial-excellent (two-way mixed inter class correlation coefficients 1.0-0.65) inter-rater and substantial-excellent intra-rater (two-way mixed inter class correlation coefficients 0.96-0.79) reliability for the component scores of the Netball Movement Screening Tool. Kappa statistic showed substantial to poor inter-rater (k=0.75-0.32) and intra-rater (k=0.77-0.27) agreement for individual tests of the NMST. The Netball Movement Screening Tool may be a reliable screening tool for adolescent netball players; however the individual test scores have low reliability. The screening tool can be administered reliably by raters with similar levels of training in the tool but variable clinical experience. On-going research needs to be undertaken to ascertain whether the Netball Movement Screening Tool is a valid tool in ascertaining increased injury risk for netball players. Copyright © 2014 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Dandanell, Sune; Præst, Charlotte Boslev; Søndergård, Stine Dam; Skovborg, Camilla; Dela, Flemming; Larsen, Steen; Helge, Jørn Wulff
2017-04-01
Maximal fat oxidation (MFO) and the exercise intensity that elicits MFO (Fat Max ) are commonly determined by indirect calorimetry during graded exercise tests in both obese and normal-weight individuals. However, no protocol has been validated in individuals with obesity. Thus, the aims were to develop a graded exercise protocol for determination of Fat Max in individuals with obesity, and to test validity and inter-method reliability. Fat oxidation was assessed over a range of exercise intensities in 16 individuals (age: 28 (26-29) years; body mass index: 36 (35-38) kg·m -2 ; 95% confidence interval) on a cycle ergometer. The graded exercise protocol was validated against a short continuous exercise (SCE) protocol, in which Fat Max was determined from fat oxidation at rest and during 10 min of continuous exercise at 35%, 50%, and 65% of maximal oxygen uptake. Intraclass and Pearson correlation coefficients between the protocols were 0.75 and 0.72 and within-subject coefficient of variation (CV) was 5 (3-7)%. A Bland-Altman plot revealed a bias of -3% points of maximal oxygen uptake (limits of agreement: -12 to 7). A tendency towards a systematic difference (p = 0.06) was observed, where Fat Max occurred at 42 (40-44)% and 45 (43-47)% of maximal oxygen uptake with the graded and the SCE protocol, respectively. In conclusion, there was a high-excellent correlation and a low CV between the 2 protocols, suggesting that the graded exercise protocol has a high inter-method reliability. However, considerable intra-individual variation and a trend towards systematic difference between the protocols reveal that further optimization of the graded exercise protocol is needed to improve validity.
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Ammann, Claudia; Lindquist, Martin A; Celnik, Pablo A
It is well known that transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is capable of modulating corticomotor excitability. However, a source of growing concern has been the observed inter- and intra-individual variability of tDCS-responses. Recent studies have assessed whether individuals respond in a predictable manner across repeated sessions of anodal tDCS (atDCS). The findings of these investigations have been inconsistent, and their methods have some limitations (i.e. lack of sham condition or testing only one tDCS intensity). To study inter- and intra-individual variability of atDCS effects at two different intensities on primary motor cortex (M1) excitability. Twelve subjects participated in a crossover study testing 7-min atDCS over M1 in three separate conditions (2 mA, 1 mA, sham) each repeated three times separated by 48 h. Motor evoked potentials were recorded before and after stimulation (up to 30min). Time of testing was maintained consistent within participants. To estimate the reliability of tDCS effects across sessions, we calculated the Intra-class Correlation Coefficient (ICC). AtDCS at 2 mA, but not 1 mA, significantly increased cortical excitability at the group level in all sessions. The overall ICC revealed fair to high reliability of tDCS effects for multiple sessions. Given that the distribution of responses showed important variability in the sham condition, we established a Sham Variability-Based Threshold to classify responses and to track individual changes across sessions. Using this threshold an intra-individual consistent response pattern was then observed only for the 2 mA condition. 2 mA anodal tDCS results in consistent intra- and inter-individual increases of M1 excitability. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Dontje, Manon L; Dall, Philippa M; Skelton, Dawn A; Gill, Jason M R; Chastin, Sebastien F M
2018-01-01
Prolonged sedentary behaviour (SB) is associated with poor health. It is unclear which SB measure is most appropriate for interventions and population surveillance to measure and interpret change in behaviour in older adults. The aims of this study: to examine the relative and absolute reliability, Minimal Detectable Change (MDC) and responsiveness to change of subjective and objective methods of measuring SB in older adults and give recommendations of use for different study designs. SB of 18 older adults (aged 71 (IQR 7) years) was assessed using a systematic set of six subjective tools, derived from the TAxonomy of Self report Sedentary behaviour Tools (TASST), and one objective tool (activPAL3c), over 14 days. Relative reliability (Intra Class Correlation coefficients-ICC), absolute reliability (SEM), MDC, and the relative responsiveness (Cohen's d effect size (ES) and Guyatt's Responsiveness coefficient (GR)) were calculated for each of the different tools and ranked for different study designs. ICC ranged from 0.414 to 0.946, SEM from 36.03 to 137.01 min, MDC from 1.66 to 8.42 hours, ES from 0.017 to 0.259 and GR from 0.024 to 0.485. Objective average day per week measurement ranked as most responsive in a clinical practice setting, whereas a one day measurement ranked highest in quasi-experimental, longitudinal and controlled trial study designs. TV viewing-Previous Week Recall (PWR) ranked as most responsive subjective measure in all study designs. The reliability, Minimal Detectable Change and responsiveness to change of subjective and objective methods of measuring SB is context dependent. Although TV viewing-PWR is the more reliable and responsive subjective method in most situations, it may have limitations as a reliable measure of total SB. Results of this study can be used to guide choice of tools for detecting change in sedentary behaviour in older adults in the contexts of population surveillance, intervention evaluation and individual care.
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Kemp, Joanne L; Schache, Anthony G; Makdissi, Michael; Sims, Kevin J; Crossley, Kay M
2013-07-01
This study investigated tests of hip muscle strength and functional performance. The specific objectives were to: (i) establish intra- and inter-rater reliability; (ii) compare differences between dominant and non-dominant limbs; (iii) compare agonist and antagonist muscle strength ratios; (iv) compare differences between genders; and (v) examine relationships between hip muscle strength, baseline measures and functional performance. Reliability study and cross-sectional analysis of hip strength and functional performance. In healthy adults aged 18-50years, normalised hip muscle peak torque and functional performance were evaluated to: (i) establish intra-rater and inter-rater reliability; (ii) analyse differences between limbs, between antagonistic muscle groups and genders; and (iii) associations between strength and functional performance. Excellent reliability (intra-rater ICC=0.77-0.96; inter-rater ICC=0.82-0.95) was observed. No difference existed between dominant and non-dominant limbs. Differences in strength existed between antagonistic pairs of muscles: hip abduction was greater than adduction (p<0.001) and hip ER was greater than IR (p<0.001). Men had greater ER strength (p=0.006) and hop for distance (p<0.001) than women. Strong associations were observed between measures of hip muscle strength (except hip flexion) and age, height, and functional performance. Deficits in hip muscle strength or functional performance may influence hip pain. In order to provide targeted rehabilitation programmes to address patient-specific impairments, and determine when individuals are ready to return to physical activity, clinicians are increasingly utilising tests of hip strength and functional performance. This study provides a battery of reliable, clinically applicable tests which can be used for these purposes. Copyright © 2012 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Individual Differences in Face Identity Processing with Fast Periodic Visual Stimulation.
Xu, Buyun; Liu-Shuang, Joan; Rossion, Bruno; Tanaka, James
2017-08-01
A growing body of literature suggests that human individuals differ in their ability to process face identity. These findings mainly stem from explicit behavioral tasks, such as the Cambridge Face Memory Test (CFMT). However, it remains an open question whether such individual differences can be found in the absence of an explicit face identity task and when faces have to be individualized at a single glance. In the current study, we tested 49 participants with a recently developed fast periodic visual stimulation (FPVS) paradigm [Liu-Shuang, J., Norcia, A. M., & Rossion, B. An objective index of individual face discrimination in the right occipitotemporal cortex by means of fast periodic oddball stimulation. Neuropsychologia, 52, 57-72, 2014] in EEG to rapidly, objectively, and implicitly quantify face identity processing. In the FPVS paradigm, one face identity (A) was presented at the frequency of 6 Hz, allowing only one gaze fixation, with different face identities (B, C, D) presented every fifth face (1.2 Hz; i.e., AAAABAAAACAAAAD…). Results showed a face individuation response at 1.2 Hz and its harmonics, peaking over occipitotemporal locations. The magnitude of this response showed high reliability across different recording sequences and was significant in all but two participants, with the magnitude and lateralization differing widely across participants. There was a modest but significant correlation between the individuation response amplitude and the performance of the behavioral CFMT task, despite the fact that CFMT and FPVS measured different aspects of face identity processing. Taken together, the current study highlights the FPVS approach as a promising means for studying individual differences in face identity processing.
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Al-Obaidi, Saud; Wall, James C; Mulekar, Madhuri S; Al-Mutairie, Rebecca
2012-06-01
Low back pain (LBP) may challenge an individual's self-confidence to perform usual daily activities such as Islamic daily prayer. Existing self-efficacy scales may not be appropriate to assess individual's self-confidence to perform Islamic prayers. This study aimed to develop a scale to assess self-confidence to prepare and perform Islamic prayer in the presence of LBP, the Islamic Prayer-based Self-efficacy Scale (IpbSeS), and to determine its consistency. The IpbSeS consists of three parts: pre-prayer preparation, getting to and from the mosque, and positions and movements during prayer. On a scale of 0 to 6, 0 indicates 'not at all confident' and 6 'fully confident'. Sixty individuals with LBP gave their responses on two different visits. Pain intensity was assessed by the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), and the pain intensity changes were assessed using a seven-point global patient rating scale. Descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation coefficient, Wilcoxon test and t-test were used in the analysis (alpha set at 0.05). VAS scores did not differ significantly between visits. No association was found between VAS and age (r = 0.039, p = 0.77) and between VAS and body mass index (BMI; r = 0.06, p = 0. 67). All 28 questions have consistent responses on two visits (0.75 ≤ r ≤ 0.99, p < 0.001 for all) indicating a very high reliability. IpbSeS appears to be a reliable instrument to assess the self-confidence of Muslims in the presence of LBP to pray. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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Beaulieu, Louis-David; Massé-Alarie, Hugo; Ribot-Ciscar, Edith; Schneider, Cyril
2017-07-01
To investigate the ability of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) outcomes in the chronic stroke population to (i) track individual plastic changes and (ii) detect differences between individuals. To this end, intrarater "test-retest" reliability (relative and absolute) was tested for the ipsilesional and contralesional hemispheres. Thirteen participants with a unilateral stroke (≥6months ago) and sensorimotor impairments were enrolled. Single and paired-pulse TMS outcomes were obtained from the primary motor cortex (M1) representation of the tibialis anterior muscle in both hemispheres and at two sessions separated by one week. The standard error of the measurement (SEM eas ), minimal detectable change (MDC) and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) were studied. Active motor threshold and latency of motor evoked potentials provided the lowest SEM eas and highest ICCs for both ipsi- and contralesional hemispheres. However, MDC were generally large, thus questioning the use of TMS outcomes to track individual plastic changes of M1. Our study provided supporting evidence of good to excellent intrarater reliability for a few TMS outcomes and proposed recommendations on the interpretation and the use of that knowledge in future work. Psychometric properties of TMS measures should be further addressed in order to better understand how to refine their use in clinical settings. Copyright © 2017 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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Effect of cow reference group on validation reliability of genomic evaluation.
Koivula, M; Strandén, I; Aamand, G P; Mäntysaari, E A
2016-06-01
We studied the effect of including genomic data for cows in the reference population of single-step evaluations. Deregressed individual cow genetic evaluations (DRP) from milk production evaluations of Nordic Red Dairy cattle were used to estimate the single-step breeding values. Validation reliability and bias of the evaluations were calculated with four data sets including different amount of DRP record information from genotyped cows in the reference population. The gain in reliability was from 2% to 4% units for the production traits, depending on the used DRP data and the amount of genomic data. Moreover, inclusion of genotyped bull dams and their genotyped daughters seemed to create some bias in the single-step evaluation. Still, genotyping cows and their inclusion in the reference population is advantageous and should be encouraged.
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NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Lathrop, J. W.
1984-01-01
Research on the reliability of terrestrial solar cells was performed to identify failure/degradation modes affecting solar cells and to relate these to basic physical, chemical, and metallurgical phenomena. Particular concerns addressed were the reliability attributes of individual single crystalline, polycrystalline, and amorphous thin film silicon cells. Results of subjecting different types of crystalline cells to the Clemson accelerated test schedule are given. Preliminary step stress results on one type of thin film amorphous silicon (a:Si) cell indicated that extraneous degradation modes were introduced above 140 C. Also described is development of measurement procedures which are applicable to the reliability testing of a:Si solar cells as well as an approach to achieving the necessary repeatability of fabricating a simulated a:Si reference cell from crystalline silicon photodiodes.
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Reliability of bloodhounds in criminal investigations.
Harvey, Lisa M; Harvey, Jeffrey W
2003-07-01
Anecdotal evidence and legend have suggested that bloodhounds are capable of trailing and alerting to a human by his or her individual scent. This same evidence may be presented to a court of law in order to accuse a particular suspect or suspects of a crime. There is little to no scientific evidence confirming the bloodhound's ability to trail and discriminate the scent of different individual humans. Eight bloodhounds (3 novice and 5 veteran), trained in human scent discrimination were used to determine the reliability of evidence, garnered through the use of bloodhounds, in a court of law. These dogs were placed on trails in an environment that simulated real-life scenarios. Results indicate that a veteran bloodhound can trail and correctly identify a person under various conditions. These data suggest that the potential error rate of a veteran bloodhound-handler team is low and can be a useful tool for law enforcement personnel.
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Determining Individual Particle Magnetizations in Assemblages of Micrograins
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
de Groot, Lennart V.; Fabian, Karl; Béguin, Annemarieke; Reith, Pim; Barnhoorn, Auke; Hilgenkamp, Hans
2018-04-01
Obtaining reliable information from even the most challenging paleomagnetic recorders, such as the oldest igneous rocks and meteorites, is paramount to open new windows into Earth's history. Currently, such information is acquired by simultaneously sensing millions of particles in small samples or single crystals using superconducting quantum interference device magnetometers. The obtained rock-magnetic signal is a statistical ensemble of grains potentially differing in reliability as paleomagnetic recorder due to variations in physical dimensions, chemistry, and magnetic behavior. Here we go beyond bulk magnetic measurements and combine computed tomography and scanning magnetometry to uniquely invert for the magnetic moments of individual grains. This enables us to select and consider contributions of subsets of grains as a function of particle-specific selection criteria and avoid contributions that arise from particles that are altered or contain unreliable magnetic carriers. This new, nondestructive, method unlocks information from complex paleomagnetic recorders that until now goes obscured.
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Reliability and smallest real difference of the ankle lunge test post ankle fracture.
Simondson, David; Brock, Kim; Cotton, Susan
2012-02-01
This study aimed to determine the reliability and the smallest real difference of the Ankle Lunge test in an ankle fracture patient population. In the post immobilisation stage of ankle fracture, ankle dorsiflexion is an important measure of progress and outcome. The Ankle Lunge test measures weight bearing dorsiflexion, resulting in negative scores (knee to wall distance) and positive scores (toe to wall distance), for which the latter has proven reliability in normal subjects only. A consecutive sample of ankle fracture patients with permission to commence weight bearing, were recruited to the study. Three measurements of the Ankle Lunge Test were performed each by two raters, one senior and one junior physiotherapist. These occurred prior to therapy sessions in the second week after plaster removal. A standardised testing station was utilised and allowed for both knee to wall distance and toe to wall distance measurement. Data was collected from 10 individuals with ankle fracture, with an average age of 36 years (SD 14.8). Seventy seven percent of observations were negative. Intra and inter-rater reliability yielded intra class correlations at or above 0.97, p < .001. There was a significant systematic bias towards improved scores during repeated measurement for one rater (p = .01). The smallest real difference was calculated as 13.8mm. The Ankle Lunge test is a practical and reliable tool for measuring weightbearing dorsiflexion post ankle fracture. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Deelchand, Dinesh K; Marjańska, Małgorzata; Hodges, James S; Terpstra, Melissa
2016-05-01
Although the MR editing techniques that have traditionally been used for the measurement of glutathione (GSH) concentrations in vivo address the problem of spectral overlap, they suffer detriments associated with inherently long TEs. The purpose of this study was to characterize the sensitivity and specificity for the quantification of GSH concentrations without editing at short TE. The approach was to measure synthetically generated changes in GSH concentrations from in vivo stimulated echo acquisition mode (STEAM) spectra after in vitro GSH spectra had been added to or subtracted from them. Spectra from five test subjects were synthetically altered to mimic changes in the GSH signal. To account for different background noise between measurements, retest spectra (from the same individuals as used to generate the altered data) and spectra from five other individuals were compared with the synthetically altered spectra to investigate the reliability of the quantification of GSH concentration. Using STEAM spectroscopy at 7 T, GSH concentration differences on the order of 20% were detected between test and retest studies, as well as between differing populations in a small sample (n = 5) with high accuracy (R(2) > 0.99) and certainty (p ≤ 0.01). Both increases and decreases in GSH concentration were reliably quantified with small impact on the quantification of ascorbate and γ-aminobutyric acid. These results show the feasibility of using short-TE (1)H MRS to measure biologically relevant changes and differences in human brain GSH concentration. Although these outcomes are specific to the experimental approach used and the spectral quality achieved, this study serves as a template for the analogous scrutiny of quantification reliability for other compounds, methodologies and spectral qualities. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Stefanic, Nicholas; Randles, Clint
2015-01-01
The purpose of this study was to explore the reliability of measures of both individual and group creative work using the consensual assessment technique (CAT). CAT was used to measure individual and group creativity among a population of pre-service music teachers enrolled in a secondary general music class (n = 23) and was evaluated from…
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Chen, Y-W; HajGhanbari, B; Road, J D; Coxson, H O; Camp, P G; Reid, W D
2018-06-08
Pain is prevalent in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) appears to be a feasible questionnaire to assess this symptom. However, the reliability and validity of the BPI have not been determined in individuals with COPD. This study aimed to determine the internal consistency, test-retest reliability and validity (construct, convergent, divergent and discriminant) of the BPI in individuals with COPD. In order to examine the test-retest reliability, individuals with COPD were recruited from pulmonary rehabilitation programmes to complete the BPI twice 1 week apart. In order to investigate validity, de-identified data was retrieved from two previous studies, including forced expiratory volume in 1-s, age, sex and data from four questionnaires: the BPI, short-form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ), 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36) and Community Health Activities Model Program for Seniors (CHAMPS) questionnaire. In total, 123 participants were included in the analyses (eligible data were retrieved from 86 participants and additional 37 participants were recruited). The BPI demonstrated excellent internal consistency and test-retest reliability. It also showed convergent validity with the SF-MPQ and divergent validity with the SF-36. The factor analysis yielded two factors of the BPI, which demonstrated that the two domains of the BPI measure the intended constructs. The BPI can also discriminate pain levels among COPD patients with varied levels of quality of life (SF-36) and physical activity (CHAMPS). The BPI is a reliable and valid pain questionnaire that can be used to evaluate pain in COPD. This study formally established the reliability and validity of the BPI in individuals with COPD, which have not been determined in this patient group. The results of this study provide strong evidence that assessment results from this pain questionnaire are reliable and valid. © 2018 European Pain Federation - EFIC®.
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The evolution of signal–reward correlations in bee- and hummingbird-pollinated species of Salvia
Benitez-Vieyra, Santiago; Fornoni, Juan; Pérez-Alquicira, Jessica; Boege, Karina; Domínguez, César A.
2014-01-01
Within-individual variation in floral advertising and reward traits is a feature experienced by pollinators that visit different flowers of the same plant. Pollinators can use advertising traits to gather information about the quality and amount of rewards, leading to the evolution of signal–reward correlations. As long as plants differ in the reliability of their signals and pollinators base their foraging decisions on this information, natural selection should act on within-individual correlations between signals and rewards. Because birds and bees differ in their cognitive capabilities, and use different floral traits as signals, we tested the occurrence of adaptive divergence of the within-individual signal–reward correlations among Salvia species that are pollinated either by bees or by hummingbirds. They are expected to use different floral advertising traits: frontal traits in the case of bees and side traits in the case of hummingbirds. We confirmed this expectation as bee- and hummingbird-pollinated species differed in which specific traits are predominantly associated with nectar reward at the within-individual level. Our findings highlight the adaptive value of within-individual variation and covariation patterns, commonly disregarded as ‘environmental noise’, and are consistent with the hypothesis that pollinator-mediated selection affects the correlation pattern among floral traits. PMID:24648219
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The evolution of signal-reward correlations in bee- and hummingbird-pollinated species of Salvia.
Benitez-Vieyra, Santiago; Fornoni, Juan; Pérez-Alquicira, Jessica; Boege, Karina; Domínguez, César A
2014-05-07
Within-individual variation in floral advertising and reward traits is a feature experienced by pollinators that visit different flowers of the same plant. Pollinators can use advertising traits to gather information about the quality and amount of rewards, leading to the evolution of signal-reward correlations. As long as plants differ in the reliability of their signals and pollinators base their foraging decisions on this information, natural selection should act on within-individual correlations between signals and rewards. Because birds and bees differ in their cognitive capabilities, and use different floral traits as signals, we tested the occurrence of adaptive divergence of the within-individual signal-reward correlations among Salvia species that are pollinated either by bees or by hummingbirds. They are expected to use different floral advertising traits: frontal traits in the case of bees and side traits in the case of hummingbirds. We confirmed this expectation as bee- and hummingbird-pollinated species differed in which specific traits are predominantly associated with nectar reward at the within-individual level. Our findings highlight the adaptive value of within-individual variation and covariation patterns, commonly disregarded as 'environmental noise', and are consistent with the hypothesis that pollinator-mediated selection affects the correlation pattern among floral traits.
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Application of the Modified Erikson Psychosocial Stage Inventory: 25 Years in Review.
Darling-Fisher, Cynthia S
2018-04-01
The Modified Erikson Psychosocial Stage Inventory (MEPSI) is an 80-item, comprehensive measure of psychosocial development based on Erikson's theory with published reliability and validity data. Although designed as a comprehensive measure, some researchers have used individual subscales for specific developmental stages as a measure; however, these subscale reliability scores have not been generally shared. This article reviewed the literature to evaluate the use of the MEPSI: the major research questions, samples/populations studied, and individual subscale and total reliability and validity data. In total, 16 research articles (1990-2011) and 28 Dissertations/Theses (1991-2016) from nursing, social work, psychology, criminal justice, and religious studies met criteria. Results support the MEPSI's global reliability (aggregate scores ranged .89-.99) and validity in terms of consistent patterns of changes observed in the predicted direction. Reliability and validity data for individual subscales were more variable. Limitations of the tool and recommendations for possible revision and future research are addressed.
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Dennett, Hugh W; McKone, Elinor; Tavashmi, Raka; Hall, Ashleigh; Pidcock, Madeleine; Edwards, Mark; Duchaine, Bradley
2012-06-01
Many research questions require a within-class object recognition task matched for general cognitive requirements with a face recognition task. If the object task also has high internal reliability, it can improve accuracy and power in group analyses (e.g., mean inversion effects for faces vs. objects), individual-difference studies (e.g., correlations between certain perceptual abilities and face/object recognition), and case studies in neuropsychology (e.g., whether a prosopagnosic shows a face-specific or object-general deficit). Here, we present such a task. Our Cambridge Car Memory Test (CCMT) was matched in format to the established Cambridge Face Memory Test, requiring recognition of exemplars across view and lighting change. We tested 153 young adults (93 female). Results showed high reliability (Cronbach's alpha = .84) and a range of scores suitable both for normal-range individual-difference studies and, potentially, for diagnosis of impairment. The mean for males was much higher than the mean for females. We demonstrate independence between face memory and car memory (dissociation based on sex, plus a modest correlation between the two), including where participants have high relative expertise with cars. We also show that expertise with real car makes and models of the era used in the test significantly predicts CCMT performance. Surprisingly, however, regression analyses imply that there is an effect of sex per se on the CCMT that is not attributable to a stereotypical male advantage in car expertise.
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Assessing orientations to learning to teach.
Oosterheert, Ida E; Vermunt, Jan D; Denessen, E
2002-03-01
An important purpose of teacher education is that student teachers develop and change their existing knowledge on learning and teaching. Research on how student teachers variously engage in this process is scarce. In a previous study of 30 student teachers, we identified five different orientations to learning to teach. Our aim was to extend the results of the previous study by developing an instrument to assess orientations to learning to teach at a larger scale. The development and psychometric properties of the instrument are discussed. The results with respect to how student teachers learn are compared to the results of the qualitative study. Participants in this study were 169 secondary student teachers from three institutes which had all adopted an initial in-service model of learning to teach. On the basis of extensive qualitative study, a questionnaire was developed to assess individual differences in learning to teach. Factor-, reliability-, and nonparametric scalability analyses were performed to identify reliable scales. Cluster analysis was used to identify groups of students with similar orientations to learning to teach. Eight scales covering cognitive, regulative and affective aspects of student teachers' learning were identified. Cluster analysis indicates that the instrument discriminates well between student teachers. Four of the five previously found patterns were found again. The four orientations found in relatively uniform learning environments indicate that student teachers need differential support in their learning. Although the instrument measures individual differences in a reliable way, it is somewhat one-sided in the sense that items representing constructive ways of learning dominate. New items forming a broader range of scales should be created.
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Reliability of visual and instrumental color matching.
Igiel, Christopher; Lehmann, Karl Martin; Ghinea, Razvan; Weyhrauch, Michael; Hangx, Ysbrand; Scheller, Herbert; Paravina, Rade D
2017-09-01
The aim of this investigation was to evaluate intra-rater and inter-rater reliability of visual and instrumental shade matching. Forty individuals with normal color perception participated in this study. The right maxillary central incisor of a teaching model was prepared and restored with 10 feldspathic all-ceramic crowns of different shades. A shade matching session consisted of the observer (rater) visually selecting the best match by using VITA classical A1-D4 (VC) and VITA Toothguide 3D Master (3D) shade guides and the VITA Easyshade Advance intraoral spectrophotometer (ES) to obtain both VC and 3D matches. Three shade matching sessions were held with 4 to 6 weeks between sessions. Intra-rater reliability was assessed based on the percentage of agreement for the three sessions for the same observer, whereas the inter-rater reliability was calculated as mean percentage of agreement between different observers. The Fleiss' Kappa statistical analysis was used to evaluate visual inter-rater reliability. The mean intra-rater reliability for the visual shade selection was 64(11) for VC and 48(10) for 3D. The corresponding ES values were 96(4) for both VC and 3D. The percentages of observers who matched the same shade with VC and 3D were 55(10) and 43(12), respectively, while corresponding ES values were 88(8) for VC and 92(4) for 3D. The results for visual shade matching exhibited a high to moderate level of inconsistency for both intra-rater and inter-rater comparisons. The VITA Easyshade Advance intraoral spectrophotometer exhibited significantly better reliability compared with visual shade selection. This study evaluates the ability of observers to consistently match the same shade visually and with a dental spectrophotometer in different sessions. The intra-rater and inter-rater reliability (agreement of repeated shade matching) of visual and instrumental tooth color matching strongly suggest the use of color matching instruments as a supplementary tool in everyday dental practice to enhance the esthetic outcome. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Kidd, Celeste; Palmeri, Holly; Aslin, Richard N
2013-01-01
Children are notoriously bad at delaying gratification to achieve later, greater rewards (e.g., Piaget, 1970)-and some are worse at waiting than others. Individual differences in the ability-to-wait have been attributed to self-control, in part because of evidence that long-delayers are more successful in later life (e.g., Shoda, Mischel, & Peake, 1990). Here we provide evidence that, in addition to self-control, children's wait-times are modulated by an implicit, rational decision-making process that considers environmental reliability. We tested children (M=4;6, N=28) using a classic paradigm-the marshmallow task (Mischel, 1974)-in an environment demonstrated to be either unreliable or reliable. Children in the reliable condition waited significantly longer than those in the unreliable condition (p<0.0005), suggesting that children's wait-times reflected reasoned beliefs about whether waiting would ultimately pay off. Thus, wait-times on sustained delay-of-gratification tasks (e.g., the marshmallow task) may not only reflect differences in self-control abilities, but also beliefs about the stability of the world. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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The reliability of a severity rating scale to measure stuttering in an unfamiliar language.
Hoffman, Laura; Wilson, Linda; Copley, Anna; Hewat, Sally; Lim, Valerie
2014-06-01
With increasing multiculturalism, speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are likely to work with stuttering clients from linguistic backgrounds that differ from their own. No research to date has estimated SLPs' reliability when measuring severity of stuttering in an unfamiliar language. Therefore, this study was undertaken to estimate the reliability of SLPs' use of a 9-point severity rating (SR) scale, to measure severity of stuttering in a language that was different from their own. Twenty-six Australian SLPs rated 20 speech samples (10 Australian English [AE] and 10 Mandarin) of adults who stutter using a 9-point SR scale on two separate occasions. Judges showed poor agreement when using the scale to measure stuttering in Mandarin samples. Results also indicated that 50% of individual judges were unable to reliably measure the severity of stuttering in AE. The results highlight the need for (a) SLPs to develop intra- and inter-judge agreement when using the 9-point SR scale to measure severity of stuttering in their native language (in this case AE) and in unfamiliar languages; and (b) research into the development and evaluation of practice and/or training packages to assist SLPs to do so.
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Gray, Bradley E; McMahon, Robert P; Green, Michael F; Seidman, Larry J; Mesholam-Gately, Raquelle I; Kern, Robert S; Nuechterlein, Keith H; Keefe, Richard S; Gold, James M
2014-10-01
Clinicians often need to evaluate the treatment response of an individual person and to know that observed change is true improvement or worsening beyond usual week-to-week changes. This paper gives clinicians tools to evaluate individual changes on the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB). We compare three different approaches: a descriptive analysis of MCCB test-retest performance with no intervention, a reliable change index (RCI) approach controlling for average practice effects, and a regression approach. Data were gathered as part of the MATRICS PASS study (Nuechterlein et al., 2008). A total of 159 people with schizophrenia completed the MCCB at baseline and 4weeks later. Data were analyzed using an RCI and a regression formula establishing confidence intervals. The RCI and regression approaches agree within one point when baseline values are close to the sample mean. However, the regression approach offers more accurate limits for expected change at the tails of the distribution of baseline scores. Although both approaches have their merits, the regression approach provides the most accurate measure of significant change across the full range of scores. As the RCI does not account for regression to the mean and has confidence limits that remain constant across baseline scores, the RCI approach effectively gives narrower confidence limits around an inaccurately predicted average change value. Further, despite the high test-retest reliability of the MCCB, a change in an individual's score must be relatively large to be confident that it is beyond normal month-to-month variation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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Guruprasad, Yadavalli; Jose, Maji; Saxena, Kartikay; K, Deepa; Prabhu, Vishnudas
2014-01-01
Background: Oral cancer is one of the most debilitating diseases afflicting mankind. Consumption of tobacco in various forms constitutes one of the most important etiological factors in initiation of oral cancer. When the focus of today’s research is to determine early genotoxic changes in human cells, micronucleus (MN) assay provides a simple, yet reliable indicator of genotoxic damage. Aims and Objectives: To identify and quantify micronuclei in the exfoliated cells of oral mucosa in individuals with different tobacco related habits and control group, to compare the genotoxicity of different tobacco related habits between each group and also with that of control group. Patients and Methods: In the present study buccal smears of 135 individuals with different tobacco related habits & buccal smears of 45 age and sex matched controls were obtained, stained using Giemsa stain and then observed under 100X magnification in order to identify and quantify micronuclei in the exfoliated cells of oral mucosa. Results: The mean Micronucleus (MN) count in individuals having smoking habit were 3.11 while the count was 0.50, 2.13, and 1.67 in normal control, smoking with beetle quid and smokeless tobacco habit respectively. MN count in smokers group was 2.6 times more compared to normal controls. MN count was more even in other groups when compared to normal control but to a lesser extent. Conclusion: From our study we concluded that tobacco in any form is genotoxic especially smokers are of higher risk and micronucleus assay can be used as a simple yet reliable marker for genotoxic evaluation. PMID:24995238
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Operating room clinicians' ratings of workload: a vignette simulation study.
Wallston, Kenneth A; Slagle, Jason M; Speroff, Ted; Nwosu, Sam; Crimin, Kimberly; Feurer, Irene D; Boettcher, Brent; Weinger, Matthew B
2014-06-01
Increased clinician workload is associated with medical errors and patient harm. The Quality and Workload Assessment Tool (QWAT) measures anticipated (pre-case) and perceived (post-case) clinical workload during actual surgical procedures using ratings of individual and team case difficulty from every operating room (OR) team member. The purpose of this study was to examine the QWAT ratings of OR clinicians who were not present in the OR but who read vignettes compiled from actual case documentation to assess interrater reliability and agreement with ratings made by clinicians involved in the actual cases. Thirty-six OR clinicians (13 anesthesia providers, 11 surgeons, and 12 nurses) used the QWAT to rate 6 cases varying from easy to moderately difficult based on actual ratings made by clinicians involved with the cases. Cases were presented and rated in random order. Before rating anticipated individual and team difficulty, the raters read prepared clinical vignettes containing case synopses and much of the same written case information that was available to the actual clinicians before the onset of each case. Then, before rating perceived individual and team difficulty, they read part 2 of the vignette consisting of detailed role-specific intraoperative data regarding the anesthetic and surgical course, unusual events, and other relevant contextual factors. Surgeons had higher interrater reliability on the QWAT than did OR nurses or anesthesia providers. For the anticipated individual and team workload ratings, there were no statistically significant differences between the actual ratings and the ratings obtained from the vignettes. There were differences for the 3 provider types in perceived individual workload for the median difficulty cases and in the perceived team workload for the median and more difficult cases. The case difficulty items on the QWAT seem to be sufficiently reliable and valid to be used in other studies of anticipated and perceived clinical workload of surgeons. Perhaps because of the limitations of the clinical documentation shown to anesthesia providers and OR nurses in the current vignette study, more evidence needs to be gathered to demonstrate the criterion-related validity of the QWAT difficulty items for assessing the workload of nonsurgeon OR clinicians.
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Reliability, Validity, and Usability of Data Extraction Programs for Single-Case Research Designs.
Moeyaert, Mariola; Maggin, Daniel; Verkuilen, Jay
2016-11-01
Single-case experimental designs (SCEDs) have been increasingly used in recent years to inform the development and validation of effective interventions in the behavioral sciences. An important aspect of this work has been the extension of meta-analytic and other statistical innovations to SCED data. Standard practice within SCED methods is to display data graphically, which requires subsequent users to extract the data, either manually or using data extraction programs. Previous research has examined issues of reliability and validity of data extraction programs in the past, but typically at an aggregate level. Little is known, however, about the coding of individual data points. We focused on four different software programs that can be used for this purpose (i.e., Ungraph, DataThief, WebPlotDigitizer, and XYit), and examined the reliability of numeric coding, the validity compared with real data, and overall program usability. This study indicates that the reliability and validity of the retrieved data are independent of the specific software program, but are dependent on the individual single-case study graphs. Differences were found in program usability in terms of user friendliness, data retrieval time, and license costs. Ungraph and WebPlotDigitizer received the highest usability scores. DataThief was perceived as unacceptable and the time needed to retrieve the data was double that of the other three programs. WebPlotDigitizer was the only program free to use. As a consequence, WebPlotDigitizer turned out to be the best option in terms of usability, time to retrieve the data, and costs, although the usability scores of Ungraph were also strong. © The Author(s) 2016.
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Bruijel, Jessica; van der Meijden, Wisse P.; Bijlenga, Denise; Dorani, Farangis; Coppens, Joris E.; te Lindert, Bart H. W.; Kooij, J. J. Sandra; Van Someren, Eus J. W.
2016-01-01
Melanopsin-containing retinal ganglion cells play an important role in the non-image forming effects of light, through their direct projections on brain circuits involved in circadian rhythms, mood and alertness. Individual differences in the functionality of the melanopsin-signaling circuitry can be reliably quantified using the maximum post-illumination pupil response (PIPR) after blue light. Previous protocols for acquiring PIPR relied on the use of mydriatics to dilate the light-exposed eye. However, pharmacological pupil dilation is uncomfortable for the participants and requires ophthalmological expertise. Hence, we here investigated whether an individual’s maximum PIPR can be validly obtained in a protocol that does not use mydriatics but rather increases the intensity of the light stimulus. In 18 participants (5 males, mean age ± SD: 34.6 ± 13.6 years) we evaluated the PIPR after exposure to intensified blue light (550 µW/cm2) provided to an undilated dynamic pupil. The test-retest reliability of the primary PIPR outcome parameter was very high, both between day-to-day assessments (Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) = 0.85), as well as between winter and summer assessments (ICC = 0.83). Compared to the PIPR obtained with the use of mydriatics and 160 µW/cm2 blue light exposure, the method with intensified light without mydriatics showed almost zero bias according to Bland-Altman plots and had moderate to strong reliability (ICC = 0.67). In conclusion, for PIPR assessments, increasing the light intensity is a feasible and reliable alternative to pupil dilation to relieve the participant’s burden and to allow for performance outside the ophthalmological clinic. PMID:27618116
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Smith, L
2001-01-01
Background—No published quantitative instrument exists to measure maternal satisfaction with the quality of different models of labour care in the UK. Methods—A quantitative psychometric multidimensional maternal satisfaction questionnaire, the Women's Views of Birth Labour Satisfaction Questionnaire (WOMBLSQ), was developed using principal components analysis with varimax rotation of successive versions. Internal reliability and content and construct validity were assessed. Results—Of 300 women sent the first version (WOMBLSQ1), 120 (40%) replied; of 300 sent WOMBLSQ2, 188 (62.7%) replied; of 500 women sent WOMBLSQ3, 319 (63.8%) replied; and of 2400 women sent WOMBLSQ4, 1683 (70.1%) replied. The latter two versions consisted of 10 dimensions in addition to general satisfaction. These were (Cronbach's alpha): professional support in labour (0.91), expectations of labour (0.90), home assessment in early labour (0.90), holding the baby (0.87), support from husband/partner (0.83), pain relief in labour (0.83), pain relief immediately after labour (0.65), knowing labour carers (0.82), labour environment (0.80), and control in labour (0.62). There were moderate correlations (range 0.16–0.73) between individual dimensions and the general satisfaction scale (0.75). Scores on individual dimensions were significantly related to a range of clinical and demographic variables. Conclusion—This multidimensional labour satisfaction instrument has good validity and internal reliability. It could be used to assess care in labour across different models of maternity care, or as a prelude to in depth exploration of specific areas of concern. Its external reliability and transferability to care outside the South West region needs further evaluation, particularly in terms of ethnicity and social class. Key Words: Women's Views of Birth Labour Satisfaction Questionnaire (WOMBLSQ); labour; questionnaire PMID:11239139
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Jensen, Christian Gaden; Niclasen, Janni; Vangkilde, Signe Allerup; Petersen, Anders; Hasselbalch, Steen Gregers
2016-05-01
The Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) measures perceived degree of inattentiveness in different contexts and is often used as a reversed indicator of mindfulness. MAAS is hypothesized to reflect a psychological trait or disposition when used outside attentional training contexts, but the long-term test-retest reliability of MAAS scores is virtually untested. It is unknown whether MAAS predicts psychological health after controlling for standardized socioeconomic status classifications. First, MAAS translated to Danish was validated psychometrically within a randomly invited healthy adult community sample (N = 490). Factor analysis confirmed that MAAS scores quantified a unifactorial construct of excellent composite reliability and consistent convergent validity. Structural equation modeling revealed that MAAS scores contributed independently to predicting psychological distress and mental health, after controlling for age, gender, income, socioeconomic occupational class, stressful life events, and social desirability (β = 0.32-.42, ps < .001). Second, MAAS scores showed satisfactory short-term test-retest reliability in 100 retested healthy university students. Finally, MAAS sample mean scores as well as individuals' scores demonstrated satisfactory test-retest reliability across a 6 months interval in the adult community (retested N = 407), intraclass correlations ≥ .74. MAAS scores displayed significantly stronger long-term test-retest reliability than scores measuring psychological distress (z = 2.78, p = .005). Test-retest reliability estimates did not differ within demographic and socioeconomic strata. Scores on the Danish MAAS were psychometrically validated in healthy adults. MAAS's inattentiveness scores reflected a unidimensional construct, long-term reliable disposition, and a factor of independent significance for predicting psychological health. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).
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Individual consistency and flexibility in human social information use.
Toelch, Ulf; Bruce, Matthew J; Newson, Lesley; Richerson, Peter J; Reader, Simon M
2014-02-07
Copying others appears to be a cost-effective way of obtaining adaptive information, particularly when flexibly employed. However, adult humans differ considerably in their propensity to use information from others, even when this 'social information' is beneficial, raising the possibility that stable individual differences constrain flexibility in social information use. We used two dissimilar decision-making computer games to investigate whether individuals flexibly adjusted their use of social information to current conditions or whether they valued social information similarly in both games. Participants also completed established personality questionnaires. We found that participants demonstrated considerable flexibility, adjusting social information use to current conditions. In particular, individuals employed a 'copy-when-uncertain' social learning strategy, supporting a core, but untested, assumption of influential theoretical models of cultural transmission. Moreover, participants adjusted the amount invested in their decision based on the perceived reliability of personally gathered information combined with the available social information. However, despite this strategic flexibility, participants also exhibited consistent individual differences in their propensities to use and value social information. Moreover, individuals who favoured social information self-reported as more collectivist than others. We discuss the implications of our results for social information use and cultural transmission.
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Individual consistency and flexibility in human social information use
Toelch, Ulf; Bruce, Matthew J.; Newson, Lesley; Richerson, Peter J.; Reader, Simon M.
2014-01-01
Copying others appears to be a cost-effective way of obtaining adaptive information, particularly when flexibly employed. However, adult humans differ considerably in their propensity to use information from others, even when this ‘social information’ is beneficial, raising the possibility that stable individual differences constrain flexibility in social information use. We used two dissimilar decision-making computer games to investigate whether individuals flexibly adjusted their use of social information to current conditions or whether they valued social information similarly in both games. Participants also completed established personality questionnaires. We found that participants demonstrated considerable flexibility, adjusting social information use to current conditions. In particular, individuals employed a ‘copy-when-uncertain’ social learning strategy, supporting a core, but untested, assumption of influential theoretical models of cultural transmission. Moreover, participants adjusted the amount invested in their decision based on the perceived reliability of personally gathered information combined with the available social information. However, despite this strategic flexibility, participants also exhibited consistent individual differences in their propensities to use and value social information. Moreover, individuals who favoured social information self-reported as more collectivist than others. We discuss the implications of our results for social information use and cultural transmission. PMID:24352950
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Dyke, Katherine; Kim, Soyoung; Jackson, Georgina M; Jackson, Stephen R
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a popular non-invasive brain stimulation technique that has been shown to influence cortical excitability. While polarity specific effects have often been reported, this is not always the case, and variability in both the magnitude and direction of the effects have been observed. We aimed to explore the consistency and reliability of the effects of tDCS by investigating changes in cortical excitability across multiple testing sessions in the same individuals. A within subjects design was used to investigate the effects of anodal and cathodal tDCS applied to the motor cortex. Four experimental sessions were tested for each polarity in addition to two sham sessions. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was used to measure cortical excitability (TMS recruitment curves). Changes in excitability were measured by comparing baseline measures and those taken immediately following 20 minutes of 2 mA stimulation or sham stimulation. Anodal tDCS significantly increased cortical excitability at a group level, whereas cathodal tDCS failed to have any significant effects. The sham condition also failed to show any significant changes. Analysis of intra-subject responses to anodal stimulation across four sessions suggest that the amount of change in excitability across sessions was only weakly associated, and was found to have poor reliability across sessions (ICC = 0.276). The effects of cathodal stimulation show even poorer reliability across sessions (ICC = 0.137). In contrast ICC analysis for the two sessions of sham stimulation reflect a moderate level of reliability (ICC = .424). Our findings indicate that although 2 mA anodal tDCS is effective at increasing cortical excitability at group level, the effects are unreliable across repeated testing sessions within individual participants. Our results suggest that 2 mA cathodal tDCS does not significantly alter cortical excitability immediately following stimulation and that there is poor reliability of the effect within the same individual across different testing sessions. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.
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Biedrzycka, Aleksandra; Sebastian, Alvaro; Migalska, Magdalena; Westerdahl, Helena; Radwan, Jacek
2017-07-01
Characterization of highly duplicated genes, such as genes of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), where multiple loci often co-amplify, has until recently been hindered by insufficient read depths per amplicon. Here, we used ultra-deep Illumina sequencing to resolve genotypes at exon 3 of MHC class I genes in the sedge warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus). We sequenced 24 individuals in two replicates and used this data, as well as a simulated data set, to test the effect of amplicon coverage (range: 500-20 000 reads per amplicon) on the repeatability of genotyping using four different genotyping approaches. A third replicate employed unique barcoding to assess the extent of tag jumping, that is swapping of individual tag identifiers, which may confound genotyping. The reliability of MHC genotyping increased with coverage and approached or exceeded 90% within-method repeatability of allele calling at coverages of >5000 reads per amplicon. We found generally high agreement between genotyping methods, especially at high coverages. High reliability of the tested genotyping approaches was further supported by our analysis of the simulated data set, although the genotyping approach relying primarily on replication of variants in independent amplicons proved sensitive to repeatable errors. According to the most repeatable genotyping method, the number of co-amplifying variants per individual ranged from 19 to 42. Tag jumping was detectable, but at such low frequencies that it did not affect the reliability of genotyping. We thus demonstrate that gene families with many co-amplifying genes can be reliably genotyped using HTS, provided that there is sufficient per amplicon coverage. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
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Holland-Letz, Tim; Endres, Heinz G; Biedermann, Stefanie; Mahn, Matthias; Kunert, Joachim; Groh, Sabine; Pittrow, David; von Bilderling, Peter; Sternitzky, Reinhardt; Diehm, Curt
2007-05-01
The reliability of ankle-brachial index (ABI) measurements performed by different observer groups in primary care has not yet been determined. The aims of the study were to provide precise estimates for all effects influencing the variability of the ABI (patients' individual variability, intra- and inter-observer variability), with particular focus on the performance of different observer groups. Using a partially balanced incomplete block design, 144 unselected individuals aged > or = 65 years underwent double ABI measurements by one vascular surgeon or vascular physician, one family physician and one nurse with training in Doppler sonography. Three groups comprising a total of 108 individuals were analyzed (only two with ABI < 0.90). Errors for two repeated measurements for all three observer groups did not differ (experts 8.5%, family physicians 7.7%, and nurses 7.5%, p = 0.39). There was no relevant bias among observer groups. Intra-observer variability expressed as standard deviation divided by the mean was 8%, and inter-observer variability was 9%. In conclusion, reproducibility of the ABI measurement was good in this cohort of elderly patients who almost all had values in the normal range. The mean error of 8-9% within or between observers is smaller than with established screening measures. Since there were no differences among observers with different training backgrounds, our study confirms the appropriateness of ABI assessment for screening peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and generalized atherosclerosis in the primary case setting. Given the importance of the early detection and management of PAD, this diagnostic tool should be used routinely as a standard for PAD screening. Additional studies will be required to confirm our observations in patients with PAD of various severities.
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Long-term recall of social relationships related to addiction and HIV risk behaviors.
Stout, R L; Janssen, T; Braciszewski, J M; Vose-O'Neal, A
2017-08-01
Social relationships have been demonstrated as a key predictor of relapse among addicted persons and are likely to be important determinants of HIV risk behaviors also. However, the degree to which this population can reliably and consistently identify important people (IPs) in retrospect has been understudied. Using the modified Important People and Activities questionnaire, we investigated to what degree IPs were dropped, added, or retained, and whether data about individual IPs were reported accurately on 6- and 12-month follow up periods using a sample of 50 drug or alcohol abusing participants. We found that IPs were largely retained, and that those retained versus dropped/added differed by their reaction to participant alcohol/drug use, as well as frequency of contact. We further found that there were differences in reliability of data describing specific IPs. While both 6- and 12-month follow up periods led to reliabilities ranging from excellent to fair, we found poorer reliability on responses to recall of "frequency of contact" and "reactions to drinking", as well as "reactions to drug use". Future investigations of reliability of social relationships recalled retrospectively should attempt to examine possible systematic biases in addition to the reliability of specific IP data. More sophisticated studies are needed on factors associated with systematic variation in reporting of aspects of social relationships that are associated with addictions or HIV risk outcomes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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Toli, E-A; Calboli, F C F; Shikano, T; Merilä, J
2016-11-01
In heterogametic species, biological differences between the two sexes are ubiquitous, and hence, errors in sex identification can be a significant source of noise and bias in studies where sex-related sources of variation are of interest or need to be controlled for. We developed and validated a universal multimarker assay for reliable sex identification of three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus). The assay makes use of genotype scores from three sex-linked loci and utilizes Bayesian probabilistic inference to identify sex of the genotyped individuals. The results, validated with 286 phenotypically sexed individuals from six populations of sticklebacks representing all major genetic lineages (cf. Pacific, Atlantic and Japan Sea), indicate that in contrast to commonly used single-marker-based sex identification assays, the developed multimarker assay should be 100% accurate. As the markers in the assay can be scored from agarose gels, it provides a quick and cost-efficient tool for universal sex identification of three-spined sticklebacks. The general principle of combining information from multiple markers to improve the reliability of sex identification is transferable and can be utilized to develop and validate similar assays for other species. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
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DOT National Transportation Integrated Search
1978-10-01
This report presents a method that may be used to evaluate the reliability of performance of individual subjects, particularly in applied laboratory research. The method is based on analysis of variance of a tasks-by-subjects data matrix, with all sc...
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The reliability and stability of visual working memory capacity.
Xu, Z; Adam, K C S; Fang, X; Vogel, E K
2018-04-01
Because of the central role of working memory capacity in cognition, many studies have used short measures of working memory capacity to examine its relationship to other domains. Here, we measured the reliability and stability of visual working memory capacity, measured using a single-probe change detection task. In Experiment 1, the participants (N = 135) completed a large number of trials of a change detection task (540 in total, 180 each of set sizes 4, 6, and 8). With large numbers of both trials and participants, reliability estimates were high (α > .9). We then used an iterative down-sampling procedure to create a look-up table for expected reliability in experiments with small sample sizes. In Experiment 2, the participants (N = 79) completed 31 sessions of single-probe change detection. The first 30 sessions took place over 30 consecutive days, and the last session took place 30 days later. This unprecedented number of sessions allowed us to examine the effects of practice on stability and internal reliability. Even after much practice, individual differences were stable over time (average between-session r = .76).
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Kim, Grace Young-Suk; Schatschneider, Christopher; Wanzek, Jeanne; Gatlin, Brandy; Al Otaiba, Stephanie
2017-01-01
We examined how raters and tasks influence measurement error in writing evaluation and how many raters and tasks are needed to reach a desirable level of .90 and .80 reliabilities for children in Grades 3 and 4. A total of 211 children (102 boys) were administered three tasks in narrative and expository genres, respectively, and their written compositions were evaluated in widely used evaluation methods for developing writers: holistic scoring, productivity, and curriculum-based writing scores. Results showed that 54% and 52% of variance in narrative and expository compositions were attributable to true individual differences in writing. Students’ scores varied largely by tasks (30.44% and 28.61% of variance), but not by raters. To reach the reliability of .90, multiple tasks and raters were needed, and for the reliability of .80, a single rater and multiple tasks were needed. These findings offer important implications about reliably evaluating children’s writing skills, given that writing is typically evaluated by a single task and a single rater in classrooms and even in state accountability systems. PMID:29075050
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The Typical General Aviation Aircraft
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Turnbull, Andrew
1999-01-01
The reliability of General Aviation aircraft is unknown. In order to "assist the development of future GA reliability and safety requirements", a reliability study needs to be performed. Before any studies on General Aviation aircraft reliability begins, a definition of a typical aircraft that encompasses most of the general aviation characteristics needs to be defined. In this report, not only is the typical general aviation aircraft defined for the purpose of the follow-on reliability study, but it is also separated, or "sifted" into several different categories where individual analysis can be performed on the reasonably independent systems. In this study, the typical General Aviation aircraft is a four-place, single engine piston, all aluminum fixed-wing certified aircraft with a fixed tricycle landing gear and a cable operated flight control system. The system breakdown of a GA aircraft "sifts" the aircraft systems and components into five categories: Powerplant, Airframe, Aircraft Control Systems, Cockpit Instrumentation Systems, and the Electrical Systems. This breakdown was performed along the lines of a failure of the system. Any component that caused a system to fail was considered a part of that system.
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Chinese version of the separation-individuation inventory.
Tam, Wai-Cheong Carl; Shiah, Yung-Jong; Chiang, Shih-Kuang
2003-08-01
The importance of the separation-individuation process in object relations theory is well known in disciplines of psychology, counseling, and human development. Based on the Separation-Individuation Inventory of Christenson and Wilson, which measures the manifestations of disturbances in this process, a Chinese version of the inventory was developed. For college students Cronbach coefficient alpha was .89, and test-retest reliability over 28 days was .77. The scores of the inventory had positive correlations with both the number of borderline personality characteristics and the Individualism-Collectivism Scale, respectively. Also, the mean score on the inventory of patients diagnosed with borderline personality disorder was significantly higher than that of the two normal control groups (ns = 564). Thus the inventory possessed satisfactory construct validity. Cultural differences regarding the separation-individuation process need to be investigated further.
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Cross, Vinette; Hicks, Carolyn; Barwell, Fred
2001-01-01
Using videos of physiotherapy students, compared two assessment forms for validity and reliability (the first currently used by an academic program and the second developed from practitioners' perceptions of competence). Also investigated effects of training on assessment decisions. Found wide differences in individual ability to assess students…
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Self-Esteem and the Cultural Trade-off: Evidence for the Role of Individualism-Collectivism.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Tafarodi, Romin W.; Smith, Alyson J.; Lang, James M.
1999-01-01
Compared Malaysian (collectivist) and British (individualist) students on their self-liking and self-competence. Malaysians were lower in self-competence when self-liking was held constant but were higher in self-liking when self-competence was held constant. Differences between groups were not reliable after statistically equating groups on two…
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Bugen's Coping with Death Scale: Reliability and Further Validation.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Robbins, Rosemary A.
1991-01-01
Tested Bugen's Coping with Death Scale. Individuals who had written wills, planned estates and funerals, and signed organ donor cards scored higher on the Coping with Death Scale. Because Coping with Death scores were more consistently different in those who prepared for death, this scale may help in efforts to predict those who will engage in…
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Smiley, Patricia A.; Coulson, Sheri L.; Greene, Joelle K.; Bono, Katherine L.
2010-01-01
Individual differences in emotion, cognitions, and task choice following achievement failure are found among four- to seven-year-olds. However, neither performance deterioration during failure nor generalization after failure--aspects of the helpless pattern in 10-year-olds--have been reliably demonstrated in this age group. In the present study,…
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The validity of three tests of temperament in guppies (Poecilia reticulata).
Burns, James G
2008-11-01
Differences in temperament (consistent differences among individuals in behavior) can have important effects on fitness-related activities such as dispersal and competition. However, evolutionary ecologists have put limited effort into validating their tests of temperament. This article attempts to validate three standard tests of temperament in guppies: the open-field test, emergence test, and novel-object test. Through multiple reliability trials, and comparison of results between different types of test, this study establishes the confidence that can be placed in these temperament tests. The open-field test is shown to be a good test of boldness and exploratory behavior; the open-field test was reliable when tested in multiple ways. There were problems with the emergence test and novel-object test, which leads one to conclude that the protocols used in this study should not be considered valid tests for this species. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2008 APA, all rights reserved).
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Reliability of resting-state microstate features in electroencephalography.
Khanna, Arjun; Pascual-Leone, Alvaro; Farzan, Faranak
2014-01-01
Electroencephalographic (EEG) microstate analysis is a method of identifying quasi-stable functional brain states ("microstates") that are altered in a number of neuropsychiatric disorders, suggesting their potential use as biomarkers of neurophysiological health and disease. However, use of EEG microstates as neurophysiological biomarkers requires assessment of the test-retest reliability of microstate analysis. We analyzed resting-state, eyes-closed, 30-channel EEG from 10 healthy subjects over 3 sessions spaced approximately 48 hours apart. We identified four microstate classes and calculated the average duration, frequency, and coverage fraction of these microstates. Using Cronbach's α and the standard error of measurement (SEM) as indicators of reliability, we examined: (1) the test-retest reliability of microstate features using a variety of different approaches; (2) the consistency between TAAHC and k-means clustering algorithms; and (3) whether microstate analysis can be reliably conducted with 19 and 8 electrodes. The approach of identifying a single set of "global" microstate maps showed the highest reliability (mean Cronbach's α > 0.8, SEM ≈ 10% of mean values) compared to microstates derived by each session or each recording. There was notably low reliability in features calculated from maps extracted individually for each recording, suggesting that the analysis is most reliable when maps are held constant. Features were highly consistent across clustering methods (Cronbach's α > 0.9). All features had high test-retest reliability with 19 and 8 electrodes. High test-retest reliability and cross-method consistency of microstate features suggests their potential as biomarkers for assessment of the brain's neurophysiological health.
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Quinn, Amity E; Rosen, Rochelle K; McGeary, John E; Amoa, Francine; Kranzler, Henry R; Francazio, Sarah; McGarvey, Stephen T; Swift, Robert M
2014-01-01
The aims of this study were to develop a bilingual version of the Semi-Structured Assessment for Drug Dependence and Alcoholism (SSADDA) in English and Samoan and determine the reliability of assessments of alcohol dependence in American Samoa. The study consisted of development and reliability-testing phases. In the development phase, the SSADDA alcohol module was translated and the translation was evaluated through cognitive interviews. In the reliability-testing phase, the bilingual SSADDA was administered to 40 ethnic Samoans, including a sub-sample of 26 individuals who were retested. Cognitive interviews indicated the initial translation was culturally and linguistically appropriate except items pertaining to alcohol tolerance, which were modified to reflect Samoan concepts. SSADDA reliability testing indicated diagnoses of DSM-III-R and DSM-IV alcohol dependence were reliable. Reliability varied by language of administration. The English/Samoan version of the SSADDA is appropriate for the diagnosis of DSM-III-R alcohol dependence, which may be useful in advancing research and public health efforts to address alcohol problems in American Samoa and the Western Pacific. The translation methods may inform researchers translating diagnostic and assessment tools into different languages and cultures. © The Author 2014. Medical Council on Alcohol and Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.
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Demerath, E W; Guo, S S; Chumlea, W C; Towne, B; Roche, A F; Siervogel, R M
2002-03-01
The purpose of the study was to compare estimates of body density and percentage body fat from air displacement plethysmography (ADP) to those from hydrodensitometry (HD) in adults and children and to provide a review of similar recent studies. Body density and percentage body fat (% BF) were assessed by ADP and HD on the same day in 87 adults aged 18-69 y (41 males and 46 females) and 39 children aged 8-17 y (19 males and 20 females). Differences between measured and predicted thoracic gas volumes determined during the ADP procedure and the resultant effects of those differences on body composition estimates were also compared. In a subset of 50 individuals (31 adults and 19 children), reliability of ADP was measured and the relative ease or difficulty of ADP and HD were probed with a questionnaire. The coefficient of reliability between %BF on day 1 and day 2 was 96.4 in adults and 90.1 in children, and the technical error of measurement of 1.6% in adults and 1.8% in children. Using a predicted rather than a measured thoracic gas volume did not significantly affect percentage body fat estimates in adults, but resulted in overestimates of percentage body fat in children. Mean percentage body fat from ADP was higher than percentage body fat from HD, although this was statistically significant only in adults (29.3 vs 27.7%, P<0.05). The 95% confidence interval of the between-method differences for all subjects was -7 to +9% body fat, and the root mean square error (r.m.s.e.) was approximately 4% body fat. In the subset of individuals who were asked to compare the two methods, 46 out of 50 (92%) indicated that they preferred the ADP to HD. ADP is a reliable method of measuring body composition that subjects found preferable to underwater weighing. However, as shown here and in most other studies, there are differences in percentage body fat estimates assessed by the two methods, perhaps related to body size, age or other factors, that are sufficient to preclude ADP from being used interchangeably with underwater weighing on an individual basis.
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The reliability of cause-of-death coding in The Netherlands.
Harteloh, Peter; de Bruin, Kim; Kardaun, Jan
2010-08-01
Cause-of-death statistics are a major source of information for epidemiological research or policy decisions. Information on the reliability of these statistics is important for interpreting trends in time or differences between populations. Variations in coding the underlying cause of death could hinder the attribution of observed differences to determinants of health. Therefore we studied the reliability of cause-of-death statistics in The Netherlands. We performed a double coding study. Death certificates from the month of May 2005 were coded again in 2007. Each death certificate was coded manually by four coders. Reliability was measured by calculating agreement between coders (intercoder agreement) and by calculating the consistency of each individual coder in time (intracoder agreement). Our analysis covered an amount of 10,833 death certificates. The intercoder agreement of four coders on the underlying cause of death was 78%. In 2.2% of the cases coders agreed on a change of the code assigned in 2005. The (mean) intracoder agreement of four coders was 89%. Agreement was associated with the specificity of the ICD-10 code (chapter, three digits, four digits), the age of the deceased, the number of coders and the number of diseases reported on the death certificate. The reliability of cause-of-death statistics turned out to be high (>90%) for major causes of death such as cancers and acute myocardial infarction. For chronic diseases, such as diabetes and renal insufficiency, reliability was low (<70%). The reliability of cause-of-death statistics varies by ICD-10 code/chapter. A statistical office should provide coders with (additional) rules for coding diseases with a low reliability and evaluate these rules regularly. Users of cause-of-death statistics should exercise caution when interpreting causes of death with a low reliability. Studies of reliability should take into account the number of coders involved and the number of codes on a death certificate.
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Loureiro, Luiz de França Bahia; de Freitas, Paulo Barbosa
2016-04-01
Badminton requires open and fast actions toward the shuttlecock, but there is no specific agility test for badminton players with specific movements. To develop an agility test that simultaneously assesses perception and motor capacity and examine the test's concurrent and construct validity and its test-retest reliability. The Badcamp agility test consists of running as fast as possible to 6 targets placed on the corners and middle points of a rectangular area (5.6 × 4.2 m) from the start position located in the center of it, following visual stimuli presented in a luminous panel. The authors recruited 43 badminton players (17-32 y old) to evaluate concurrent (with shuttle-run agility test--SRAT) and construct validity and test-retest reliability. Results revealed that Badcamp presents concurrent and construct validity, as its performance is strongly related to SRAT (ρ = 0.83, P < .001), with performance of experts being better than nonexpert players (P < .01). In addition, Badcamp is reliable, as no difference (P = .07) and a high intraclass correlation (ICC = .93) were found in the performance of the players on 2 different occasions. The findings indicate that Badcamp is an effective, valid, and reliable tool to measure agility, allowing coaches and athletic trainers to evaluate players' athletic condition and training effectiveness and possibly detect talented individuals in this sport.
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Reliability and Validity of the Turkish Version of the Voice-Related Quality of Life Measure.
Tezcaner, Zahide Çiler; Aksoy, Songül
2017-03-01
This study aims to test the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the Voice-Related Quality of Life (V-RQOL) questionnaire. This is a nonrandomized, prospective study with control group. The questionnaire was administered to 249 individuals-130 with vocal complaint and 119 without-with a mean age of 37.8 ± 12.3 years. The Turkish version of the Voice Handicap Index (VHI) and perceptual voice evaluation measures were also administered at 2-14 days for retest reliability. The instrument was submitted to validity and reliability evaluation. The V-RQOL measure showed a strong internal consistency and test-retest reliability; the Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the overall V-RQOL was 0.969, the physical functioning domain was 0.949, and the social-emotional domain was 0.940. In the test-retest reliability test, the overall V-RQOL was found to be 0.989. The construct validity of the V-RQOL was determined based on the strength and direction of its relation to the VHI and the perceptual voice evaluation measure. The higher the VHI level, the lower the physical functioning, social-emotional, and overall score levels of the V-RQOL (r = -0.927, r = -0.912, r = -0.944, respectively; P < 0.001). Following the perceptual voice self-assessment, a statistically significant difference was found between the V-RQOL scores of individuals who defined their voices as good, very good, and perfect, and those who defined their voices as bad and very bad (P < 0.001). The results suggest that the Turkish version of the V-RQOL measure has reliability and validity and may play a crucial role in evaluating Turkish-speaking patients with voice disorders. Copyright © 2017 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Levy, M. C.
2012-12-01
Approximately 70% of global available freshwater supplies are used in the agricultural sector. Increased demands for water to meet growing population food requirements, and expected changes in the reliability of freshwater supplies due to climate change, threaten the sustainability of water supplies worldwide - not only on farms, but in connected cities and industries. Researchers concerned with agricultural water use sustainability use a variety of theoretical and empirical measures of efficiency and productivity to gain insight into the sustainability of agricultural water use. However, definitions of measures, or indices, vary between different natural and political boundaries, across regions, states and nations and between their respective research, industry, and environmental groups. Index development responds to local data availability and local agendas, and there is debate about the validity of various indices. However, real differences in empirical index measures are not well-understood across the multiple disciplines that study agricultural water use, including engineering and hydrology, agronomy, climate and soil sciences, and economics. Nevertheless reliable, accessible, and generalizable indices are required for planners and policymakers to promote sustainable water use systems. This study synthesizes a set of water use efficiency and productivity indices based on academic, industry and government literature in California and Australia, two locations with similarly water-stressed and valuable agricultural industries under pressure to achieve optimal water use efficiency and productivity. Empirical data at the irrigation district level from the California San Joaquin Valley and Murray Darling Basin states of Victoria and New South Wales in Australia are used to compute indices that estimate efficiency, yield productivity, and economic productivity of agricultural water use. Multiple index estimates of same time-series data demonstrate historical spread in efficiency and productivity measures in different agricultural regions. Individual indices consistently over- or under- estimate trends in efficiency and productivity by their construction, and may provide inaccurate results in years with extreme climatic events, such as droughts. By treating multiple indices as an "ensemble" of measures, analogous to the treatment of multiple climate model predictions, this study quantifies likely "true" states of efficiency and productivity in the selected agricultural regions, and error in individual indices. While different individual indices are preferable at different scales, and relative to the quality of available input data, ensemble indices can be more reliably used in comparative study across different agricultural regions, and for prediction.
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Gustafsson, Margareta; Blomberg, Karin; Holmefur, Marie
2015-07-01
The Clinical Learning Environment, Supervision and Nurse Teacher (CLES + T) scale evaluates the student nurses' perception of the learning environment and supervision within the clinical placement. It has never been tested in a replication study. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the test-retest reliability of the CLES + T scale. The CLES + T scale was administered twice to a group of 42 student nurses, with a one-week interval. Test-retest reliability was determined by calculations of Intraclass Correlation Coefficients (ICCs) and weighted Kappa coefficients. Standard Error of Measurements (SEM) and Smallest Detectable Difference (SDD) determined the precision of individual scores. Bland-Altman plots were created for analyses of systematic differences between the test occasions. The results of the study showed that the stability over time was good to excellent (ICC 0.88-0.96) in the sub-dimensions "Supervisory relationship", "Pedagogical atmosphere on the ward" and "Role of the nurse teacher". Measurements of "Premises of nursing on the ward" and "Leadership style of the manager" had lower but still acceptable stability (ICC 0.70-0.75). No systematic differences occurred between the test occasions. This study supports the usefulness of the CLES + T scale as a reliable measure of the student nurses' perception of the learning environment within the clinical placement at a hospital. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Riva, Eleonora F M; Riva, Giuseppe; Talò, Cosimo; Boffi, Marco; Rainisio, Nicola; Pola, Linda; Diana, Barbara; Villani, Daniela; Argenton, Luca; Inghilleri, Paolo
2017-01-01
The aim of this study is to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Italian version of the Dispositional Flow Scale-2 (DFS-2), for use with Italian adults, young adults and adolescents. In accordance with the guidelines for test adaptation, the scale has been translated with the method of back translation. The understanding of the item has been checked according to the latest standards on the culturally sensitive translation. The scale thus produced was administered to 843 individuals (of which 60.69% female), between the ages of 15 and 74. The sample is balanced between workers and students. The main activities defined by the subjects allow the sample to be divided into three categories: students, workers, athletes (professionals and semi-professionals). The confirmatory factor analysis, conducted using the Maximum Likelihood Estimator (MLM), showed acceptable fit indexes. Reliability and validity have been verified, and structural invariance has been verified on 6 categories of Flow experience and for 3 subsamples with different with different fields of action. Correlational analysis shows significant high values between the nine dimensions. Our data confirmed the validity and reliability of the Italian DFS-2 in measuring Flow experiences. The scale is reliable for use with Italian adults, young adults and adolescents. The Italian version of the scale is suitable for the evaluation of the subjective tendency to experience Flow trait characteristic in different contest, as sport, study and work.
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Comparison of Automated Brain Volume Measures obtained with NeuroQuant and FreeSurfer.
Ochs, Alfred L; Ross, David E; Zannoni, Megan D; Abildskov, Tracy J; Bigler, Erin D
2015-01-01
To examine intermethod reliabilities and differences between FreeSurfer and the FDA-cleared congener, NeuroQuant, both fully automated methods for structural brain MRI measurements. MRI scans from 20 normal control subjects, 20 Alzheimer's disease patients, and 20 mild traumatically brain-injured patients were analyzed with NeuroQuant and with FreeSurfer. Intermethod reliability was evaluated. Pairwise correlation coefficients, intraclass correlation coefficients, and effect size differences were computed. NeuroQuant versus FreeSurfer measures showed excellent to good intermethod reliability for the 21 regions evaluated (r: .63 to .99/ICC: .62 to .99/ES: -.33 to 2.08) except for the pallidum (r/ICC/ES = .31/.29/-2.2) and cerebellar white matter (r/ICC/ES = .31/.31/.08). Volumes reported by NeuroQuant were generally larger than those reported by FreeSurfer with the whole brain parenchyma volume reported by NeuroQuant 6.50% larger than the volume reported by FreeSurfer. There was no systematic difference in results between the 3 subgroups. NeuroQuant and FreeSurfer showed good to excellent intermethod reliability in volumetric measurements for all brain regions examined with the only exceptions being the pallidum and cerebellar white matter. This finding was robust for normal individuals, patients with Alzheimer's disease, and patients with mild traumatic brain injury. Copyright © 2015 by the American Society of Neuroimaging.
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Interobserver Reliability of the Total Body Score System for Quantifying Human Decomposition.
Dabbs, Gretchen R; Connor, Melissa; Bytheway, Joan A
2016-03-01
Several authors have tested the accuracy of the Total Body Score (TBS) method for quantifying decomposition, but none have examined the reliability of the method as a scoring system by testing interobserver error rates. Sixteen participants used the TBS system to score 59 observation packets including photographs and written descriptions of 13 human cadavers in different stages of decomposition (postmortem interval: 2-186 days). Data analysis used a two-way random model intraclass correlation in SPSS (v. 17.0). The TBS method showed "almost perfect" agreement between observers, with average absolute correlation coefficients of 0.990 and average consistency correlation coefficients of 0.991. While the TBS method may have sources of error, scoring reliability is not one of them. Individual component scores were examined, and the influences of education and experience levels were investigated. Overall, the trunk component scores were the least concordant. Suggestions are made to improve the reliability of the TBS method. © 2016 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.
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Evaluation of the efficiency and fault density of software generated by code generators
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Schreur, Barbara
1993-01-01
Flight computers and flight software are used for GN&C (guidance, navigation, and control), engine controllers, and avionics during missions. The software development requires the generation of a considerable amount of code. The engineers who generate the code make mistakes and the generation of a large body of code with high reliability requires considerable time. Computer-aided software engineering (CASE) tools are available which generates code automatically with inputs through graphical interfaces. These tools are referred to as code generators. In theory, code generators could write highly reliable code quickly and inexpensively. The various code generators offer different levels of reliability checking. Some check only the finished product while some allow checking of individual modules and combined sets of modules as well. Considering NASA's requirement for reliability, an in house manually generated code is needed. Furthermore, automatically generated code is reputed to be as efficient as the best manually generated code when executed. In house verification is warranted.
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Lima, Maria José Barbosa de; Portela, Margareth Crisóstomo
2010-08-01
This study presents an instrument, the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) profile for independent elderly, to measure the health-related quality of life of the functionally independent elderly assisted in the outpatient setting, based on the adaptation of four validated scales: Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), Duke-UNC Health Profile (DUHP), Sickness Impact Profile (SIP), and Nottingham Health Profile (NHP). The study also evaluates the instrument's reliability based on its use by two different observers with a 15-day interval. The instrument includes five dimensions (health perception, symptoms, physical function, psychological function, and social function) and 45 items. Reliability evaluation of the QUASI instrument was based on interviews with 142 elderly outpatients in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Prevalence-adjusted kappa statistic was used to assess all 45 items. Correlation was also calculated between overall scores and scores on individual dimensions. In the reliability evaluation, 39 of the 45 items showed prevalence-adjusted kappa greater than 0.60.
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Alexander, Christopher S; Montessori, Valentina; Wynhoven, Brian; Dong, Winnie; Chan, Keith; O'Shaughnessy, Michael V; Mo, Theresa; Piaseczny, Magda; Montaner, Julio S G; Harrigan, P Richard
2002-03-01
In North America, the B subtype of the major group (M) of HIV-1 predominates. Phylogenetic analysis of HIV reverse transcriptase and protease sequences isolated from 479 therapy-naive patients, first seeking treatment in British Columbia between June 1997 and August 1998, revealed a prevalence of 4.4% non-B virus. A range of different subtypes was identified, including one subtype A, 11 C, two D, five CRF01_AE, and one sample that could not be reliably subtyped. Baseline CD4 courts were significantly lower in individuals harbouring the non-B subtypes (P = 0.02), but baseline viral loads were similar (P = 0.80). In this study, individuals infected with non-B variants did not have a significantly different virological response to therapy after up to 18 months.
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TEST–RETEST RELIABILITY OF CAPABILITY MEASUREMENT IN THE UK GENERAL POPULATION
Al-Janabi, Hareth; Flynn, Terry N; Peters, Tim J; Bryan, Stirling; Coast, Joanna
2015-01-01
Although philosophically attractive, it may be difficult, in practice, to measure individuals' capabilities (what they are able to do in their lives) as opposed to their functionings (what they actually do). To examine whether capability information could be reliably self-reported, we administered a measure of self-reported capability (the Investigating Choice Experiments Capability Measure for Adults, ICECAP-A) on two occasions, 2 weeks apart, alongside a self-reported health measure (the EuroQol Five Dimensional Questionnaire with 3 levels, EQ-5D-3L). We found that respondents were able to report capabilities with a moderate level of consistency, although somewhat less reliably than their health status. The more socially orientated nature of some of the capability questions may account for the difference. © 2014 The Authors Health Economics Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. PMID:25204621
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[Development of a Japanese version of a short form of the Profile of Emotional Competence].
Nozaki, Yuki; Koyasu, Masuo
2015-06-01
Emotional competence refers to individual differences in the ability to appropriately identity, understand, express, regulate, and utilize one's own emotions and those of others. This study developed a Japanese version of a short form of the Profile of Emotional Competence, a measure that allows the comprehensive assessment of intra- and interpersonal emotional competence with shorter items, and investigated its reliability and validity. In Study 1, we selected items for a short version and compared it with the full scale in terms of scores, internal consistency, and validity. In Study 2, we examined the short form's test-retest reliability. Results supported the original two-factor model and the measure had adequate reliability and validity. We discuss the construct validity and practical applicability of the short form of the Profile of Emotional Competence.
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A mechanism of extreme growth and reliable signaling in sexually selected ornaments and weapons.
Emlen, Douglas J; Warren, Ian A; Johns, Annika; Dworkin, Ian; Lavine, Laura Corley
2012-08-17
Many male animals wield ornaments or weapons of exaggerated proportions. We propose that increased cellular sensitivity to signaling through the insulin/insulin-like growth factor (IGF) pathway may be responsible for the extreme growth of these structures. We document how rhinoceros beetle horns, a sexually selected weapon, are more sensitive to nutrition and more responsive to perturbation of the insulin/IGF pathway than other body structures. We then illustrate how enhanced sensitivity to insulin/IGF signaling in a growing ornament or weapon would cause heightened condition sensitivity and increased variability in expression among individuals--critical properties of reliable signals of male quality. The possibility that reliable signaling arises as a by-product of the growth mechanism may explain why trait exaggeration has evolved so many different times in the context of sexual selection.
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On the use and the performance of software reliability growth models
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Keiller, Peter A.; Miller, Douglas R.
1991-01-01
We address the problem of predicting future failures for a piece of software. The number of failures occurring during a finite future time interval is predicted from the number failures observed during an initial period of usage by using software reliability growth models. Two different methods for using the models are considered: straightforward use of individual models, and dynamic selection among models based on goodness-of-fit and quality-of-prediction criteria. Performance is judged by the relative error of the predicted number of failures over future finite time intervals relative to the number of failures eventually observed during the intervals. Six of the former models and eight of the latter are evaluated, based on their performance on twenty data sets. Many open questions remain regarding the use and the performance of software reliability growth models.
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SE33 locus as a reliable genetic marker for forensic DNA analysis systems
Bhinder, Munir Ahmad; Zahoor, Muhammad Yasir; Sadia, Haleema; Qasim, Muhammad; Perveen, Rukhsana; Anjum, Ghulam Murtaza; Iqbal, Muhammad; Ullah, Najeeb; Shehzad, Wasim; Tariq, Muhammad; Waryah, Ali Muhammad
2018-06-14
Background/aim: Genetic variation, an authentic tool of individual discrimination, is being used for forensic investigations worldwide. A missing result for even one out of 13-17 markers leads to an inconclusive report. Additional reliable markers are required to compensate such deficiencies. The SE33 locus has high genetic variability in different populations and is being used in forensic investigation systems in some countries. The purpose of the study was to assess the viability of use of the SE33 locus as a supportive marker for forensic DNA profiling. Materials and methods: Amplification of the SE33 locus was performed using the PowerPlex ES Monoplex System SE33 (Promega). After genotyping 204 Pakistani individuals, different genetic and forensic parameters for the SE33 locus were studied. Results: Genotyping of the SE33 locus revealed a total of 43 alleles including 3 novel alleles. Significant values of different forensic and genetic parameters including power of discrimination, power of exclusion, and polymorphism information content were observed. Conclusions: Addition of the SE33 locus in forensic DNA profiling may help to produce conclusive reports where results are inconclusive due to degraded evidence samples. The SE33 locus can confidently be used for Pakistani and neighboring populations having common ancestors from Iran to Central Asia, the Middle East, India and Turkey.
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Proposal and validation of a clinical trunk control test in individuals with spinal cord injury.
Quinzaños, J; Villa, A R; Flores, A A; Pérez, R
2014-06-01
One of the problems that arise in spinal cord injury (SCI) is alteration in trunk control. Despite the need for standardized scales, these do not exist for evaluating trunk control in SCI. To propose and validate a trunk control test in individuals with SCI. National Institute of Rehabilitation, Mexico. The test was developed and later evaluated for reliability and criteria, content, and construct validity. We carried out 531 tests on 177 patients and found high inter- and intra-rater reliability. In terms of criterion validity, analysis of variance demonstrated a statistically significant difference in the test score of patients with adequate or inadequate trunk control according to the assessment of a group of experts. A receiver operating characteristic curve was plotted for optimizing the instrument's cutoff point, which was determined at 13 points, with a sensitivity of 98% and a specificity of 92.2%. With regard to construct validity, the correlation between the proposed test and the spinal cord independence measure (SCIM) was 0.873 (P=0.001) and that with the evolution time was 0.437 (P=0.001). For testing the hypothesis with qualitative variables, the Kruskal-Wallis test was performed, which resulted in a statistically significant difference between the scores in the proposed scale of each group defined by these variables. It was proven experimentally that the proposed trunk control test is valid and reliable. Furthermore, the test can be used for all patients with SCI despite the type and level of injury.
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Rosenthal, R; Gantert, W A; Scheidegger, D; Oertli, D
2006-08-01
A number of studies have investigated several aspects of feasibility and validity of performance assessments with virtual reality surgical simulators. However, the validity of performance assessments is limited by the reliability of such measurements, and some issues of reliability still need to be addressed. This study aimed to evaluate the hypothesis that test subjects show logarithmic performance curves on repetitive trials for a component task of laparoscopic cholecystectomy on a virtual reality simulator, and that interindividual differences in performance after considerable training are significant. According to kinesiologic theory, logarithmic performance curves are expected and an individual's learning capacity for a specific task can be extrapolated, allowing quantification of a person's innate ability to develop task-specific skills. In this study, 20 medical students at the University of Basel Medical School performed five trials of a standardized task on the LS 500 virtual reality simulator for laparoscopic surgery. Task completion time, number of errors, economy of instrument movements, and maximum speed of instrument movements were measured. The hypothesis was confirmed by the fact that the performance curves for some of the simulator measurements were very close to logarithmic curves, and there were significant interindividual differences in performance at the end of the repetitive trials. Assessment of perceptual motor skills and the innate ability of an individual with no prior experience in laparoscopic surgery to develop such skills using the LS 500 VR surgical simulator is feasible and reliable.
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Hinton-Bayre, Anton D
2011-02-01
There is an ongoing debate over the preferred method(s) for determining the reliable change (RC) in individual scores over time. In the present paper, specificity comparisons of several classic and contemporary RC models were made using a real data set. This included a more detailed review of a new RC model recently proposed in this journal, that used the within-subjects standard deviation (WSD) as the error term. It was suggested that the RC(WSD) was more sensitive to change and theoretically superior. The current paper demonstrated that even in the presence of mean practice effects, false-positive rates were comparable across models when reliability was good and initial and retest variances were equivalent. However, when variances differed, discrepancies in classification across models became evident. Notably, the RC using the WSD provided unacceptably high false-positive rates in this setting. It was considered that the WSD was never intended for measuring change in this manner. The WSD actually combines systematic and error variance. The systematic variance comes from measurable between-treatment differences, commonly referred to as practice effect. It was further demonstrated that removal of the systematic variance and appropriate modification of the residual error term for the purpose of testing individual change yielded an error term already published and criticized in the literature. A consensus on the RC approach is needed. To that end, further comparison of models under varied conditions is encouraged.
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A Monte Carlo Simulation Study of the Reliability of Intraindividual Variability
Estabrook, Ryne; Grimm, Kevin J.; Bowles, Ryan P.
2012-01-01
Recent research has seen intraindividual variability (IIV) become a useful technique to incorporate trial-to-trial variability into many types of psychological studies. IIV as measured by individual standard deviations (ISDs) has shown unique prediction to several types of positive and negative outcomes (Ram, Rabbit, Stollery, & Nesselroade, 2005). One unanswered question regarding measuring intraindividual variability is its reliability and the conditions under which optimal reliability is achieved. Monte Carlo simulation studies were conducted to determine the reliability of the ISD compared to the intraindividual mean. The results indicate that ISDs generally have poor reliability and are sensitive to insufficient measurement occasions, poor test reliability, and unfavorable amounts and distributions of variability in the population. Secondary analysis of psychological data shows that use of individual standard deviations in unfavorable conditions leads to a marked reduction in statistical power, although careful adherence to underlying statistical assumptions allows their use as a basic research tool. PMID:22268793
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Hodkinson, Duncan J; Krause, Kristina; Khawaja, Nadine; Renton, Tara F; Huggins, John P; Vennart, William; Thacker, Michael A; Mehta, Mitul A; Zelaya, Fernando O; Williams, Steven C R; Howard, Matthew A
2013-01-01
Arterial spin labelling (ASL) is increasingly being applied to study the cerebral response to pain in both experimental human models and patients with persistent pain. Despite its advantages, scanning time and reliability remain important issues in the clinical applicability of ASL. Here we present the test-retest analysis of concurrent pseudo-continuous ASL (pCASL) and visual analogue scale (VAS), in a clinical model of on-going pain following third molar extraction (TME). Using ICC performance measures, we were able to quantify the reliability of the post-surgical pain state and ΔCBF (change in CBF), both at the group and individual case level. Within-subject, the inter- and intra-session reliability of the post-surgical pain state was ranked good-to-excellent (ICC > 0.6) across both pCASL and VAS modalities. The parameter ΔCBF (change in CBF between pre- and post-surgical states) performed reliably (ICC > 0.4), provided that a single baseline condition (or the mean of more than one baseline) was used for subtraction. Between-subjects, the pCASL measurements in the post-surgical pain state and ΔCBF were both characterised as reliable (ICC > 0.4). However, the subjective VAS pain ratings demonstrated a significant contribution of pain state variability, which suggests diminished utility for interindividual comparisons. These analyses indicate that the pCASL imaging technique has considerable potential for the comparison of within- and between-subjects differences associated with pain-induced state changes and baseline differences in regional CBF. They also suggest that differences in baseline perfusion and functional lateralisation characteristics may play an important role in the overall reliability of the estimated changes in CBF. Repeated measures designs have the important advantage that they provide good reliability for comparing condition effects because all sources of variability between subjects are excluded from the experimental error. The ability to elicit reliable neural correlates of on-going pain using quantitative perfusion imaging may help support the conclusions derived from subjective self-report.
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USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Background: The utility of glycemic index (GI) values for chronic disease risk management remains controversial. While absolute GI value determinations for individual foods have been shown to vary significantly in individuals with diabetes, there is a dearth of data on the reliability of GI value de...
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Reliability and Validity of Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised, Japanese Version
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Tsuchiya, Kenji J.; Matsumoto, Kaori; Yagi, Atsuko; Inada, Naoko; Kuroda, Miho; Inokuchi, Eiko; Koyama, Tomonori; Kamio, Yoko; Tsujii, Masatsugu; Sakai, Saeko; Mohri, Ikuko; Taniike, Masako; Iwanaga, Ryoichiro; Ogasahara, Kei; Miyachi, Taishi; Nakajima, Shunji; Tani, Iori; Ohnishi, Masafumi; Inoue, Masahiko; Nomura, Kazuyo; Hagiwara, Taku; Uchiyama, Tokio; Ichikawa, Hironobu; Kobayashi, Shuji; Miyamoto, Ken; Nakamura, Kazuhiko; Suzuki, Katsuaki; Mori, Norio; Takei, Nori
2013-01-01
To examine the inter-rater reliability of Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised, Japanese Version (ADI-R-JV), the authors recruited 51 individuals aged 3-19 years, interviewed by two independent raters. Subsequently, to assess the discriminant and diagnostic validity of ADI-R-JV, the authors investigated 317 individuals aged 2-19 years, who were…
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Ståhl, Tomas; Zaal, Maarten P; Skitka, Linda J
2016-01-01
In the present article we demonstrate stable individual differences in the extent to which a reliance on logic and evidence in the formation and evaluation of beliefs is perceived as a moral virtue, and a reliance on less rational processes is perceived as a vice. We refer to this individual difference variable as moralized rationality. Eight studies are reported in which an instrument to measure individual differences in moralized rationality is validated. Results show that the Moralized Rationality Scale (MRS) is internally consistent, and captures something distinct from the personal importance people attach to being rational (Studies 1-3). Furthermore, the MRS has high test-retest reliability (Study 4), is conceptually distinct from frequently used measures of individual differences in moral values, and it is negatively related to common beliefs that are not supported by scientific evidence (Study 5). We further demonstrate that the MRS predicts morally laden reactions, such as a desire for punishment, of people who rely on irrational (vs. rational) ways of forming and evaluating beliefs (Studies 6 and 7). Finally, we show that the MRS uniquely predicts motivation to contribute to a charity that works to prevent the spread of irrational beliefs (Study 8). We conclude that (1) there are stable individual differences in the extent to which people moralize a reliance on rationality in the formation and evaluation of beliefs, (2) that these individual differences do not reduce to the personal importance attached to rationality, and (3) that individual differences in moralized rationality have important motivational and interpersonal consequences.
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Skitka, Linda J.
2016-01-01
In the present article we demonstrate stable individual differences in the extent to which a reliance on logic and evidence in the formation and evaluation of beliefs is perceived as a moral virtue, and a reliance on less rational processes is perceived as a vice. We refer to this individual difference variable as moralized rationality. Eight studies are reported in which an instrument to measure individual differences in moralized rationality is validated. Results show that the Moralized Rationality Scale (MRS) is internally consistent, and captures something distinct from the personal importance people attach to being rational (Studies 1–3). Furthermore, the MRS has high test-retest reliability (Study 4), is conceptually distinct from frequently used measures of individual differences in moral values, and it is negatively related to common beliefs that are not supported by scientific evidence (Study 5). We further demonstrate that the MRS predicts morally laden reactions, such as a desire for punishment, of people who rely on irrational (vs. rational) ways of forming and evaluating beliefs (Studies 6 and 7). Finally, we show that the MRS uniquely predicts motivation to contribute to a charity that works to prevent the spread of irrational beliefs (Study 8). We conclude that (1) there are stable individual differences in the extent to which people moralize a reliance on rationality in the formation and evaluation of beliefs, (2) that these individual differences do not reduce to the personal importance attached to rationality, and (3) that individual differences in moralized rationality have important motivational and interpersonal consequences. PMID:27851777
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Stika, Carren J; Hays, Ron D
2015-07-01
Self-reports of 'hearing handicap' are available, but a comprehensive measure of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) for individuals with adult-onset hearing loss (AOHL) does not exist. Our objective was to develop and evaluate a multidimensional HRQOL instrument for individuals with AOHL. The Impact of Hearing Loss Inventory Tool (IHEAR-IT) was developed using results of focus groups, a literature review, advisory expert panel input, and cognitive interviews. The 73-item field-test instrument was completed by 409 adults (22-91 years old) with varying degrees of AOHL and from different areas of the USA. Multitrait scaling analysis supported four multi-item scales and five individual items. Internal consistency reliabilities ranged from 0.93 to 0.96 for the scales. Construct validity was supported by correlations between the IHEAR-IT scales and scores on the 36-item Short Form Health Survey, version 2.0 (SF-36v2) mental composite summary (r = 0.32-0.64) and the Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly/Adults (HHIE/HHIA) (r ≥ -0.70). The field test provides initial support for the reliability and construct validity of the IHEAR-IT for evaluating HRQOL of individuals with AOHL. Further research is needed to evaluate the responsiveness to change of the IHEAR-IT scales and identify items for a short-form.
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Eye Movements to Natural Images as a Function of Sex and Personality
Mercer Moss, Felix Joseph; Baddeley, Roland; Canagarajah, Nishan
2012-01-01
Women and men are different. As humans are highly visual animals, these differences should be reflected in the pattern of eye movements they make when interacting with the world. We examined fixation distributions of 52 women and men while viewing 80 natural images and found systematic differences in their spatial and temporal characteristics. The most striking of these was that women looked away and usually below many objects of interest, particularly when rating images in terms of their potency. We also found reliable differences correlated with the images' semantic content, the observers' personality, and how the images were semantically evaluated. Information theoretic techniques showed that many of these differences increased with viewing time. These effects were not small: the fixations to a single action or romance film image allow the classification of the sex of an observer with 64% accuracy. While men and women may live in the same environment, what they see in this environment is reliably different. Our findings have important implications for both past and future eye movement research while confirming the significant role individual differences play in visual attention. PMID:23248740
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Hayashi, Paul H.; Barnhart, Huiman X.; Fontana, Robert J.; Chalasani, Naga; Davern, Timothy J.; Talwalkar, Jayant A.; Reddy, K. Rajender; Stolz, Andrew A.; Hoofnagle, Jay H.; Rockey, Don C.
2014-01-01
Background Due to the lack of objective tests to diagnose drug induced liver injury (DILI), causality assessment is a matter of debate. Expert opinion is often used in research and industry but its test-retest reliability is unknown. Aims To determine the test-retest reliability of the expert opinion process used by the Drug-Induced Liver Injury Network (DILIN) Methods Three DILIN hepatologists adjudicate suspected hepatotoxicity cases to 1 of 5 categories representing levels of likelihood of DILI. Adjudication is based on retrospective assessment of gathered case data that includes prospective follow-up information. One hundred randomly selected DILIN cases were re-assessed using the same processes for initial assessment but by 3 different reviewers in 92% of cases. Results The median time between assessments was 938 days (range: 140–2352). Thirty-one cases involved >1 agent. Weighted kappa statistics for overall case and individual agent category agreement were 0.60 (95% CI: 0.50–0.71) and 0.60 (0.52–0.68), respectively. Overall case adjudications were within one category of each other 93% of the time, while 5% differed by 2 categories and 2% differed by 3 categories. Fourteen-percent crossed the 50% threshold of likelihood due to competing diagnoses or atypical timing between drug exposure and injury. Conclusions The DILIN expert opinion causality assessment method has moderate inter-observer reliability but very good agreement within 1 category. A small but important proportion of cases could not be reliably diagnosed as ≥ 50% likely to be DILI. PMID:24661785
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Pailian, Hrag; Halberda, Justin
2015-04-01
We investigated the psychometric properties of the one-shot change detection task for estimating visual working memory (VWM) storage capacity-and also introduced and tested an alternative flicker change detection task for estimating these limits. In three experiments, we found that the one-shot whole-display task returns estimates of VWM storage capacity (K) that are unreliable across set sizes-suggesting that the whole-display task is measuring different things at different set sizes. In two additional experiments, we found that the one-shot single-probe variant shows improvements in the reliability and consistency of K estimates. In another additional experiment, we found that a one-shot whole-display-with-click task (requiring target localization) also showed improvements in reliability and consistency. The latter results suggest that the one-shot task can return reliable and consistent estimates of VWM storage capacity (K), and they highlight the possibility that the requirement to localize the changed target is what engenders this enhancement. Through a final series of four experiments, we introduced and tested an alternative flicker change detection method that also requires the observer to localize the changing target and that generates, from response times, an estimate of VWM storage capacity (K). We found that estimates of K from the flicker task correlated with estimates from the traditional one-shot task and also had high reliability and consistency. We highlight the flicker method's ability to estimate executive functions as well as VWM storage capacity, and discuss the potential for measuring multiple abilities with the one-shot and flicker tasks.
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Unreliability as a Threat to Understanding Psychopathology: The Cautionary Tale of Attentional Bias
Rodebaugh, Thomas L.; Scullin, Rachel B.; Langer, Julia K.; Dixon, David J.; Huppert, Jonathan D.; Bernstein, Amit; Zvielli, Ariel; Lenze, Eric J.
2016-01-01
The use of unreliable measures constitutes a threat to our understanding of psychopathology, because advancement of science using both behavioral and biologically-oriented measures can only be certain if such measurements are reliable. Two pillars of NIMH’s portfolio – the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) initiative for psychopathology and the target engagement initiative in clinical trials – cannot succeed without measures that possess the high reliability necessary for tests involving mediation and selection based on individual differences. We focus on the historical lack of reliability of attentional bias measures as an illustration of how reliability can pose a threat to our understanding. Our own data replicate previous findings of poor reliability for traditionally-used scores, which suggests a serious problem with the ability to test theories regarding attentional bias. This lack of reliability may also suggest problems with the assumption (in both theory and the formula for the scores) that attentional bias is consistent and stable across time. In contrast, measures accounting for attention as a dynamic process in time show good reliability in our data. The field is sorely in need of research reporting findings and reliability for attentional bias scores using multiple methods, including those focusing on dynamic processes over time. We urge researchers to test and report reliability of all measures, considering findings of low reliability not just as a nuisance but as an opportunity to modify and improve upon the underlying theory. Full assessment of reliability of measures will maximize the possibility that RDoC (and psychological science more generally) will succeed. PMID:27322741
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HIDECKER, MARY JO COOLEY; PANETH, NIGEL; ROSENBAUM, PETER L; KENT, RAYMOND D; LILLIE, JANET; EULENBERG, JOHN B; CHESTER, KEN; JOHNSON, BRENDA; MICHALSEN, LAUREN; EVATT, MORGAN; TAYLOR, KARA
2011-01-01
Aim The purpose of this study was to create and validate a Communication Function Classification System (CFCS) for children with cerebral palsy (CP) that can be used by a wide variety of individuals who are interested in CP. This paper reports the content validity, interrater reliability, and test–retest reliability of the CFCS for children with CP. Method An 11-member development team created comprehensive descriptions of the CFCS levels, and four nominal groups comprising 27 participants critiqued these levels. Within a Delphi survey, 112 participants commented on the clarity and usefulness of the CFCS. Interrater reliability was completed by 61 professionals and 68 parents/relatives who classified 69 children with CP aged 2 to 18 years. Test–retest reliability was completed by 48 professionals who allowed at least 2 weeks between classifications. The participants who assessed the CFCS were all relevant stakeholders: adults with CP, parents of children with CP, educators, occupational therapists, physical therapists, physicians, and speech–language pathologists. Results The interrater reliability of the CFCS was 0.66 between two professionals and 0.49 between a parent and a professional. Professional interrater reliability improved to 0.77 for classification of children older than 4 years. The test–retest reliability was 0.82. Interpretation The CFCS demonstrates content validity and shows very good test–retest reliability, good professional interrater reliability, and moderate parent–professional interrater reliability. Combining the CFCS with the Gross Motor Function Classification System and the Manual Ability Classification System contributes to a functional performance view of daily life for individuals with CP, in accordance with the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. PMID:21707596
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A DNA fingerprinting procedure for ultra high-throughput genetic analysis of insects.
Schlipalius, D I; Waldron, J; Carroll, B J; Collins, P J; Ebert, P R
2001-12-01
Existing procedures for the generation of polymorphic DNA markers are not optimal for insect studies in which the organisms are often tiny and background molecular information is often non-existent. We have used a new high throughput DNA marker generation protocol called randomly amplified DNA fingerprints (RAF) to analyse the genetic variability in three separate strains of the stored grain pest, Rhyzopertha dominica. This protocol is quick, robust and reliable even though it requires minimal sample preparation, minute amounts of DNA and no prior molecular analysis of the organism. Arbitrarily selected oligonucleotide primers routinely produced approximately 50 scoreable polymorphic DNA markers, between individuals of three independent field isolates of R. dominica. Multivariate cluster analysis using forty-nine arbitrarily selected polymorphisms generated from a single primer reliably separated individuals into three clades corresponding to their geographical origin. The resulting clades were quite distinct, with an average genetic difference of 37.5 +/- 6.0% between clades and of 21.0 +/- 7.1% between individuals within clades. As a prelude to future gene mapping efforts, we have also assessed the performance of RAF under conditions commonly used in gene mapping. In this analysis, fingerprints from pooled DNA samples accurately and reproducibly reflected RAF profiles obtained from individual DNA samples that had been combined to create the bulked samples.
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Identification and assessment of markers of biotin status in healthy adults
Eng, Wei Kay; Giraud, David; Schlegel, Vicki L.; Wang, Dong; Lee, Bo Hyun; Zempleni, Janos
2016-01-01
Human biotin requirements are unknown and the identification of reliable markers of biotin status is necessary to fill this knowledge gap. Here, we used an outpatient feeding protocol to create states of biotin deficiency, sufficiency and supplementation in sixteen healthy men and women. A total of twenty possible markers of biotin status were assessed, including the abundance of biotinylated carboxylases in lymphocytes, the expression of genes from biotin metabolism and the urinary excretion of biotin and organic acids. Only the abundance of biotinylated 3-methylcrotonyl-CoA carboxylase (holo-MCC) and propionyl-CoA carboxylase (holo-PCC) allowed for distinguishing biotin-deficient and biotin-sufficient individuals. The urinary excretion of biotin reliably identified biotin-supplemented subjects, but did not distinguish between biotin-depleted and biotin-sufficient individuals. The urinary excretion of 3-hydroxyisovaleric acid detected some biotin-deficient subjects, but produced a meaningful number of false-negative results and did not distinguish between biotin-sufficient and biotin-supplemented individuals. None of the other organic acids that were tested were useful markers of biotin status. Likewise, the abundance of mRNA coding for biotin transporters, holocarboxylase synthetase and biotin-dependent carboxylases in lymphocytes were not different among the treatment groups. Generally, datasets were characterised by variations that exceeded those seen in studies in cell cultures. We conclude that holo-MCC and holo-PCC are the most reliable, single markers of biotin status tested in the present study. PMID:23302490
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Rochon, James; Protiva, Petr; Seeff, Leonard B.; Fontana, Robert J.; Liangpunsakul, Suthat; Watkins, Paul B.; Davern, Timothy; McHutchison, John G.
2013-01-01
The Roussel Uclaf Causality Assessment Method (RUCAM) was developed to quantify the strength of association between a liver injury and the medication implicated as causing the injury. However, its reliability in a research setting has never been fully explored. The aim of this study was to determine test-retest and interrater reliabilities of RUCAM in retrospectively-identified cases of drug induced liver injury. The Drug-Induced Liver Injury Network is enrolling well-defined cases of hepatotoxicity caused by isoniazid, phenytoin, clavulanate/amoxicillin, or valproate occurring since 1994. Each case was adjudicated by three reviewers working independently; after an interval of at least 5 months, cases were readjudicated by the same reviewers. A total of 40 drug-induced liver injury cases were enrolled including individuals treated with isoniazid (nine), phenytoin (five), clavulanate/amoxicillin (15), and valproate (11). Mean ± standard deviation age at protocol-defined onset was 44.8 ± 19.5 years; patients were 68% female and 78% Caucasian. Cases were classified as hepatocellular (44%), mixed (28%), or cholestatic (28%). Test-retest differences ranged from −7 to +8 with complete agreement in only 26% of cases. On average, the maximum absolute difference among the three reviewers was 3.1 on the first adjudication and 2.7 on the second, although much of this variability could be attributed to differences between the enrolling investigator and the external reviewers. The test-retest reliability by the same assessors was 0.54 (upper 95% confidence limit = 0.77); the interrater reliability was 0.45 (upper 95% confidence limit = 0.58). Categorizing the RUCAM to a five-category scale improved these reliabilities but only marginally. Conclusion The mediocre reliability of the RUCAM is problematic for future studies of drug-induced liver injury. Alternative methods, including modifying the RUCAM, developing drug-specific instruments, or causality assessment based on expert opinion, may be more appropriate. PMID:18798340
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A radiographic study estimating age of mandibular third molars by periodontal ligament visibility.
Chaudhary, M A; Liversidge, H M
2017-12-01
Visibility of the periodontal ligament of mandibular third molars (M3) has been suggested as a method to estimate age. To assess the accuracy of this method and compare the visibility of the periodontal ligament in the left M3 with the right M3. The sample was archived panoramic dental radiographs of 163 individuals (75 males, 88 females, age 16-53 years) with mature M3's. Reliability was assessed using Kappa. Accuracy was assessed by subtracting chronological age from estimated age for males and females. Stages were cross-tabulated against age stages younger than and at least 18 and 21 years of age. Stages were compared in the left M3 and right M3. Analysis showed excellent intra-observer reliability. Mean difference between estimated and chronological ages was 7.21 years (SD 5.16) for left M3 and 7.69 (SD 6.08) for right M3 in males and 6.87 (SD 5.83) for left M3 and 8.61 (SD 6.58) for right M3 in females. Minimum ages of stages 0 to 2 were younger than previously reported, despite a small sample of individuals younger than 18. The left and right M3 stage differed in 46% of the 85 individuals with readings from both side and estimated age differed from -10.5 to 12.2 years between left and right. Accuracy of this method was between 6 and 8 years with an error of 5 to 6 years. The number of individuals with mature M3 apices younger than 18 years was small. The stage of visibility of the periodontal ligament differed between left and right in almost half of our sample with both teeth present. Our findings question the use of this method to estimate age or to discriminate between age younger and at least 18 years.
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Parr, Jeremy R; De Jonge, Maretha V; Wallace, Simon; Pickles, Andrew; Rutter, Michael L; Le Couteur, Ann S; van Engeland, Herman; Wittemeyer, Kerstin; McConachie, Helen; Roge, Bernadette; Mantoulan, Carine; Pedersen, Lennart; Isager, Torben; Poustka, Fritz; Bolte, Sven; Bolton, Patrick; Weisblatt, Emma; Green, Jonathan; Papanikolaou, Katerina; Baird, Gillian; Bailey, Anthony J
2015-10-01
Clinical genetic studies confirm the broader autism phenotype (BAP) in some relatives of individuals with autism, but there are few standardized assessment measures. We developed three BAP measures (informant interview, self-report interview, and impression of interviewee observational scale) and describe the development strategy and findings from the interviews. International Molecular Genetic Study of Autism Consortium data were collected from families containing at least two individuals with autism. Comparison of the informant and self-report interviews was restricted to samples in which the interviews were undertaken by different researchers from that site (251 UK informants, 119 from the Netherlands). Researchers produced vignettes that were rated blind by others. Retest reliability was assessed in 45 participants. Agreement between live scoring and vignette ratings was very high. Retest stability for the interviews was high. Factor analysis indicated a first factor comprising social-communication items and rigidity (but not other repetitive domain items), and a second factor comprised mainly of reading and spelling impairments. Whole scale Cronbach's alphas were high for both interviews. The correlation between interviews for factor 1 was moderate (adult items 0.50; childhood items 0.43); Kappa values for between-interview agreement on individual items were mainly low. The correlations between individual items and total score were moderate. The inclusion of several factor 2 items lowered the overall Cronbach's alpha for the total set. Both interview measures showed good reliability and substantial stability over time, but the findings were better for factor 1 than factor 2. We recommend factor 1 scores be used for characterising the BAP. © 2015 The Authors Autism Research published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Society for Autism Research.
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Home Runs and Humbugs: Comment on Bond and DePaulo (2008)
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
O'Sullivan, Maureen
2008-01-01
In 2006, C. F. Bond Jr. and B. M. DePaulo provided a meta-analysis of means and concluded that average lie detection accuracy was significantly greater than chance for most people. Now, they have presented an analysis of standard deviations (C. F. Bond Jr. & B. M. DePaulo, 2008), claiming that there are no reliable individual differences in lie…
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Robert H. White; Wayne C. Zipperer
2010-01-01
Knowledge of how species differ in their flammability characteristics is needed to develop more reliable lists of plants recommended for landscaping homes in the wildlandâurban interface (WUI). As indicated by conflicting advice in such lists, such characterisation is not without difficulties and disagreements. The flammability of vegetation is often described as...
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The Strengths Assessment Inventory: Reliability of a New Measure of Psychosocial Strengths for Youth
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Brazeau, James N.; Teatero, Missy L.; Rawana, Edward P.; Brownlee, Keith; Blanchette, Loretta R.
2012-01-01
A new measure, the Strengths Assessment Inventory-Youth self-report (SAI-Y), was recently developed to assess the strengths of children and adolescents between the ages of 10 and 18 years. The SAI-Y differs from similar measures in that it provides a comprehensive assessment of strengths that are intrinsic to the individual as well as strengths…
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Wetherell, Mark A; Carter, Kirsty
2014-04-01
A variety of techniques exist for eliciting acute psychological stress in the laboratory; however, they vary in terms of their ease of use, reliability to elicit consistent responses and the extent to which they represent the stressors encountered in everyday life. There is, therefore, a need to develop simple laboratory techniques that reliably elicit psychobiological stress reactivity that are representative of the types of stressors encountered in everyday life. The multitasking framework is a performance-based, cognitively demanding stressor, representative of environments where individuals are required to attend and respond to several different stimuli simultaneously with varying levels of workload. Psychological (mood and perceived workload) and physiological (heart rate and blood pressure) stress reactivity was observed in response to a 15-min period of multitasking at different levels of workload intensity in a sample of 20 healthy participants. Multitasking stress elicited increases in heart rate and blood pressure, and increased workload intensity elicited dose-response increases in levels of perceived workload and mood. As individuals rarely attend to single tasks in real life, the multitasking framework provides an alternative technique for modelling acute stress and workload in the laboratory. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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Tangney, J P
1990-07-01
Individual differences in proneness to shame and proneness to guilt are thought to play an important role in the development of both adaptive and maladaptive interpersonal and intrapersonal processes. But little empirical research has addressed these issues, largely because no reliable, valid measure has been available to researchers interested in differentiating proneness to shame from proneness to guilt. The Self-Conscious Affect and Attribution Inventory (SCAAI) was developed to assess characteristic affective, cognitive, and behavioral responses associated with shame and guilt among a young adult population. The SCAAI also includes indices of externalization of cause or blame, detachment/unconcern, pride in self, and pride in behavior. Data from 3 independent studies of college students and 1 study of noncollege adults provide support for the reliability of the main SCAAI subscales. Moreover, the pattern of relations among the SCAAI subscales and the relation of SCAAI subscales to 2 extant measures of shame and guilt support the validity of this new measure. The SCAAI appears to provide related but functionally distinct indices of proneness to shame and guilt in a way that these previous measures have not.
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Barbosa, Taís de Souza; Gavião, Maria Beatriz Duarte
2015-01-01
To test the validity and reliability of Brazilian Portuguese version of the Parental-Caregiver Perceptions Questionnaire (P-CPQ) (Aim 1) and to assess the agreement between parents and children concerning the child's oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) (Aim 2). The P-CPQ and the Brazilian Portuguese versions of the Child Perceptions Questionnaires (CPQ8-10 and CPQ11-14 ) were used. Objective 1 addressed in the study that involved 210 (validity and internal reliability) and 20 (test-retest reliability) parents and Objective 2 in the study that involved 210 pairs of parents and children. Construct validity was calculated using the Spearman's correlation and the Mann-Whitney/Kruskal-Wallis tests. Reliability was determined using Cronbach's alpha and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Agreement between overall and subscale scores derived from the P-CPQ and CPQ was assessed in comparison and correlation analyses. The P-CPQ discriminated among the categories of malocclusion and dmft. The P-CPQ showed good construct validity, good internal consistency reliability, and excellent test-retest reliability. There was systematic under- and overreporting in parents' assessments for younger and older children, respectively. However, the magnitude of the directional differences was just small. At individual level, agreement between parents and children was excellent. However, it ranged from excellent to moderate or substantial in subscales for CPQ8-10 and CPQ11-14 groups, respectively. The Portuguese version of P-CPQ is valid and reliable. Some parents have limited knowledge about child OHRQoL. Given that parental and child reports measure different realities concerning the child's OHRQoL, information provided by parents can complement the child's evaluation. © 2015 American Association of Public Health Dentistry.
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Individual Movement Strategies Revealed through Novel Clustering of Emergent Movement Patterns
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Valle, Denis; Cvetojevic, Sreten; Robertson, Ellen P.; Reichert, Brian E.; Hochmair, Hartwig H.; Fletcher, Robert J.
2017-03-01
Understanding movement is critical in several disciplines but analysis methods often neglect key information by adopting each location as sampling unit, rather than each individual. We introduce a novel statistical method that, by focusing on individuals, enables better identification of temporal dynamics of connectivity, traits of individuals that explain emergent movement patterns, and sites that play a critical role in connecting subpopulations. We apply this method to two examples that span movement networks that vary considerably in size and questions: movements of an endangered raptor, the snail kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis plumbeus), and human movement in Florida inferred from Twitter. For snail kites, our method reveals substantial differences in movement strategies for different bird cohorts and temporal changes in connectivity driven by the invasion of an exotic food resource, illustrating the challenge of identifying critical connectivity sites for conservation in the presence of global change. For human movement, our method is able to reliably determine the origin of Florida visitors and identify distinct movement patterns within Florida for visitors from different places, providing near real-time information on the spatial and temporal patterns of tourists. These results emphasize the need to integrate individual variation to generate new insights when modeling movement data.
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Reliability and validity of the EQ-5D-3L for Kashin-Beck disease in China.
Fang, Hua; Farooq, Umer; Wang, Dimiao; Yu, Fangfang; Younus, Mohammad Imran; Guo, Xiong
2016-01-01
Kashin-Beck Disease (KBD) is an endemic osteoarthropathy in areas which extend from the North-East to the South-West of China. Most of the patients with KBD suffer multiple dysfunctions in major joints causing decreased health status. However because of their low education level and unique living habits, it is hard to find tools to measure the health-related quality of life (HRQOL). European quality of life (EQ-5D-3L) patient-reported instrument is widely used to measure HRQOL. This study aimed to establish the validity and reliability of the Chinese version of the EQ-5D-3L for evaluating HRQOL of KBD individuals in rural area. 368 individuals who were suffering from KBD were recruited through stratified multistage random sampling from Shaanxi province, China. The EQ-5D-3L and the WHOQOL-BREF were administrated in each individual by face to face interview. Test-retest reliability was assessed at 10-14 days intervals. The test-retest reliability was measured by calculating the Kappa coefficients for EQ-5D-3L five dimensions. For the EQ VAS, the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was computed. Convergent and divergent analysis, construct validity was established using Spearman's rank correlation between the EQ-5D-3L and the WHOQOL-BREF. Known groups' validity was examined by comparing groups with a priori expected differences in health-related quality of life (HRQOL). For 362 individuals (98%), comprehensive data of all the EQ-5D-3L dimensions were available. Kappa values of the EQ-5D-3L five items ranged from 0.324 to 0.554. ICC of the EQ VAS was 0.497. For convergent validity, the three items (self-care, usual activity, and mobility) of EQ-5D-3L, index scores, and VAS showed moderate correlations with the physical health domain of the WHOQOL-BREF (r absolute value ranged from 0.339 to 0.475). For divergent validity, the 5 items of EQ-5D-3L showed weak or no correlations with environment and social relationship domains of WHOQOL-BREF. The Chinese EQ-5D-3L clearly demarcated between groups which were reporting severe disease degree, poorer general health, more number of painful joints with worse HRQOL. The EQ-5D-3L Chinese Version demonstrated fair to moderate levels of test-retest reliability and adequate construct validity in KBD individuals in China.
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Effect of a patient training video on visual field test reliability
Sherafat, H; Spry, P G D; Waldock, A; Sparrow, J M; Diamond, J P
2003-01-01
Aims: To evaluate the effect of a visual field test educational video on the reliability of the first automated visual field test of new patients. Methods: A prospective, randomised, controlled trial of an educational video on visual field test reliability of patients referred to the hospital eye service for suspected glaucoma was undertaken. Patients were randomised to either watch an educational video or a control group with no video. The video group was shown a 4.5 minute audiovisual presentation to familiarise them with the various aspects of visual field examination with particular emphasis on sources of unreliability. Reliability was determined using standard criteria of fixation loss rate less than 20%, false positive responses less than 33%, and false negative responses less than 33%. Results: 244 patients were recruited; 112 in the video group and 132 in the control group with no significant between group difference in age, sex, and density of field defects. A significant improvement in reliability (p=0.015) was observed in the group exposed to the video with 85 (75.9%) patients having reliable results compared to 81 (61.4%) in the control group. The difference was not significant for the right (first tested) eye with 93 (83.0%) of the visual fields reliable in the video group compared to 106 (80.0%) in the control group (p = 0.583), but was significant for the left (second tested) eye with 97 (86.6 %) of the video group reliable versus 97 (73.5%) of the control group (p = 0.011). Conclusions: The use of a brief, audiovisual patient information guide on taking the visual field test produced an improvement in patient reliability for individuals tested for the first time. In this trial the use of the video had most of its impact by reducing the number of unreliable fields from the second tested eye. PMID:12543740
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Effect of a patient training video on visual field test reliability.
Sherafat, H; Spry, P G D; Waldock, A; Sparrow, J M; Diamond, J P
2003-02-01
To evaluate the effect of a visual field test educational video on the reliability of the first automated visual field test of new patients. A prospective, randomised, controlled trial of an educational video on visual field test reliability of patients referred to the hospital eye service for suspected glaucoma was undertaken. Patients were randomised to either watch an educational video or a control group with no video. The video group was shown a 4.5 minute audiovisual presentation to familiarize them with the various aspects of visual field examination with particular emphasis on sources of unreliability. Reliability was determined using standard criteria of fixation loss rate less than 20%, false positive responses less than 33%, and false negative responses less than 33%. 244 patients were recruited; 112 in the video group and 132 in the control group with no significant between group difference in age, sex, and density of field defects. A significant improvement in reliability (p=0.015) was observed in the group exposed to the video with 85 (75.9%) patients having reliable results compared to 81 (61.4%) in the control group. The difference was not significant for the right (first tested) eye with 93 (83.0%) of the visual fields reliable in the video group compared to 106 (80.0%) in the control group (p = 0.583), but was significant for the left (second tested) eye with 97 (86.6 %) of the video group reliable versus 97 (73.5%) of the control group (p = 0.011). The use of a brief, audiovisual patient information guide on taking the visual field test produced an improvement in patient reliability for individuals tested for the first time. In this trial the use of the video had most of its impact by reducing the number of unreliable fields from the second tested eye.
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Sliding into happiness: A new tool for measuring affective responses to words
Warriner, Amy Beth; Shore, David I.; Schmidt, Louis A.; Imbault, Constance L.; Kuperman, Victor
2016-01-01
Reliable measurement of affective responses is critical for research into human emotion. Affective evaluation of words is most commonly gauged on multiple dimensions—including valence (positivity) and arousal—using a rating scale. Despite its popularity, this scale is open to criticism: it generates ordinal data that is often misinterpreted as interval, it does not provide the fine resolution that is essential by recent theoretical accounts of emotion, and its extremes may not be properly calibrated. In five experiments, we introduce a new slider tool for affective evaluation of words on a continuous, well-calibrated and high-resolution scale. In Experiment 1, participants were shown a word and asked to move a manikin representing themselves closer to or farther away from the word. The manikin’s distance from the word strongly correlated with the word’s valence. In Experiment 2, individual differences in shyness and sociability elicited reliable differences in distance from the words. Experiment 3 validated the results of Experiments 1 and 2 using a demographically more diverse population of responders. Finally, Experiment 4 (along with Experiment 2) suggested that task demand is not a potential cause for scale recalibration. In Experiment 5, men and women placed a manikin closer or farther from words that showed sex differences in valence, highlighting the sensitivity of this measure to group differences. These findings shed a new light on interactions among affect, language, and individual differences, and demonstrate the utility of a new tool for measuring word affect. PMID:28252996
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McGugin, Rankin W.; Richler, Jennifer J.; Herzmann, Grit; Speegle, Magen; Gauthier, Isabel
2012-01-01
Individual differences in face recognition are often contrasted with differences in object recognition using a single object category. Likewise, individual differences in perceptual expertise for a given object domain have typically been measured relative to only a single category baseline. In Experiment 1, we present a new test of object recognition, the Vanderbilt Expertise Test (VET), which is comparable in methods to the Cambridge Face Memory Task (CFMT) but uses eight different object categories. Principal component analysis reveals that the underlying structure of the VET can be largely explained by two independent factors, which demonstrate good reliability and capture interesting sex differences inherent in the VET structure. In Experiment 2, we show how the VET can be used to separate domain-specific from domain-general contributions to a standard measure of perceptual expertise. While domain-specific contributions are found for car matching for both men and women and for plane matching in men, women in this sample appear to use more domain-general strategies to match planes. In Experiment 3, we use the VET to demonstrate that holistic processing of faces predicts face recognition independently of general object recognition ability, which has a sex-specific contribution to face recognition. Overall, the results suggest that the VET is a reliable and valid measure of object recognition abilities and can measure both domain-general skills and domain-specific expertise, which were both found to depend on the sex of observers. PMID:22877929
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Wilker, Sarah; Pfeiffer, Anett; Kolassa, Stephan; Koslowski, Daniela; Elbert, Thomas; Kolassa, Iris-Tatjana
2015-01-01
While studies with survivors of single traumatic experiences highlight individual response variation following trauma, research from conflict regions shows that almost everyone develops posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) if trauma exposure reaches extreme levels. Therefore, evaluating the effects of cumulative trauma exposure is of utmost importance in studies investigating risk factors for PTSD. Yet, little research has been devoted to evaluate how this important environmental risk factor can be best quantified. We investigated the retest reliability and predictive validity of different trauma measures in a sample of 227 Ugandan rebel war survivors. Trauma exposure was modeled as the number of traumatic event types experienced or as a score considering traumatic event frequencies. In addition, we investigated whether age at trauma exposure can be reliably measured and improves PTSD risk prediction. All trauma measures showed good reliability. While prediction of lifetime PTSD was most accurate from the number of different traumatic event types experienced, inclusion of event frequencies slightly improved the prediction of current PTSD. As assessing the number of traumatic events experienced is the least stressful and time-consuming assessment and leads to the best prediction of lifetime PTSD, we recommend this measure for research on PTSD etiology.
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Levac, Danielle; Nawrotek, Joanna; Deschenes, Emilie; Giguere, Tia; Serafin, Julie; Bilodeau, Martin; Sveistrup, Heidi
2016-06-01
Virtual reality active video games are increasingly popular physical therapy interventions for children with cerebral palsy. However, physical therapists require educational resources to support decision making about game selection to match individual patient goals. Quantifying the movements elicited during virtual reality active video game play can inform individualized game selection in pediatric rehabilitation. The objectives of this study were to develop and evaluate the feasibility and reliability of the Movement Rating Instrument for Virtual Reality Game Play (MRI-VRGP). Item generation occurred through an iterative process of literature review and sample videotape viewing. The MRI-VRGP includes 25 items quantifying upper extremity, lower extremity, and total body movements. A total of 176 videotaped 90-second game play sessions involving 7 typically developing children and 4 children with cerebral palsy were rated by 3 raters trained in MRI-VRGP use. Children played 8 games on 2 virtual reality and active video game systems. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) determined intra-rater and interrater reliability. Excellent intrarater reliability was evidenced by ICCs of >0.75 for 17 of the 25 items across the 3 raters. Interrater reliability estimates were less precise. Excellent interrater reliability was achieved for far reach upper extremity movements (ICC=0.92 [for right and ICC=0.90 for left) and for squat (ICC=0.80) and jump items (ICC=0.99), with 9 items achieving ICCs of >0.70, 12 items achieving ICCs of between 0.40 and 0.70, and 4 items achieving poor reliability (close-reach upper extremity-ICC=0.14 for right and ICC=0.07 for left) and single-leg stance (ICC=0.55 for right and ICC=0.27 for left). Poor video quality, differing item interpretations between raters, and difficulty quantifying the high-speed movements involved in game play affected reliability. With item definition clarification and further psychometric property evaluation, the MRI-VRGP could inform the content of educational resources for therapists by ranking games according to frequency and type of elicited body movements.
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Nawrotek, Joanna; Deschenes, Emilie; Giguere, Tia; Serafin, Julie; Bilodeau, Martin; Sveistrup, Heidi
2016-01-01
Background Virtual reality active video games are increasingly popular physical therapy interventions for children with cerebral palsy. However, physical therapists require educational resources to support decision making about game selection to match individual patient goals. Quantifying the movements elicited during virtual reality active video game play can inform individualized game selection in pediatric rehabilitation. Objective The objectives of this study were to develop and evaluate the feasibility and reliability of the Movement Rating Instrument for Virtual Reality Game Play (MRI-VRGP). Methods Item generation occurred through an iterative process of literature review and sample videotape viewing. The MRI-VRGP includes 25 items quantifying upper extremity, lower extremity, and total body movements. A total of 176 videotaped 90-second game play sessions involving 7 typically developing children and 4 children with cerebral palsy were rated by 3 raters trained in MRI-VRGP use. Children played 8 games on 2 virtual reality and active video game systems. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) determined intra-rater and interrater reliability. Results Excellent intrarater reliability was evidenced by ICCs of >0.75 for 17 of the 25 items across the 3 raters. Interrater reliability estimates were less precise. Excellent interrater reliability was achieved for far reach upper extremity movements (ICC=0.92 [for right and ICC=0.90 for left) and for squat (ICC=0.80) and jump items (ICC=0.99), with 9 items achieving ICCs of >0.70, 12 items achieving ICCs of between 0.40 and 0.70, and 4 items achieving poor reliability (close-reach upper extremity-ICC=0.14 for right and ICC=0.07 for left) and single-leg stance (ICC=0.55 for right and ICC=0.27 for left). Conclusions Poor video quality, differing item interpretations between raters, and difficulty quantifying the high-speed movements involved in game play affected reliability. With item definition clarification and further psychometric property evaluation, the MRI-VRGP could inform the content of educational resources for therapists by ranking games according to frequency and type of elicited body movements. PMID:27251029
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Dzhokhadze, T A; Ganozishvili, M N; Lezhava, T A
2008-09-01
Expression rates of chromosome fragile sites in peripheral blood lymphocytes have been studied in clinically healthy individuals of different age groups (20-38 yrs and 75-86 yrs) and breast cancer patients (8 cases). In individuals with a normal check-up of different age groups the heavy metal (nickel, zinc and cobalt) ions were also examined on their influence on the expression of the fragile sites and the peptide bioregulators (Livagen and Epithalon) were tested on their ability to correct the pattern of expression. Short-term lymphocyte cultures were used as tested material. The analysis showed that the chromosomes of people from young and old age groups differ from each other by the expression pattern of fragile sites - the chromosomes of young individuals were found to be more active by spontaneous formation of fragile sites. They were also sensitive to their induction by heavy metals. Both tested bioregulators lessen heavy metals effect that was statistically reliable only for the young people group. As for the patients with breast cancer general elevated fragility of chromosomes and specific distribution of the fragile sites along the chromosomes were revealed.
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TVA-Based Assessment of Visual Attention Using Line-Drawings of Fruits and Vegetables
Wang, Tianlu; Gillebert, Celine R.
2018-01-01
Visuospatial attention and short-term memory allow us to prioritize, select, and briefly maintain part of the visual information that reaches our senses. These cognitive abilities are quantitatively accounted for by Bundesen’s theory of visual attention (TVA; Bundesen, 1990). Previous studies have suggested that TVA-based assessments are sensitive to inter-individual differences in spatial bias, visual short-term memory capacity, top-down control, and processing speed in healthy volunteers as well as in patients with various neurological and psychiatric conditions. However, most neuropsychological assessments of attention and executive functions, including TVA-based assessment, make use of alphanumeric stimuli and/or are performed verbally, which can pose difficulties for individuals who have troubles processing letters or numbers. Here we examined the reliability of TVA-based assessments when stimuli are used that are not alphanumeric, but instead based on line-drawings of fruits and vegetables. We compared five TVA parameters quantifying the aforementioned cognitive abilities, obtained by modeling accuracy data on a whole/partial report paradigm using conventional alphabet stimuli versus the food stimuli. Significant correlations were found for all TVA parameters, indicating a high parallel-form reliability. Split-half correlations assessing internal reliability, and correlations between predicted and observed data assessing goodness-of-fit were both significant. Our results provide an indication that line-drawings of fruits and vegetables can be used for a reliable assessment of attention and short-term memory. PMID:29535660
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Zhong, Tao; Chung, Pak-Kwong; Liu, Jing Dong
2018-02-01
Independent from noise exposure, noise sensitivity plays a pivotal role in people's noise annoyance perception and concomitant health deteriorations. The present study empirically investigated the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Weinstein Noise Sensitivity Scale-Short Form (CNSS-SF), the widely used inventory measuring individual differences in noise perception. In total, 373 Chinese participants (age = 21.41 ± 3.36) completed the online, anonymous questionnaire package. Examination of the CNSS-SF's reliability (internal consistency), factorial validity through validation and cross-validation, nomological validity and measurement invariance across gender groups were undertaken. The Cronbach alpha coefficients and composite reliabilities indicated sufficient reliability of the CNSS-SF. Two confirmatory factor analyses (CFA), in two randomly partitioned groups of participants, substantiated the factorial validity of the scale. The nomological validity of the scale was also corroborated by the significant positive association of its score with the trait anxiety score. Measurement invariance of the CNSS-SF was also found across genders via multi-group CFA. Though not without limitations, findings from the present research provide promising evidence for the utility of the scale in measuring noise sensitivity among the Chinese population. The availability of the CNSS-SF can promote research related to environmental noise and health in China, as well as facilitate cross-cultural comparisons. Copyright © 2018 The Editorial Board of Biomedical and Environmental Sciences. Published by China CDC. All rights reserved.
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Age estimation using tooth cementum annulation.
Wittwer-Backofen, Ursula
2012-01-01
In Forensic Anthropology age diagnosis of unidentified bodies significantly helps in the identification process. Among the set of established aging methods in anthropology tooth cementum annulation (TCA) is increasingly used due to its narrow error range which can reach 5 years of age in adult individuals at best. The rhythm of cementum appositions of seasonally different density provides a principal mechanism on which TCA is based. Using histological preparation techniques for hard tissues, transversal tooth root sections are produced which can be analyzed in transmitted light microscopy. Even though no standard TCA preparation protocol exists, several methodological validation studies recommend specific treatments depending on individual conditions of the teeth. Individual age is estimated by adding mean tooth eruption age to the number of microscopically detected dark layers which are separated by bright layers and stand for 1 year of age each. To assure a high reliability of the method, TCA age diagnosis has to be based on several teeth of one individual if possible and needs to be supported by different techniques in forensic cases.
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Lyle, Keith B; Hanaver-Torrez, Shelley D; Hackländer, Ryan P; Edlin, James M
2012-01-01
Research has shown that consistently right-handed individuals have poorer memory than do inconsistently right- or left-handed individuals under baseline conditions but more reliably exhibit enhanced memory retrieval after making a series of saccadic eye movements. From this it could be that consistent versus inconsistent handedness, regardless of left/right direction, is an important individual difference factor in memory. Or, more specifically, it could be the presence or absence of consistent right-handedness that matters for memory. To resolve this ambiguity, we compared consistent and inconsistent left- and right-handers on associative recognition tests taken after saccades or a no-saccades control activity. Consistent-handers exhibited poorer memory than did inconsistent-handers following the control activity, and saccades enhanced retrieval for consistent-handers only. Saccades impaired retrieval for inconsistent-handers. None of these effects depended on left/right direction. Hence, this study establishes handedness consistency, regardless of direction, as an important individual difference factor in memory.
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Sexual behaviors among club drug users: prevalence and reliability
Shacham, Enbal; Cottler, Linda B.
2013-01-01
HIV prevention efforts require a focus on reducing high risk sexual behavior. Because these are self-reported, assessments that reduce memory bias and improve elicitation of data are needed. As part of a multi-site psychometric study of club drug use, abuse, and dependence, data were collected with a test-retest design that measured the reliability of the Washington University Risk Behavior Assessment for Club Drugs (WU-RBA-CD). Reliability was assessed separately by sex via kappa coefficients and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC); z tests compared coefficients by sex. A total of 603 participants were interviewed by independent assessors with 5 days in between interviews. Reliability for all 51 items of the sexual activity section of the WU-RBA-CD ranged from .23 to 1.00; 71% (n = 36) of items resulted in moderate to high reliability (.55–1.00). Number of lifetime sex partners was consistently reported for same-sex partners for both men and women and opposite-sex partners. Items with high reliability included reporting ever being under the influence of ecstasy (.87) or GHB (.87) while having sex. Items with lower reliability included those that queried the determinants of condom use (.45–.82) and about behaviors and attitudes experienced while using drugs (.23–.87). Very few sex differences were revealed in the reliability of reported sexual activities. Overall, the WU-RBA-CD performed with fairly high reliability rates. Assessing situations of when, how, and why individuals use condoms may offer the clearest evaluation of determinants of sexual behaviors, yet those items are not as reliable. PMID:19757011
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Multisite Reliability of Cognitive BOLD Data
Brown, Gregory G.; Mathalon, Daniel H.; Stern, Hal; Ford, Judith; Mueller, Bryon; Greve, Douglas N.; McCarthy, Gregory; Voyvodic, Jim; Glover, Gary; Diaz, Michele; Yetter, Elizabeth; Burak Ozyurt, I.; Jorgensen, Kasper W.; Wible, Cynthia G.; Turner, Jessica A.; Thompson, Wesley K.; Potkin, Steven G.
2010-01-01
Investigators perform multi-site functional magnetic resonance imaging studies to increase statistical power, to enhance generalizability, and to improve the likelihood of sampling relevant subgroups. Yet undesired site variation in imaging methods could off-set these potential advantages. We used variance components analysis to investigate sources of variation in the blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) signal across four 3T magnets in voxelwise and region of interest (ROI) analyses. Eighteen participants traveled to four magnet sites to complete eight runs of a working memory task involving emotional or neutral distraction. Person variance was more than 10 times larger than site variance for five of six ROIs studied. Person-by-site interactions, however, contributed sizable unwanted variance to the total. Averaging over runs increased between-site reliability, with many voxels showing good to excellent between-site reliability when eight runs were averaged and regions of interest showing fair to good reliability. Between-site reliability depended on the specific functional contrast analyzed in addition to the number of runs averaged. Although median effect size was correlated with between-site reliability, dissociations were observed for many voxels. Brain regions where the pooled effect size was large but between-site reliability was poor were associated with reduced individual differences. Brain regions where the pooled effect size was small but between-site reliability was excellent were associated with a balance of participants who displayed consistently positive or consistently negative BOLD responses. Although between-site reliability of BOLD data can be good to excellent, acquiring highly reliable data requires robust activation paradigms, ongoing quality assurance, and careful experimental control. PMID:20932915
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Adherence to evidence-based guidelines among diabetes self-management apps.
Breland, Jessica Y; Yeh, Vivian M; Yu, Jessica
2013-09-01
Smartphone apps can provide real-time, interactive self-management aid to individuals with diabetes. It is currently unclear whether existing diabetes self-management apps follow evidence-based guidelines. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the extent to which existing diabetes self-management apps address the seven self-management behaviors recommended by the American Association of Diabetes Educators (the AADE7™). The term "diabetes" identified relevant self-management apps via the Apple App Store search engine in March 2012. Ratings were based on app descriptions and downloads. Chi-square analyses assessed differences in apps based on developer type. Apps promoted a median of two AADE7™ skills. Overall reliability between description and download ratings was good (kappa = .66). Reliability of individual skills was variable (kappa = .25 to .91). Most diabetes apps do not conform to evidence-based recommendations, and future app reviews would benefit from testing app performance. Future apps may also benefit from theory-based designs.
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How discriminating are discriminative instruments?
Hankins, Matthew
2008-05-27
The McMaster framework introduced by Kirshner & Guyatt is the dominant paradigm for the development of measures of health status and health-related quality of life (HRQL). The framework defines the functions of such instruments as evaluative, predictive or discriminative. Evaluative instruments are required to be sensitive to change (responsiveness), but there is no corresponding index of the degree to which discriminative instruments are sensitive to cross-sectional differences. This paper argues that indices of validity and reliability are not sufficient to demonstrate that a discriminative instrument performs its function of discriminating between individuals, and that the McMaster framework would be augmented by the addition of a separate index of discrimination. The coefficient proposed by Ferguson (Delta) is easily adapted to HRQL instruments and is a direct, non-parametric index of the degree to which an instrument distinguishes between individuals. While Delta should prove useful in the development and evaluation of discriminative instruments, further research is required to elucidate the relationship between the measurement properties of discrimination, reliability and responsiveness.
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Yan, Yu-Xiang; Liu, You-Qin; Li, Man; Hu, Pei-Feng; Guo, Ai-Min; Yang, Xing-Hua; Qiu, Jing-Jun; Yang, Shan-Shan; Shen, Jian; Zhang, Li-Ping; Wang, Wei
2009-01-01
Background Suboptimal health status (SHS) is characterized by ambiguous health complaints, general weakness, and lack of vitality, and has become a new public health challenge in China. It is believed to be a subclinical, reversible stage of chronic disease. Studies of intervention and prognosis for SHS are expected to become increasingly important. Consequently, a reliable and valid instrument to assess SHS is essential. We developed and evaluated a questionnaire for measuring SHS in urban Chinese. Methods Focus group discussions and a literature review provided the basis for the development of the questionnaire. Questionnaire validity and reliability were evaluated in a small pilot study and in a larger cross-sectional study of 3000 individuals. Analyses included tests for reliability and internal consistency, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, and tests for discriminative ability and convergent validity. Results The final questionnaire included 25 items on SHS (SHSQ-25), and encompassed 5 subscales: fatigue, the cardiovascular system, the digestive tract, the immune system, and mental status. Overall, 2799 of 3000 participants completed the questionnaire (93.3%). Test-retest reliability coefficients of individual items ranged from 0.89 to 0.98. Item-subscale correlations ranged from 0.51 to 0.72, and Cronbach’s α was 0.70 or higher for all subscales. Factor analysis established 5 distinct domains, as conceptualized in our model. One-way ANOVA showed statistically significant differences in scale scores between 3 occupation groups; these included total scores and subscores (P < 0.01). The correlation between the SHS scores and experienced stress was statistically significant (r = 0.57, P < 0.001). Conclusions The SHSQ-25 is a reliable and valid instrument for measuring sub-health status in urban Chinese. PMID:19749497
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Chau, David T; Fogelman, Phoebe; Nordanskog, Pia; Drevets, Wayne C; Hamilton, J Paul
2017-05-01
Functional neuroimaging studies have examined the neural substrates of treatments for major depressive disorder (MDD). Low sample size and methodological heterogeneity, however, undermine the generalizability of findings from individual studies. We conducted a meta-analysis to identify reliable neural changes resulting from different modes of treatment for MDD and compared them with each other and with reliable neural functional abnormalities observed in depressed versus control samples. We conducted a meta-analysis of studies reporting changes in brain activity (e.g., as indexed by positron emission tomography) following treatments with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), or transcranial magnetic stimulation. Additionally, we examined the statistical reliability of overlap among thresholded meta-analytic SSRI, ECT, and transcranial magnetic stimulation maps as well as a map of abnormal neural function in MDD. Our meta-analysis revealed that 1) SSRIs decrease activity in the anterior insula, 2) ECT decreases activity in central nodes of the default mode network, 3) transcranial magnetic stimulation does not result in reliable neural changes, and 4) regional effects of these modes of treatment do not significantly overlap with each other or with regions showing reliable functional abnormality in MDD. SSRIs and ECT produce neurally distinct effects relative to each other and to the functional abnormalities implicated in depression. These treatments therefore may exert antidepressant effects by diminishing neural functions not implicated in depression but that nonetheless impact mood. We discuss how the distinct neural changes resulting from SSRIs and ECT can account for both treatment effects and side effects from these therapies as well as how to individualize these treatments. Copyright © 2017 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Andersen, Kenneth Geving; Kehlet, Henrik; Aasvang, Eske Kvanner
2015-05-01
Quantitative sensory testing (QST) is used to assess sensory dysfunction and nerve damage by examining psychophysical responses to controlled, graded stimuli such as mechanical and thermal detection and pain thresholds. In the breast cancer population, 4 studies have used QST to examine persistent pain after breast cancer treatment, suggesting neuropathic pain being a prominent pain mechanism. However, the agreement and reliability of QST has not been described in the postsurgical breast cancer population, hindering exact interpretation of QST studies in this population. The aim of the present study was to assess test-retest properties of QST after breast cancer surgery. A total of 32 patients recruited from a larger ongoing prospective trial were examined with QST 12 months after breast cancer surgery and reexamined a week later. A standardized QST protocol was used, including sensory mapping for mechanical, warmth and cold areas of sensory dysfunction, mechanical thresholds using monofilaments and pin-prick, thermal thresholds including warmth and cold detection thresholds and heat pain threshold, with bilateral examination. Agreement and reliability were assessed by Bland-Altman plots, descriptive statistics, coefficients of variance, and intraclass correlation. Bland-Altman plots showed high variation on the surgical side. Intraclass coefficients ranged from 0.356 to 0.847 (moderate to substantial reliability). Between-patient variation was generally higher (0.9 to 14.5 SD) than within-patient variation (0.23 to 3.55 SD). There were no significant differences between pain and pain-free patients. The individual test-retest variability was higher on the operated side compared with the nonoperated side. The QST protocol reliability allows for group-to-group comparison of sensory function, but less so for individual follow-up after breast cancer surgery.
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A human reliability based usability evaluation method for safety-critical software
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Boring, R. L.; Tran, T. Q.; Gertman, D. I.
2006-07-01
Boring and Gertman (2005) introduced a novel method that augments heuristic usability evaluation methods with that of the human reliability analysis method of SPAR-H. By assigning probabilistic modifiers to individual heuristics, it is possible to arrive at the usability error probability (UEP). Although this UEP is not a literal probability of error, it nonetheless provides a quantitative basis to heuristic evaluation. This method allows one to seamlessly prioritize and identify usability issues (i.e., a higher UEP requires more immediate fixes). However, the original version of this method required the usability evaluator to assign priority weights to the final UEP, thusmore » allowing the priority of a usability issue to differ among usability evaluators. The purpose of this paper is to explore an alternative approach to standardize the priority weighting of the UEP in an effort to improve the method's reliability. (authors)« less
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Albarracín, Dolores; Mitchell, Amy L.
2016-01-01
This series of studies identified individuals who chronically believe that they can successfully defend their attitudes from external attack and investigated the consequences of this individual difference for selective exposure to attitude-incongruent information and, ultimately, attitude change. Studies 1 and 2 validated a measure of defensive confidence as an individual difference that is unidimensional, distinct from other personality measures, reliable over a 2-week interval, and organized as a trait that generalizes across various personal and social issues. Studies 3 and 4 provided evidence that defensive confidence decreases preference for proattitudinal information, therefore inducing greater reception of counterattitudinal materials. Study 5 demonstrated that people who are high in defensive confidence are more likely to change their attitudes as a result of exposure to counterattitudinal information and examined the perceptions that mediate this important phenomenon. PMID:15536240
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Juvenile morphology in baleen whale phylogeny.
Tsai, Cheng-Hsiu; Fordyce, R Ewan
2014-09-01
Phylogenetic reconstructions are sensitive to the influence of ontogeny on morphology. Here, we use foetal/neonatal specimens of known species of living baleen whales (Cetacea: Mysticeti) to show how juvenile morphology of extant species affects phylogenetic placement of the species. In one clade (sei whale, Balaenopteridae), the juvenile is distant from the usual phylogenetic position of adults, but in the other clade (pygmy right whale, Cetotheriidae), the juvenile is close to the adult. Different heterochronic processes at work in the studied species have different influences on juvenile morphology and on phylogenetic placement. This study helps to understand the relationship between evolutionary processes and phylogenetic patterns in baleen whale evolution and, more in general, between phylogeny and ontogeny; likewise, this study provides a proxy how to interpret the phylogeny when fossils that are immature individuals are included. Juvenile individuals in the peramorphic acceleration clades would produce misleading phylogenies, whereas juvenile individuals in the paedomorphic neoteny clades should still provide reliable phylogenetic signals.
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Dufour, Nicholas; Redcay, Elizabeth; Young, Liane; Mavros, Penelope L.; Moran, Joseph M.; Triantafyllou, Christina; Gabrieli, John D. E.; Saxe, Rebecca
2013-01-01
Reading about another person’s beliefs engages ‘Theory of Mind’ processes and elicits highly reliable brain activation across individuals and experimental paradigms. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we examined activation during a story task designed to elicit Theory of Mind processing in a very large sample of neurotypical (N = 462) individuals, and a group of high-functioning individuals with autism spectrum disorders (N = 31), using both region-of-interest and whole-brain analyses. This large sample allowed us to investigate group differences in brain activation to Theory of Mind tasks with unusually high sensitivity. There were no differences between neurotypical participants and those diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. These results imply that the social cognitive impairments typical of autism spectrum disorder can occur without measurable changes in the size, location or response magnitude of activity during explicit Theory of Mind tasks administered to adults. PMID:24073267
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Individual significance of olfaction: development of a questionnaire.
Croy, Ilona; Buschhüter, Dorothee; Seo, Han-Seok; Negoias, Simona; Hummel, Thomas
2010-01-01
Clinical experience shows that the individual significance of olfactory function varies between subjects. In order to estimate these individual differences we developed a questionnaire to study the subjective importance of the sense of smell. Questions were arranged within three subscales: association with olfactory sensations, application of the sense of smell, and the readiness to draw consequences from the olfactory perception. The questionnaire was shown to be time efficient, suitable for normosmic subjects and patients with hyposmia or anosmia. It exhibited a good internal reliability (Cronbach's Alpha = 0.77). First results in 123 subjects indicate that the subjective importance of the sense of smell stays at the same level throughout life-span despite of a decreased olfactory sensitivity. Furthermore, women reported a higher importance of olfaction. It is hoped that this questionnaire will contribute to clarify, for example, cross-cultural differences in the perception of odours.
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Dufour, Nicholas; Redcay, Elizabeth; Young, Liane; Mavros, Penelope L; Moran, Joseph M; Triantafyllou, Christina; Gabrieli, John D E; Saxe, Rebecca
2013-01-01
Reading about another person's beliefs engages 'Theory of Mind' processes and elicits highly reliable brain activation across individuals and experimental paradigms. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we examined activation during a story task designed to elicit Theory of Mind processing in a very large sample of neurotypical (N = 462) individuals, and a group of high-functioning individuals with autism spectrum disorders (N = 31), using both region-of-interest and whole-brain analyses. This large sample allowed us to investigate group differences in brain activation to Theory of Mind tasks with unusually high sensitivity. There were no differences between neurotypical participants and those diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. These results imply that the social cognitive impairments typical of autism spectrum disorder can occur without measurable changes in the size, location or response magnitude of activity during explicit Theory of Mind tasks administered to adults.
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Individual differences in situation awareness: Validation of the Situationism Scale
Roberts, Megan E.; Gibbons, Frederick X.; Gerrard, Meg; Klein, William M. P.
2015-01-01
This paper concerns the construct of lay situationism—an individual’s belief in the importance of a behavior’s context. Study 1 identified a 13-item Situationism Scale, which demonstrated good reliability and validity. In particular, higher situationism was associated with greater situation-control (strategies to manipulate the environment in order to avoid temptation). Subsequent laboratory studies indicated that people higher on the situationism subscales used greater situation-control by sitting farther from junk food (Study 2) and choosing to drink non-alcoholic beverages before a cognitive task (Study 3). Overall, findings provide preliminary support for the psychometric validity and predictive utility of the Situationism Scale and offer this individual difference construct as a means to expand self-regulation theory. PMID:25329242
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2013-01-01
Background Emerging evidence suggests that walking and cycling for different purposes such as transport or recreation may be associated with different attributes of the physical environment. Few studies to date have examined these behaviour-specific associations, particularly in the UK. This paper reports on the development, factor structure and test-retest reliability of a new scale assessing perceptions of the environment in the neighbourhood (PENS) and the associations between perceptions of the environment and walking and cycling for transport and recreation. Methods A new 13-item scale was developed for assessing adults’ perceptions of the environment in the neighbourhood (PENS). Three sets of analyses were conducted using data from two sources. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were used to identify a set of summary environmental variables using data from the iConnect baseline survey (n = 3494); test-retest reliability of the individual and summary environmental items was established using data collected in a separate reliability study (n = 166); and multivariable logistic regression was used to determine the associations of the environmental variables with walking for transport, walking for recreation, cycling for transport and cycling for recreation, using iConnect baseline survey data (n = 2937). Results Four summary environmental variables (traffic safety, supportive infrastructure, availability of local amenities and social order), one individual environmental item (street connectivity) and a variable encapsulating general environment quality were identified for use in further analyses. Intraclass correlations of these environmental variables ranged from 0.44 to 0.77 and were comparable to those seen in other similar scales. After adjustment for demographic and other environmental factors, walking for transport was associated with supportive infrastructure, availability of local amenities and general environment quality; walking for recreation was associated with supportive infrastructure; and cycling for transport was associated only with street connectivity. There was limited evidence of any associations between environmental attributes and cycling for recreation. Conclusion PENS is acceptable as a short instrument for assessing perceptions of the urban environment. Previous findings that different attributes of the environment may be associated with different behaviours are confirmed. Policy action to create supportive environments may require a combination of environmental improvements to promote walking and cycling for different purposes. PMID:23815872
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St-Pierre, Corinne; Desmeules, François; Dionne, Clermont E; Frémont, Pierre; MacDermid, Joy C; Roy, Jean-Sébastien
2016-01-01
To conduct a systematic review of the psychometric properties (reliability, validity and responsiveness) of self-report questionnaires used to assess symptoms and functional limitations of individuals with rotator cuff (RC) disorders. A systematic search in three databases (Cinahl, Medline and Embase) was conducted. Data extraction and critical methodological appraisal were performed independently by three raters using structured tools, and agreement was achieved by consensus. A descriptive synthesis was performed. One-hundred and twenty articles reporting on 11 questionnaires were included. All questionnaires were highly reliable and responsive to change, and showed construct validity; seven questionnaires also shown known-group validity. The minimal detectable change ranged from 6.4% to 20.8% of total score; only two questionnaires (American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeon questionnaire [ASES] and Upper Limb Functional Index [ULFI]) had a measurement error below 10% of global score. Minimal clinically important differences were established for eight questionnaires, and ranged from 8% to 20% of total score. Overall, included questionnaires showed acceptable psychometric properties for individuals with RC disorders. The ASES and ULFI have the smallest absolute error of measurement, while the Western Ontario RC Index is one of the most responsive questionnaires for individuals suffering from RC disorders. All included questionnaires are reliable, valid and responsive for the evaluation of individuals with RC disorders. As all included questionnaires showed good psychometric properties for the targeted population, the choice should be made according to the purpose of the evaluation and to the construct being evaluated by the questionnaire. The WORC, a RC-specific questionnaire, appeared to be more responsive. It should therefore be used to evaluate change in time. If the evaluation is time-limited, shorter questionnaires or short versions should be considered (such as Quick DASH or SST).
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Predicting risk in space: Genetic markers for differential vulnerability to sleep restriction
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Goel, Namni; Dinges, David F.
2012-08-01
Several laboratories have found large, highly reliable individual differences in the magnitude of cognitive performance, fatigue and sleepiness, and sleep homeostatic vulnerability to acute total sleep deprivation and to chronic sleep restriction in healthy adults. Such individual differences in neurobehavioral performance are also observed in space flight as a result of sleep loss. The reasons for these stable phenotypic differential vulnerabilities are unknown: such differences are not yet accounted for by demographic factors, IQ or sleep need, and moreover, psychometric scales do not predict those individuals cognitively vulnerable to sleep loss. The stable, trait-like (phenotypic) inter-individual differences observed in response to sleep loss—with intraclass correlation coefficients accounting for 58-92% of the variance in neurobehavioral measures—point to an underlying genetic component. To this end, we utilized multi-day highly controlled laboratory studies to investigate the role of various common candidate gene variants—each independently—in relation to cumulative neurobehavioral and sleep homeostatic responses to sleep restriction. These data suggest that common genetic variations (polymorphisms) involved in sleep-wake, circadian, and cognitive regulation may serve as markers for prediction of inter-individual differences in sleep homeostatic and neurobehavioral vulnerability to sleep restriction in healthy adults. Identification of genetic predictors of differential vulnerability to sleep restriction—as determined from candidate gene studies—will help identify astronauts most in need of fatigue countermeasures in space flight and inform medical standards for obtaining adequate sleep in space. This review summarizes individual differences in neurobehavioral vulnerability to sleep deprivation and ongoing genetic efforts to identify markers of such differences.
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Berkhof, Farida F; Metzemaekers, Leola; Uil, Steven M; Kerstjens, Huib AM; van den Berg, Jan WK
2014-01-01
Background Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and heart failure (HF) are both common diseases that coexist frequently. Patients with both diseases have worse stable state health status when compared with patients with one of these diseases. In many outpatient clinics, health status is monitored routinely in COPD patients using the Clinical COPD Questionnaire (CCQ) and in HF patients with the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHF-Q). This study validated and compared which questionnaire, ie, the CCQ or the MLHF-Q, is suited best for patients with coexistent COPD and HF. Methods Patients with both COPD and HF and aged ≥40 years were included. Construct validity, internal consistency, test–retest reliability, and agreement were determined. The Short-Form 36 was used as the external criterion. All questionnaires were completed at baseline. The CCQ and MLHF-Q were repeated after 2 weeks, together with a global rating of change. Results Fifty-eight patients were included, of whom 50 completed the study. Construct validity was acceptable. Internal consistency was adequate for CCQ and MLHF-Q total and domain scores, with a Cronbach’s alpha ≥0.70. Reliability was adequate for MLHF-Q and CCQ total and domain scores, and intraclass correlation coefficients were 0.70–0.90, except for the CCQ symptom score (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.42). The standard error of measurement on the group level was smaller than the minimal clinical important difference for both questionnaires. However, the standard error of measurement on the individual level was larger than the minimal clinical important difference. Agreement was acceptable on the group level and limited on the individual level. Conclusion CCQ and MLHF-Q were both valid and reliable questionnaires for assessment of health status in patients with coexistent COPD and HF on the group level, and hence for research. However, in clinical practice, on the individual level, the characteristics of both questionnaires were not as good. There is room for a questionnaire with good evaluative properties on the individual level, preferably tested in a setting of patients with COPD or HF, or both. PMID:25285000
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Palermo, Romina; O'Connor, Kirsty B; Davis, Joshua M; Irons, Jessica; McKone, Elinor
2013-01-01
Although good tests are available for diagnosing clinical impairments in face expression processing, there is a lack of strong tests for assessing "individual differences"--that is, differences in ability between individuals within the typical, nonclinical, range. Here, we develop two new tests, one for expression perception (an odd-man-out matching task in which participants select which one of three faces displays a different expression) and one additionally requiring explicit identification of the emotion (a labelling task in which participants select one of six verbal labels). We demonstrate validity (careful check of individual items, large inversion effects, independence from nonverbal IQ, convergent validity with a previous labelling task), reliability (Cronbach's alphas of.77 and.76 respectively), and wide individual differences across the typical population. We then demonstrate the usefulness of the tests by addressing theoretical questions regarding the structure of face processing, specifically the extent to which the following processes are common or distinct: (a) perceptual matching and explicit labelling of expression (modest correlation between matching and labelling supported partial independence); (b) judgement of expressions from faces and voices (results argued labelling tasks tap into a multi-modal system, while matching tasks tap distinct perceptual processes); and (c) expression and identity processing (results argued for a common first step of perceptual processing for expression and identity).
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Alwi, N; Harun, D; Omar, B; Ahmad, M; Zagan, M; Leonard, J H
2015-01-01
Caregivers face challenges to adapt while handling individual with learning disabilities (LD). The Family Crisis Oriented Personal Evaluation Scale (F-COPES) is a widely used instrument to measure coping strategies among caregivers. The current study performed cross cultural translation of F-COPES in Malay language. This study aims to examine the reliability by testing internal consistency of Malay version of F-COPES which is developed through back to back translation method from original English version. The Malay version of F-COPES was administered among 30 caregivers. The reliability of F-COPES in Malay version is good with Cronbach's alpha coefficient value of 0.79. The internal consistency on sub domains of F-COPES such as reframing, acquiring social support and seeking spiritual support also acceptable with Cronbach's alpha values 0.67, 0.74, and 0.80, respectively. The Malay version of F-COPES is a reliable tool to evaluate the coping strategies adopted by the caregivers of individual with LD.
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Fatehi, Zahra; Baradaran, Hamid Reza; Asadpour, Mohamad; Rezaeian, Mohsen
2017-01-01
Background: Individuals' listening styles differs based on their characters, professions and situations. This study aimed to assess the validity and reliability of Listening Styles Profile- Revised (LSP- R) in Iranian students. Methods: After translating into Persian, LSP-R was employed in a sample of 240 medical and nursing Persian speaking students in Iran. Statistical analysis was performed to test the reliability and validity of the LSP-R. Results: The study revealed high internal consistency and good test-retest reliability for the Persian version of the questionnaire. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.72 and intra-class correlation coefficient 0.87. The means for the content validity index and the content validity ratio (CVR) were 0.90 and 0.83, respectively. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) yielded a four-factor solution accounted for 60.8% of the observed variance. Majority of medical students (73%) as well as majority of nursing students (70%) stated that their listening styles were task-oriented. Conclusion: In general, the study finding suggests that the Persian version of LSP-R is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing listening styles profile in the studied sample.
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Boerboom, T B B; Dolmans, D H J M; Jaarsma, A D C; Muijtjens, A M M; Van Beukelen, P; Scherpbier, A J J A
2011-01-01
Feedback to aid teachers in improving their teaching requires validated evaluation instruments. When implementing an evaluation instrument in a different context, it is important to collect validity evidence from multiple sources. We examined the validity and reliability of the Maastricht Clinical Teaching Questionnaire (MCTQ) as an instrument to evaluate individual clinical teachers during short clinical rotations in veterinary education. We examined four sources of validity evidence: (1) Content was examined based on theory of effective learning. (2) Response process was explored in a pilot study. (3) Internal structure was assessed by confirmatory factor analysis using 1086 student evaluations and reliability was examined utilizing generalizability analysis. (4) Relations with other relevant variables were examined by comparing factor scores with other outcomes. Content validity was supported by theory underlying the cognitive apprenticeship model on which the instrument is based. The pilot study resulted in an additional question about supervision time. A five-factor model showed a good fit with the data. Acceptable reliability was achievable with 10-12 questionnaires per teacher. Correlations between the factors and overall teacher judgement were strong. The MCTQ appears to be a valid and reliable instrument to evaluate clinical teachers' performance during short rotations.
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Individual Movement Variability Magnitudes Are Explained by Cortical Neural Variability.
Haar, Shlomi; Donchin, Opher; Dinstein, Ilan
2017-09-13
Humans exhibit considerable motor variability even across trivial reaching movements. This variability can be separated into specific kinematic components such as extent and direction that are thought to be governed by distinct neural processes. Here, we report that individual subjects (males and females) exhibit different magnitudes of kinematic variability, which are consistent (within individual) across movements to different targets and regardless of which arm (right or left) was used to perform the movements. Simultaneous fMRI recordings revealed that the same subjects also exhibited different magnitudes of fMRI variability across movements in a variety of motor system areas. These fMRI variability magnitudes were also consistent across movements to different targets when performed with either arm. Cortical fMRI variability in the posterior-parietal cortex of individual subjects explained their movement-extent variability. This relationship was apparent only in posterior-parietal cortex and not in other motor system areas, thereby suggesting that individuals with more variable movement preparation exhibit larger kinematic variability. We therefore propose that neural and kinematic variability are reliable and interrelated individual characteristics that may predispose individual subjects to exhibit distinct motor capabilities. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Neural activity and movement kinematics are remarkably variable. Although intertrial variability is rarely studied, here, we demonstrate that individual human subjects exhibit distinct magnitudes of neural and kinematic variability that are reproducible across movements to different targets and when performing these movements with either arm. Furthermore, when examining the relationship between cortical variability and movement variability, we find that cortical fMRI variability in parietal cortex of individual subjects explained their movement extent variability. This enabled us to explain why some subjects performed more variable movements than others based on their cortical variability magnitudes. Copyright © 2017 the authors 0270-6474/17/379076-10$15.00/0.
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Development and validation of an instrument to assess perceived social influence on health behaviors
HOLT, CHERYL L.; CLARK, EDDIE M.; ROTH, DAVID L.; CROWTHER, MARTHA; KOHLER, CONNIE; FOUAD, MONA; FOUSHEE, RUSTY; LEE, PATRICIA A.; SOUTHWARD, PENNY L.
2012-01-01
Assessment of social influence on health behavior is often approached through a situational context. The current study adapted an existing, theory-based instrument from another content domain to assess Perceived Social Influence on Health Behavior (PSI-HB) among African Americans, using an individual difference approach. The adapted instrument was found to have high internal reliability (α = .81–.84) and acceptable testretest reliability (r = .68–.85). A measurement model revealed a three-factor structure and supported the theoretical underpinnings. Scores were predictive of health behaviors, particularly among women. Future research using the new instrument may have applied value assessing social influence in the context of health interventions. PMID:20522506
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NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Norcross, Jason; Jarvis, Sarah; Bekdash, Omar; Cupples, Scott; Abercromby, Andrew
2017-01-01
The primary objective of this study is to develop a protocol to reliably characterize human health and performance metrics for individuals working inside various EVA suits under realistic spaceflight conditions. Expected results and methodologies developed during this study will provide the baseline benchmarking data and protocols with which future EVA suits and suit configurations (e.g., varied pressure, mass, center of gravity [CG]) and different test subject populations (e.g., deconditioned crewmembers) may be reliably assessed and compared. Results may also be used, in conjunction with subsequent testing, to inform fitness-for-duty standards, as well as design requirements and operations concepts for future EVA suits and other exploration systems.
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DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Hill, J.R.; Heger, A.S.; Koen, B.V.
1984-04-01
This report is the result of a preliminary feasibility study of the applicability of Stein and related parametric empirical Bayes (PEB) estimators to the Nuclear Plant Reliability Data System (NPRDS). A new estimator is derived for the means of several independent Poisson distributions with different sampling times. This estimator is applied to data from NPRDS in an attempt to improve failure rate estimation. Theoretical and Monte Carlo results indicate that the new PEB estimator can perform significantly better than the standard maximum likelihood estimator if the estimation of the individual means can be combined through the loss function or throughmore » a parametric class of prior distributions.« less
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Hidecker, Mary Jo Cooley; Paneth, Nigel; Rosenbaum, Peter L.; Kent, Raymond D.; Lillie, Janet; Eulenberg, John B.; Chester, Ken, Jr.; Johnson, Brenda; Michalsen, Lauren; Evatt, Morgan; Taylor, Kara
2011-01-01
Aim: The purpose of this study was to create and validate the Communication Function Classification System (CFCS) for children with cerebral palsy (CP), for use by a wide variety of individuals who are interested in CP. This paper reports the content validity, interrater reliability, and test-retest reliability of the CFCS for children with CP.…
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10 CFR 712.12 - HRP implementation.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR
2012-01-01
... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY HUMAN RELIABILITY PROGRAM Establishment of and Procedures for the Human Reliability...) Report any observed or reported behavior or condition of another HRP-certified individual that could indicate a reliability concern, including those behaviors and conditions listed in § 712.13(c), to a...
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Fuller, Catherine J; Bladon, Bruce M; Driver, Adam J; Barr, Alistair R S
2006-03-01
The objective of this study was to assess the reliability of lameness scoring in horses. One veterinary surgeon examined nineteen lame horses on four occasions. Gait was recorded by camcorder, and scored from 0 to 10 ranging from sound to non-weight bearing lameness. A global score of overall change in lameness during the study was also determined for each horse. To measure intra-assessor reliability of the scoring systems, one veterinary surgeon scored videotapes of the horses' gaits on two occasions. To measure inter-assessor reliability, three veterinary surgeons viewed the videotapes, assigning individual lameness scores plus global scores to each horse. Reliability of individual lameness scoring was good intra-assessor, but only just within our acceptable limit inter-assessor. However, global scoring of change in lameness throughout the study was found to be reliable overall. Since clinician scoring is commonly used to assess lameness in horses, this is an important finding, fundamental to future clinical studies.
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Guillén-Riquelme, Alejandro; Buela-Casal, Gualberto
2014-01-01
Since its creation the STAI has been cited in more than 14,000 documents, with more than 60 adaptations in different countries. In some adaptations this instrument has no clinical scores. The aim of this work is to determine if the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) has higher scores in patients diagnosed with anxiety than in general population. In addition, we want to examine if the internal consistency is adequate in anxious patient samples. We performed a literature search in Tripdatabase, Cochrane, Web of Knowledge, Scopus, PyscINFO and Scholar Google, for documents published between 2008 y 2012. We selected 131 scientific articles to compare between patients diagnosed with anxiety and general population, and 25 for the generalization of reliability. For the analysis we used Cohen's d for means comparisons (random-effects method) and Cronbach's alpha for the reliability generalization (fixed-effects method). In the groups comparision the differences in state anxiety (d=1.39; CI95%: 1.22-1.56) and in the trait anxiety (d=1.74; CI95%:1.56-1.91) were significants. The reliability for patients of some anxiety disorder was between 0.87 and 0.93. So it seems that the STAI is sensitive to the level of anxiety of the individual and reliable for patients with diagnosis of panic attack, specific phobia, social phobia, generalized social phobia, generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder or acute Stress disorder.
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Sarig Bahat, Hilla; Sprecher, Elliot; Sela, Itamar; Treleaven, Julia
2016-07-01
The use of virtual reality (VR) for assessment and intervention of neck pain has previously been used and shown reliable for cervical range of motion measures. Neck VR enables analysis of task-oriented neck movement by stimulating responsive movements to external stimuli. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to establish inter-tester reliability of neck kinematic measures so that it can be used as a reliable assessment and treatment tool between clinicians. This reliability study included 46 asymptomatic participants, who were assessed using the neck VR system which displayed an interactive VR scenario via a head-mounted device, controlled by neck movements. The objective of the interactive assessment was to hit 16 targets, randomly appearing in four directions, as fast as possible. Each participant was tested twice by two different testers. Good reliability was found of neck motion kinematic measures in flexion, extension, and rotation (0.64-0.93 inter-class correlation). High reliability was shown for peak velocity globally (0.93), in left rotation (0.9), right rotation and extension (0.88), and flexion (0.86). Mean velocity had a good global reliability (0.84), except for left rotation directed movement with moderate reliability (0.68). Minimal detectable change for peak velocity ranged from 41 to 53 °/s, while mean velocity ranged from 20 to 25 °/s. The results suggest high reliability for peak and mean velocity as measured by the interactive Neck VR assessment of neck motion kinematics. VR appears to provide a reliable and more ecologically valid method of cervical motion evaluation than previous conventional methodologies.
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Gender differences in diagnosing antisocial personality disorder in methadone patients.
Rutherford, M J; Alterman, A I; Cacciola, J S; Snider, E C
1995-09-01
The goal of this study was to evaluate gender differences in the prevalence rates, short-term reliability, and internal consistency of the diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder for DSM-III-R, DSM-III, and Research Diagnostic Criteria (RDC). A total of 37 men and 57 women methadone patients were diagnosed according to DSM-III-R, DSM-III, and RDC antisocial personality disorder criteria. The diagnostic rates, reliability, and internal consistency were lower for women than for men in all systems. DSM-III criteria resulted in the highest reliability for women, but for men, the DSM-III criteria were the least reliable. Examination of endorsement rates of individual antisocial personality disorder criteria revealed several significant gender differences on the majority of childhood criteria and on several adult criteria. Item-total correlations revealed that for women, the violent and aggressive childhood criteria in DSM-III-R that had not been included in DSM-III or RDC had a negative or no correlation to the assessment of antisocial personality disorder for women. The change in DSM-III-R from DSM-III childhood criteria appears to have resulted in a decrease in internal consistency and rates of antisocial personality disorder for women, but not for men. The results of this investigation indicate that the psychometric properties of the current antisocial personality disorder scales are weak for women, compared with men. To assess antisocial personality disorder in women it may be necessary to revise current, or develop new, diagnostic criteria.
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Stokes, Verity; Gunn, Sarah; Schouwenaars, Katie; Badwan, Derar
2018-09-01
The Sensory Tool to Assess Responsiveness (STAR) is an interdisciplinary neurobehavioural diagnostic tool for individuals with prolonged disorders of consciousness. It utilises current diagnostic criteria and is intended to improve upon the high misdiagnosis rate in this population. This study assesses the inter-rater reliability of the STAR and its diagnostic validity in comparison with the Coma Recovery Scale-Revised (CRS-R) and the Wessex Head Injury Matrix (WHIM). Participants were patients with severe acquired brain injury resulting in a disorder of consciousness, who were admitted to the Royal Leamington Spa Rehabilitation Hospital between 1999 and 2009. Patients underwent sensory stimulation sessions during their period of admission, which were recorded on video. Using this footage, patients were re-assessed for this study using the STAR, WHIM and CRS-R criteria. The STAR demonstrated "moderate" inter-rater reliability, "substantial" diagnostic agreement with the CRS-R, and "moderate" agreement with the WHIM. There were no significant differences between diagnoses assigned by the different assessments. The STAR demonstrated a good degree of inter-rater reliability in identification of diagnoses for patients with disorders of consciousness. The diagnostic outcomes of the STAR agreed at a good level with the CRS-R, moderately with the WHIM, and did not significantly differ from either. This demonstrates the reliability and validity of the STAR, showing its appropriateness for clinical use. Future longitudinal studies and research into the STAR's applicability in long-stay rehabilitation are indicated.
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McEntyre, Christopher J; Lever, Michael; Chambers, Stephen T; George, Peter M; Slow, Sandy; Elmslie, Jane L; Florkowski, Christopher M; Lunt, Helen; Krebs, Jeremy D
2015-05-01
Plasma betaine concentrations and urinary betaine excretions have high test-retest reliability. Abnormal betaine excretion is common in diabetes. We aimed to confirm the individuality of plasma betaine and urinary betaine excretion in an overweight population with type 2 diabetes and compare this with the individuality of other osmolytes, one-carbon metabolites and trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO), thus assessing their potential usefulness as disease markers. Urine and plasma were collected from overweight subjects with type 2 diabetes at four time points over a two-year period. We measured the concentrations of the osmolytes: betaine, glycerophosphorylcholine (GPC) and taurine, as well as TMAO, and the one-carbon metabolites, N,N-dimethylglycine (DMG) and free choline. Samples were measured using tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Betaine showed a high degree of individuality (or test-retest reliability) in the plasma (index of individuality = 0.52) and urine (index of individuality = 0.45). Betaine in the plasma had positive and negative log-normal reference change values (RCVs) of 54% and -35%, respectively. The other osmolytes, taurine and GPC were more variable in the plasma of individuals compared to the urine. DMG and choline showed high individuality in the plasma and urine. TMAO was highly variable in the plasma and urine (log-normal RCVs ranging from 403% to -80% in plasma). Betaine is highly individual in overweight people with diabetes. Betaine, its metabolite DMG, and precursor choline showed more reliability than the osmolytes, GPC and taurine. The low reliability of TMAO suggests that a single TMAO measurement has low diagnostic value. © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.
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Metral, Morgane; Gonthier, Corentin; Luyat, Marion
2017-01-01
Background The well-known rubber hand paradigm induces an illusion by having participants feel the touch applied to a fake hand. In parallel, the kinesthetic mirror illusion elicits illusions of movement by moving the reflection of a participant's arm. Experimental manipulation of sensory inputs leads to emergence of these multisensory illusions. There are strong conceptual similarities between these two illusions, suggesting that they rely on the same neurophysiological mechanisms, but this relationship has never been investigated. Studies indicate that participants differ in their sensitivity to these illusions, which provides a possibility for studying the relationship between these two illusions. Method We tested 36 healthy participants to confirm that there exist reliable individual differences in sensitivity to the two illusions and that participants sensitive to one illusion are also sensitive to the other. Results The results revealed that illusion sensitivity was very stable across trials and that individual differences in sensitivity to the kinesthetic mirror illusion were highly related to individual differences in sensitivity to the rubber hand illusion. Conclusions Overall, these results support the idea that these two illusions may be both linked to a transitory modification of body schema, wherein the most sensitive people have the most malleable body schema. PMID:29201910
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Metral, Morgane; Gonthier, Corentin; Luyat, Marion; Guerraz, Michel
2017-01-01
The well-known rubber hand paradigm induces an illusion by having participants feel the touch applied to a fake hand. In parallel, the kinesthetic mirror illusion elicits illusions of movement by moving the reflection of a participant's arm. Experimental manipulation of sensory inputs leads to emergence of these multisensory illusions. There are strong conceptual similarities between these two illusions, suggesting that they rely on the same neurophysiological mechanisms, but this relationship has never been investigated. Studies indicate that participants differ in their sensitivity to these illusions, which provides a possibility for studying the relationship between these two illusions. We tested 36 healthy participants to confirm that there exist reliable individual differences in sensitivity to the two illusions and that participants sensitive to one illusion are also sensitive to the other. The results revealed that illusion sensitivity was very stable across trials and that individual differences in sensitivity to the kinesthetic mirror illusion were highly related to individual differences in sensitivity to the rubber hand illusion. Overall, these results support the idea that these two illusions may be both linked to a transitory modification of body schema, wherein the most sensitive people have the most malleable body schema.
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Kidd, Celeste; Palmeri, Holly; Aslin, Richard N.
2013-01-01
Children are notoriously bad at delaying gratification to achieve later, greater rewards (e.g., Piaget, 1970)--and some are worse at waiting than others. Individual differences in the ability-to-wait have been attributed to self-control, in part because of evidence that long-delayers are more successful in later life (e.g., Shoda, Mischel, &…
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Horowitz, Amy; Reinhardt, Joann P.; Raykov, Tenko
2007-01-01
This article describes the development and evaluation of a short form of the 24-item Adaptation to Age-Related Vision Loss (AVL) scale. The evaluation provided evidence of the reliability and validity of the short form (the AVL12), for significant interindividual differences at the baseline and for individual-level change in AVL scores over time.…
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Inter-rater reliability of kinesthetic measurements with the KINARM robotic exoskeleton.
Semrau, Jennifer A; Herter, Troy M; Scott, Stephen H; Dukelow, Sean P
2017-05-22
Kinesthesia (sense of limb movement) has been extremely difficult to measure objectively, especially in individuals who have survived a stroke. The development of valid and reliable measurements for proprioception is important to developing a better understanding of proprioceptive impairments after stroke and their impact on the ability to perform daily activities. We recently developed a robotic task to evaluate kinesthetic deficits after stroke and found that the majority (~60%) of stroke survivors exhibit significant deficits in kinesthesia within the first 10 days post-stroke. Here we aim to determine the inter-rater reliability of this robotic kinesthetic matching task. Twenty-five neurologically intact control subjects and 15 individuals with first-time stroke were evaluated on a robotic kinesthetic matching task (KIN). Subjects sat in a robotic exoskeleton with their arms supported against gravity. In the KIN task, the robot moved the subjects' stroke-affected arm at a preset speed, direction and distance. As soon as subjects felt the robot begin to move their affected arm, they matched the robot movement with the unaffected arm. Subjects were tested in two sessions on the KIN task: initial session and then a second session (within an average of 18.2 ± 13.8 h of the initial session for stroke subjects), which were supervised by different technicians. The task was performed both with and without the use of vision in both sessions. We evaluated intra-class correlations of spatial and temporal parameters derived from the KIN task to determine the reliability of the robotic task. We evaluated 8 spatial and temporal parameters that quantify kinesthetic behavior. We found that the parameters exhibited moderate to high intra-class correlations between the initial and retest conditions (Range, r-value = [0.53-0.97]). The robotic KIN task exhibited good inter-rater reliability. This validates the KIN task as a reliable, objective method for quantifying kinesthesia after stroke.
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Varga, Zsuzsanna; Cassoly, Estelle; Li, Qiyu; Oehlschlegel, Christian; Tapia, Coya; Lehr, Hans Anton; Klingbiel, Dirk; Thürlimann, Beat; Ruhstaller, Thomas
2015-01-01
Background Proliferative activity (Ki-67 Labelling Index) in breast cancer increasingly serves as an additional tool in the decision for or against adjuvant chemotherapy in midrange hormone receptor positive breast cancer. Ki-67 Index has been previously shown to suffer from high inter-observer variability especially in midrange (G2) breast carcinomas. In this study we conducted a systematic approach using different Ki-67 assessments on large tissue sections in order to identify the method with the highest reliability and the lowest variability. Materials and Methods Five breast pathologists retrospectively analyzed proliferative activity of 50 G2 invasive breast carcinomas using large tissue sections by assessing Ki-67 immunohistochemistry. Ki-67-assessments were done on light microscopy and on digital images following these methods: 1) assessing five regions, 2) assessing only darkly stained nuclei and 3) considering only condensed proliferative areas (‘hotspots’). An individual review (the first described assessment from 2008) was also performed. The assessments on light microscopy were done by estimating. All measurements were performed three times. Inter-observer and intra-observer reliabilities were calculated using the approach proposed by Eliasziw et al. Clinical cutoffs (14% and 20%) were tested using Fleiss’ Kappa. Results There was a good intra-observer reliability in 5 of 7 methods (ICC: 0.76–0.89). The two highest inter-observer reliability was fair to moderate (ICC: 0.71 and 0.74) in 2 methods (region-analysis and individual-review) on light microscopy. Fleiss’-kappa-values (14% cut-off) were the highest (moderate) using the original recommendation on light-microscope (Kappa 0.58). Fleiss’ kappa values (20% cut-off) were the highest (Kappa 0.48 each) in analyzing hotspots on light-microscopy and digital-analysis. No methodologies using digital-analysis were superior to the methods on light microscope. Conclusion Our results show that all methods on light-microscopy for Ki-67 assessment in large tissue sections resulted in a good intra-observer reliability. Region analysis and individual review (the original recommendation) on light-microscopy yielded the highest inter-observer reliability. These results show slight improvement to previously published data on poor-reproducibility and thus might be a practical-pragmatic way for routine assessment of Ki-67 Index in G2 breast carcinomas. PMID:25885288
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García-Ramos, Amador; Feriche, Belén; Pérez-Castilla, Alejandro; Padial, Paulino; Jaric, Slobodan
2017-07-01
This study aimed to explore the strength of the force-velocity (F-V) relationship of lower limb muscles and the reliability of its parameters (maximum force [F 0 ], slope [a], maximum velocity [V 0 ], and maximum power [P 0 ]). Twenty-three men were tested in two different jump types (squat and countermovement jump: SJ and CMJ), performed under two different loading conditions (free weight and Smith machine: Free and Smith) with 0, 17, 30, 45, 60, and 75 kg loads. The maximum and averaged values of F and V were obtained for the F-V relationship modelling. All F-V relationships were strong and linear independently whether observed from the averaged across the participants (r ≥ 0.98) or individual data (r = 0.94-0.98), while their parameters were generally highly reliable (F 0 [CV: 4.85%, ICC: 0.87], V 0 [CV: 6.10%, ICC: 0.82], a [CV: 10.5%, ICC: 0.81], and P 0 [CV: 3.5%, ICC: 0.93]). Both the strength of the F-V relationships and the reliability of their parameters were significantly higher for (1) the CMJ over the SJ, (2) the Free over the Smith loading type, and (3) the maximum over the averaged F and V variables. In conclusion, although the F-V relationships obtained from all the jumps tested were linear and generally highly reliable, the less appropriate choice for testing the F-V relationship could be through the averaged F and V data obtained from the SJ performed either in a Free weight or in a Smith machine. Insubstantial differences exist among the other combinations tested.
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Measuring human remains in the field: Grid technique, total station, or MicroScribe?
Sládek, Vladimír; Galeta, Patrik; Sosna, Daniel
2012-09-10
Although three-dimensional (3D) coordinates for human intra-skeletal landmarks are among the most important data that anthropologists have to record in the field, little is known about the reliability of various measuring techniques. We compared the reliability of three techniques used for 3D measurement of human remain in the field: grid technique (GT), total station (TS), and MicroScribe (MS). We measured 365 field osteometric points on 12 skeletal sequences excavated at the Late Medieval/Early Modern churchyard in Všeruby, Czech Republic. We compared intra-observer, inter-observer, and inter-technique variation using mean difference (MD), mean absolute difference (MAD), standard deviation of difference (SDD), and limits of agreement (LA). All three measuring techniques can be used when accepted error ranges can be measured in centimeters. When a range of accepted error measurable in millimeters is needed, MS offers the best solution. TS can achieve the same reliability as does MS, but only when the laser beam is accurately pointed into the center of the prism. When the prism is not accurately oriented, TS produces unreliable data. TS is more sensitive to initialization than is MS. GT measures human skeleton with acceptable reliability for general purposes but insufficiently when highly accurate skeletal data are needed. We observed high inter-technique variation, indicating that just one technique should be used when spatial data from one individual are recorded. Subadults are measured with slightly lower error than are adults. The effect of maximum excavated skeletal length has little practical significance in field recording. When MS is not available, we offer practical suggestions that can help to increase reliability when measuring human skeleton in the field. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Ries, Julie D; Echternach, John L; Nof, Leah; Gagnon Blodgett, Michelle
2009-06-01
With the increasing incidence of Alzheimer disease (AD), determining the validity and reliability of outcome measures for people with this disease is necessary. The goals of this study were to assess test-retest reliability of data for the Timed "Up & Go" Test (TUG), the Six-Minute Walk Test (6MWT), and gait speed and to calculate minimal detectable change (MDC) scores for each outcome measure. Performance differences between groups with mild to moderate AD and moderately severe to severe AD (as determined by the Functional Assessment Staging [FAST] scale) were studied. This was a prospective, nonexperimental, descriptive methodological study. Background data collected for 51 people with AD included: use of an assistive device, Mini-Mental Status Examination scores, and FAST scale scores. Each participant engaged in 2 test sessions, separated by a 30- to 60-minute rest period, which included 2 TUG trials, 1 6MWT trial, and 2 gait speed trials using a computerized gait assessment system. A specific cuing protocol was followed to achieve optimal performance during test sessions. Test-retest reliability values for the TUG, the 6MWT, and gait speed were high for all participants together and for the mild to moderate AD and moderately severe to severe AD groups separately (intraclass correlation coefficients > or = .973); however, individual variability of performance also was high. Calculated MDC scores at the 90% confidence interval were: TUG=4.09 seconds, 6MWT=33.5 m (110 ft), and gait speed=9.4 cm/s. The 2 groups were significantly different in performance of clinical tests, with the participants who were more cognitively impaired being more physically and functionally impaired. A single researcher for data collection limited sample numbers and prohibited blinding to dementia level. The TUG, the 6MWT, and gait speed are reliable outcome measures for use with people with AD, recognizing that individual variability of performance is high. Minimal detectable change scores at the 90% confidence interval can be used to assess change in performance over time and the impact of treatment.
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Teamwork in the operating room: frontline perspectives among hospitals and operating room personnel.
Sexton, J Bryan; Makary, Martin A; Tersigni, Anthony R; Pryor, David; Hendrich, Ann; Thomas, Eric J; Holzmueller, Christine G; Knight, Andrew P; Wu, Yun; Pronovost, Peter J
2006-11-01
The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations is proposing that hospitals measure culture beginning in 2007. However, a reliable and widely used measurement tool for the operating room (OR) setting does not currently exist. OR personnel in 60 US hospitals were surveyed using the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire. The teamwork climate domain of the survey uses six items about difficulty speaking up, conflict resolution, physician-nurse collaboration, feeling supported by others, asking questions, and heeding nurse input. To justify grouping individual-level responses to a single score at each hospital OR level, the authors used a multilevel confirmatory factor analysis, intraclass correlations, within-group interrater reliability, and Cronbach's alpha. To detect differences at the hospital OR level and by caregiver type, the authors used multivariate analysis of variance (items) and analysis of variance (scale). The response rate was 77.1%. There was robust evidence for grouping individual-level respondents to the hospital OR level using the diverse set of statistical tests, e.g., Comparative Fit Index = 0.99, root mean squared error of approximation = 0.05, and acceptable intraclasss correlations, within-group interrater reliability values, and Cronbach's alpha = 0.79. Teamwork climate differed significantly by hospital (F59, 1,911 = 4.06, P < 0.001) and OR caregiver type (F4, 1,911 = 9.96, P < 0.001). Rigorous assessment of teamwork climate is possible using this psychometrically sound teamwork climate scale. This tool and initial benchmarks allow others to compare their teamwork climate to national means, in an effort to focus more on what excellent surgical teams do well.
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Using color photometry to separate transiting exoplanets from false positives
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Tingley, B.
2004-10-01
The radial velocity technique is currently used to classify transiting objects. While capable of identifying grazing binary eclipses, this technique cannot reliably identify blends, a chance overlap of a faint background eclipsing binary with an ordinary foreground star. Blends generally have no observable radial velocity shifts, as the foreground star is brighter by several magnitudes and therefore dominates the spectrum, but their combined light can produce events that closely resemble those produced by transiting exoplanets. The radial velocity technique takes advantage of the mass difference between planets and stars to classify exoplanet candidates. However, the existence of blends renders this difference an unreliable discriminator. Another difference must therefore be utilized for this classification - the physical size of the transiting body. Due to the dependence of limb darkening on color, planets and stars produce subtly different transit shapes. These differences can be relatively weak, little more than 1/10th the transit depth. However, the presence of even small color differences between the individual components of the blend increases this difference. This paper shows that this color difference is capable of discriminating between exoplanets and blends reliably, theoretically capable of classifying even terrestrial-class transits, unlike the radial velocity technique.
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Smith, David V.; Utevsky, Amanda V.; Bland, Amy R.; Clement, Nathan; Clithero, John A.; Harsch, Anne E. W.; Carter, R. McKell; Huettel, Scott A.
2014-01-01
A central challenge for neuroscience lies in relating inter-individual variability to the functional properties of specific brain regions. Yet, considerable variability exists in the connectivity patterns between different brain areas, potentially producing reliable group differences. Using sex differences as a motivating example, we examined two separate resting-state datasets comprising a total of 188 human participants. Both datasets were decomposed into resting-state networks (RSNs) using a probabilistic spatial independent components analysis (ICA). We estimated voxelwise functional connectivity with these networks using a dual-regression analysis, which characterizes the participant-level spatiotemporal dynamics of each network while controlling for (via multiple regression) the influence of other networks and sources of variability. We found that males and females exhibit distinct patterns of connectivity with multiple RSNs, including both visual and auditory networks and the right frontal-parietal network. These results replicated across both datasets and were not explained by differences in head motion, data quality, brain volume, cortisol levels, or testosterone levels. Importantly, we also demonstrate that dual-regression functional connectivity is better at detecting inter-individual variability than traditional seed-based functional connectivity approaches. Our findings characterize robust—yet frequently ignored—neural differences between males and females, pointing to the necessity of controlling for sex in neuroscience studies of individual differences. Moreover, our results highlight the importance of employing network-based models to study variability in functional connectivity. PMID:24662574
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A Reliability Model for Ni-BaTiO3-Based (BME) Ceramic Capacitors
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Liu, Donhang
2014-01-01
The evaluation of multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) with base-metal electrodes (BMEs) for potential NASA space project applications requires an in-depth understanding of their reliability. The reliability of an MLCC is defined as the ability of the dielectric material to retain its insulating properties under stated environmental and operational conditions for a specified period of time t. In this presentation, a general mathematic expression of a reliability model for a BME MLCC is developed and discussed. The reliability model consists of three parts: (1) a statistical distribution that describes the individual variation of properties in a test group of samples (Weibull, log normal, normal, etc.), (2) an acceleration function that describes how a capacitors reliability responds to external stresses such as applied voltage and temperature (All units in the test group should follow the same acceleration function if they share the same failure mode, independent of individual units), and (3) the effect and contribution of the structural and constructional characteristics of a multilayer capacitor device, such as the number of dielectric layers N, dielectric thickness d, average grain size r, and capacitor chip size S. In general, a two-parameter Weibull statistical distribution model is used in the description of a BME capacitors reliability as a function of time. The acceleration function that relates a capacitors reliability to external stresses is dependent on the failure mode. Two failure modes have been identified in BME MLCCs: catastrophic and slow degradation. A catastrophic failure is characterized by a time-accelerating increase in leakage current that is mainly due to existing processing defects (voids, cracks, delamination, etc.), or the extrinsic defects. A slow degradation failure is characterized by a near-linear increase in leakage current against the stress time; this is caused by the electromigration of oxygen vacancies (intrinsic defects). The two identified failure modes follow different acceleration functions. Catastrophic failures follow the traditional power-law relationship to the applied voltage. Slow degradation failures fit well to an exponential law relationship to the applied electrical field. Finally, the impact of capacitor structure on the reliability of BME capacitors is discussed with respect to the number of dielectric layers in an MLCC unit, the number of BaTiO3 grains per dielectric layer, and the chip size of the capacitor device.
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Stika, Carren J.; Hays, Ron D.
2016-01-01
Objective Self-reports of “hearing handicap” are available, but a comprehensive measure of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) for individuals with adult-onset hearing loss (AOHL) does not exist. Our objective was to develop and evaluate a multidimensional HRQOL instrument for individuals with AOHL. Design The Impact of Hearing Loss Inventory Tool (IHEAR-IT) was developed using results of focus groups, a literature review, Advisory Expert Panel input, and cognitive interviews. Study Sample The 73-item field-test instrument was completed by 409 adults (22-91 years old) with varying degrees of AOHL and from different areas of the US. Results Multitrait scaling analysis supported four multi-item scales and five individual items. Internal consistency reliabilities ranged from 0.93 to 0.96 for the scales. Construct validity was supported by correlations between the IHEAR-IT scales and scores on the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey, Version 2.0 (SF-36v2) Mental Composite Summary (r’s = 0.32 – 0.64) and the Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly/Adults (HHIE/HHIA) (r’s > −0.70). Conclusions The field test provide initial support for the reliability and construct validity of the IHEAR-IT for evaluating HRQOL of individuals with AOHL. Further research is needed to evaluate the responsiveness to change of the IHEAR-IT scales and identify items for a short-form. PMID:27104754
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Zarcone, Jennifer; Hagopian, Louis; Ninci, Jennifer; McKay, Chloe; Bonner, Andrew; Dillon, Christopher; Hausman, Nicole
2016-01-01
The goal of this study was to develop and evaluate a tool to measure the complexity and intensity of psychotropic medication interventions, behavioral interventions, and issues related to crisis management for challenging behavior using a standardized rating form. The Treatment Intensity Rating Form (TIRF) is a 10-item scale with three categories: pharmacological interventions, behavior supports, and protective equipment. In a retrospective review we examined the final treatment recommendations for 74 individuals with self-injurious behavior (SIB) based on psychiatric and behavioral notes and reports. We also compared whether TIRF scores differed across individuals for whom SIB was maintained by social reinforcement (e.g., to access attention or toys/activities, or escape from tasks) versus those for whom SIB was maintained by automatic reinforcement (e.g., occurs independent of social variables, and is presumed to be maintained by sensory reinforcement). The TIRF was demonstrated to have strong inter-rater reliability (98%) and appears to have good face validity. As hypothesized, individuals with SIB maintained by automatic reinforcement had significantly more medication trials (p=0.0005) and required more protective equipment than individuals with SIB maintained by social reinforcement (p=0.0002). Antidepressant medication was used more often with individuals with automatically reinforced SIB, although antipsychotics and anticonvulsants were also commonly used across both groups. Findings provide initial support for the TIRF's reliability, and face validity as a measure the level of complexity of medical and behavioral treatment plans - although additional research is needed to fully evaluate its psychometric properties.
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Hale, Corinne R; Casey, Joseph E; Ricciardi, Philip W R
2014-02-01
Wechsler Intelligence Test for Children-IV core subtest scores of 472 children were cluster analyzed to determine if reliable and valid subgroups would emerge. Three subgroups were identified. Clusters were reliable across different stages of the analysis as well as across algorithms and samples. With respect to external validity, the Globally Low cluster differed from the other two clusters on Wechsler Individual Achievement Test-II Word Reading, Numerical Operations, and Spelling subtests, whereas the latter two clusters did not differ from one another. The clusters derived have been identified in studies using previous WISC editions. Clusters characterized by poor performance on subtests historically associated with the VIQ (i.e., VCI + WMI) and PIQ (i.e., POI + PSI) did not emerge, nor did a cluster characterized by low scores on PRI subtests. Picture Concepts represented the highest subtest score in every cluster, failing to vary in a predictable manner with the other PRI subtests.
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External validation of Global Evaluative Assessment of Robotic Skills (GEARS).
Aghazadeh, Monty A; Jayaratna, Isuru S; Hung, Andrew J; Pan, Michael M; Desai, Mihir M; Gill, Inderbir S; Goh, Alvin C
2015-11-01
We demonstrate the construct validity, reliability, and utility of Global Evaluative Assessment of Robotic Skills (GEARS), a clinical assessment tool designed to measure robotic technical skills, in an independent cohort using an in vivo animal training model. Using a cross-sectional observational study design, 47 voluntary participants were categorized as experts (>30 robotic cases completed as primary surgeon) or trainees. The trainee group was further divided into intermediates (≥5 but ≤30 cases) or novices (<5 cases). All participants completed a standardized in vivo robotic task in a porcine model. Task performance was evaluated by two expert robotic surgeons and self-assessed by the participants using the GEARS assessment tool. Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare the GEARS performance scores to determine construct validity; Spearman's rank correlation measured interobserver reliability; and Cronbach's alpha was used to assess internal consistency. Performance evaluations were completed on nine experts and 38 trainees (14 intermediate, 24 novice). Experts demonstrated superior performance compared to intermediates and novices overall and in all individual domains (p < 0.0001). In comparing intermediates and novices, the overall performance difference trended toward significance (p = 0.0505), while the individual domains of efficiency and autonomy were significantly different between groups (p = 0.0280 and 0.0425, respectively). Interobserver reliability between expert ratings was confirmed with a strong correlation observed (r = 0.857, 95 % CI [0.691, 0.941]). Experts and participant scoring showed less agreement (r = 0.435, 95 % CI [0.121, 0.689] and r = 0.422, 95 % CI [0.081, 0.0672]). Internal consistency was excellent for experts and participants (α = 0.96, 0.98, 0.93). In an independent cohort, GEARS was able to differentiate between different robotic skill levels, demonstrating excellent construct validity. As a standardized assessment tool, GEARS maintained consistency and reliability for an in vivo robotic surgical task and may be applied for skills evaluation in a broad range of robotic procedures.
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Baumert, Jens; Karakas, Mahir; Greven, Sonja; Rückerl, Regina; Peters, Annette; Koenig, Wolfgang
2012-05-01
Elevated fibrinogen levels are strongly and consistently associated with incident coronary heart disease (CHD). A possible causal contribution of fibrinogen in the pathway leading to atherothrombotic cardiovascular disease complications has been suggested. However, for implementation in clinical practice, data on validity and reliability, which are still scarce, are needed that are still scarce, especially in subjects with a history of CHD. For the present study, levels of plasma fibrinogen were measured in 200 post-myocardial infarction (post-MI) patients aged 39-76 years, with approximately six blood samples collected at monthly intervals between May 2003 and March 2004, giving a total of 1,144 samples. Inter-individual variability (between-subject variance component, VCb and coefficient of variation, CVb), intra-individual and analytical variability (VCw+a and CVw+a), intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and the number of measurements required for an ICC of 0.75 were estimated to assess the reliability of serial fibrinogen measurements. Mean fibrinogen concentration of all subjects over all samples was 3.34 g/l (standard deviation 0.67). Between-subject variation for fibrinogen was VCb = 0.34 (CVb'=17.5%) whereas within-subject and analytical variation was estimated as VCw+a = 0.14 (CVw+a=11.0%). The variation was mainly explained by between-subject variability, shown by the proportion of total variance of 71.3%. Two different measurements were required to reach sufficient reliability, if subjects with extreme values were not excluded. The present study indicates a fairly good reproducibility of serial individual fibrinogen measurements in post-MI subjects.
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Zupančič, Maja; Inglés, Candido S; Bajec, Boštjan; Puklek Levpušček, Melita
2011-06-01
This study analyzed the psychometric properties of scores on the Slovene version of the Questionnaire about Interpersonal Difficulties for Adolescents (QIDA) in a sample of 1,334 adolescents (44% boys), ranging in age from 12 to 18 years (M = 15.61). Confirmatory factor analyses replicated the correlated five-factor structure of the QIDA: Assertiveness, Heterosexual Relationships, Public Speaking, Family Relationships, and Close Friendships. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability were reasonable. Correlations of scores on the QIDA with scores of neuroticism, low extraversion, and low openness, as measured by the Inventory of Child/Adolescent Individual Differences, and scores of fear of negative evaluation, and tension and inhibition in social contacts, as measured by the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents were found, revealing differential links with QIDA subscale scores. Girls reported more difficulties than boys. Age differences showed a small but significant decrease in QIDA total score over adolescence.
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Accounting for test reliability in student progression: the reliable change index.
Zahra, Daniel; Hedge, Craig; Pesola, Francesca; Burr, Steven
2016-07-01
Developed by Jacobson and Truax, the reliable change index (RCI) provides a measure of whether the change in an individual's score over time is within or beyond that which might be accounted for by measurement variability. In combination with measures of whether an individual's final score is closer to those of one population or another, this provides useful individual-level information that can be used to supplement traditional analyses. This article aims to highlight the potential of the RCI for use within medical education, particularly as a novel means of monitoring progress at the student level across successive test occasions or academic years. We provide an example of how the RCI can be applied informatively to assessment evaluation, and discuss its wider usage. The RCI approach can be used to identify and support failing students, as well as to determine best teaching and learning practices by identifying high-performing students. Furthermore, the individual-level nature of the RCI makes it well suited for educational research with small cohorts, as well as for tracking individual profiles within a larger cohort or addressing questions about individual performance that may be unanswerable at group level. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
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Reliability and validity of the de Morton Mobility Index in individuals with sub-acute stroke.
Braun, Tobias; Marks, Detlef; Thiel, Christian; Grüneberg, Christian
2018-02-04
To establish the validity and reliability of the de Morton Mobility Index (DEMMI) in patients with sub-acute stroke. This cross-sectional study was performed in a neurological rehabilitation hospital. We assessed unidimensionality, construct validity, internal consistency reliability, inter-rater reliability, minimal detectable change and possible floor and ceiling effects of the DEMMI in adult patients with sub-acute stroke. The study included a total sample of 121 patients with sub-acute stroke. We analysed validity (n = 109) and reliability (n = 51) in two sub-samples. Rasch analysis indicated unidimensionality with an overall fit to the model (chi-square = 12.37, p = 0.577). All hypotheses on construct validity were confirmed. Internal consistency reliability (Cronbach's alpha = 0.94) and inter-rater reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.95; 95% confidence interval: 0.92-0.97) were excellent. The minimal detectable change with 90% confidence was 13 points. No floor or ceiling effects were evident. These results indicate unidimensionality, sufficient internal consistency reliability, inter-rater reliability, and construct validity of the DEMMI in patients with a sub-acute stroke. Advantages of the DEMMI in clinical application are the short administration time, no need for special equipment and interval level data. The de Morton Mobility Index, therefore, may be a useful performance-based bedside test to measure mobility in individuals with a sub-acute stroke across the whole mobility spectrum. Implications for Rehabilitation The de Morton Mobility Index (DEMMI) is an unidimensional measurement instrument of mobility in individuals with sub-acute stroke. The DEMMI has excellent internal consistency and inter-rater reliability, and sufficient construct validity. The minimal detectable change of the DEMMI with 90% confidence in stroke rehabilitation is 13 points. The lack of any floor or ceiling effects on hospital admission indicates applicability across the whole mobility spectrum of patients with sub-acute stroke.
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Wang-Hsu, Elizabeth; Smith, Susan S
2017-01-10
Falls are a common cause of injuries and hospital admissions in older adults. Balance limitation is a potentially modifiable factor contributing to falls. The Balance Evaluation Systems Test (BESTest), a clinical balance measure, categorizes balance into 6 underlying subsystems. Each of the subsystems is scored individually and summed to obtain a total score. The reliability of the BESTest and its individual subsystems has been reported in patients with various neurological disorders and cancer survivors. However, the reliability and minimal detectable change (MDC) of the BESTest with community-dwelling older adults have not been reported. The purposes of our study were to (1) determine the interrater and test-retest reliability of the BESTest total and subsystem scores; and (2) estimate the MDC of the BESTest and its individual subsystem scores with community-dwelling older adults. We used a prospective cohort methodological design. Community-dwelling older adults (N = 70; aged 70-94 years; mean = 85.0 [5.5] years) were recruited from a senior independent living community. Trained testers (N = 3) administered the BESTest. All participants were tested with the BESTest by the same tester initially and then retested 7 to 14 days later. With 32 of the participants, a second tester concurrently scored the retest for interrater reliability. Testers were blinded to each other's scores. Intraclass correlation coefficients [ICC(2,1)] were used to determine the interrater and test-retest reliability. Test-retest reliability was also analyzed using method error and the associated coefficients of variation (CVME). MDC was calculated using standard error of measurement. Interrater reliability (N = 32) of the BESTest total score was ICC(2, 1) = 0.97 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.94-0.99). The ICCs for the individual subsystem scores ranged from 0.85 to 0.94. Test-retest reliability (N = 70) of the BESTest total score was ICC(2,1) = 0.93 (95% CI, 0.89-0.96). ICCs for the individual subsystem scores ranged from 0.72 to 0.89. The CVME (N = 70) of the BESTest total score was 4.1%. The CVME for the subsystem scores ranged from 5.0% to 10.7%. MDC (N = 70) for the BESTest total score at the 95% CI was 7.6%, or 8.2 points. MDC at the 95% CI for subsystem scores ranged from 11.7% to 19.0% (2.1-3.4 points). Results demonstrated generally good to excellent interrater and test-retest reliability in both the BESTest total and subsystem scores with community-dwelling older adults. The BESTest total and individual subsystem scores demonstrate good to excellent interrater and test-retest reliability with community-dwelling older adults. A change of 7.6% (8.2 points) or more in the BESTest total and a percentage change ranged from 11.7% to 19.0% (2.1-3.4 points) in the subsystem scores are suggested for clinicians to be 95% confident of true change when evaluating change in this population.
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Intra- and Interobserver Reliability of Three Classification Systems for Hallux Rigidus.
Dillard, Sarita; Schilero, Christina; Chiang, Sharon; Pham, Peter
2018-04-18
There are over ten classification systems currently used in the staging of hallux rigidus. This results in confusion and inconsistency with radiographic interpretation and treatment. The reliability of hallux rigidus classification systems has not yet been tested. The purpose of this study was to evaluate intra- and interobserver reliability using three commonly used classifications for hallux rigidus. Twenty-one plain radiograph sets were presented to ten ACFAS board-certified foot and ankle surgeons. Each physician classified each radiograph based on clinical experience and knowledge according to the Regnauld, Roukis, and Hattrup and Johnson classification systems. The two-way mixed single-measure consistency intraclass correlation was used to calculate intra- and interrater reliability. The intrarater reliability of individual sets for the Roukis and Hattrup and Johnson classification systems was "fair to good" (Roukis, 0.62±0.19; Hattrup and Johnson, 0.62±0.28), whereas the intrarater reliability of individual sets for the Regnauld system bordered between "fair to good" and "poor" (0.43±0.24). The interrater reliability of the mean classification was "excellent" for all three classification systems. Conclusions Reliable and reproducible classification systems are essential for treatment and prognostic implications in hallux rigidus. In our study, Roukis classification system had the best intrarater reliability. Although there are various classification systems for hallux rigidus, our results indicate that all three of these classification systems show reliability and reproducibility.
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Detail and gestalt focus in individuals with optimal outcomes from Autism Spectrum Disorders
Fitch, Allison; Fein, Deborah A.; Eigsti, Inge-Marie
2015-01-01
Individuals with high-functioning autism (HFA) have a cognitive style that privileges local over global or gestalt details. While not a core symptom of autism, individuals with HFA seem to reliably show this bias. Our lab has been studying a sample of children who have overcome their early ASD diagnoses, showing “optimal outcomes” (OO). This study characterizes performance by OO, HFA, and typically developing (TD) adolescents as they describe paintings under cognitive load. Analyses of detail focus in painting descriptions indicated that the HFA group displayed significantly more local focus than both OO and TD groups, while the OO and TD groups did not differ. We discuss implications for the centrality of detail focus to the autism diagnosis. PMID:25563455
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Detail and gestalt focus in individuals with optimal outcomes from autism spectrum disorders.
Fitch, Allison; Fein, Deborah A; Eigsti, Inge-Marie
2015-06-01
Individuals with high-functioning autism (HFA) have a cognitive style that privileges local over global or gestalt details. While not a core symptom of autism, individuals with HFA seem to reliably show this bias. Our lab has been studying a sample of children who have overcome their early ASD diagnoses, showing "optimal outcomes" (OO). This study characterizes performance by OO, HFA, and typically developing (TD) adolescents as they describe paintings under cognitive load. Analyses of detail focus in painting descriptions indicated that the HFA group displayed significantly more local focus than both OO and TD groups, while the OO and TD groups did not differ. We discuss implications for the centrality of detail focus to the autism diagnosis.
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Guenther, Patricia M; Kirkpatrick, Sharon I; Reedy, Jill; Krebs-Smith, Susan M; Buckman, Dennis W; Dodd, Kevin W; Casavale, Kellie O; Carroll, Raymond J
2014-03-01
The Healthy Eating Index (HEI), a measure of diet quality, was updated to reflect the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the accompanying USDA Food Patterns. To assess the validity and reliability of the HEI-2010, exemplary menus were scored and 2 24-h dietary recalls from individuals aged ≥2 y from the 2003-2004 NHANES were used to estimate multivariate usual intake distributions and assess whether the HEI-2010 1) has a distribution wide enough to detect meaningful differences in diet quality among individuals, 2) distinguishes between groups with known differences in diet quality by using t tests, 3) measures diet quality independently of energy intake by using Pearson correlation coefficients, 4) has >1 underlying dimension by using principal components analysis (PCA), and 5) is internally consistent by calculating Cronbach's coefficient α. HEI-2010 scores were at or near the maximum levels for the exemplary menus. The distribution of scores among the population was wide (5th percentile = 31.7; 95th percentile = 70.4). As predicted, men's diet quality (mean HEI-2010 total score = 49.8) was poorer than women's (52.7), younger adults' diet quality (45.4) was poorer than older adults' (56.1), and smokers' diet quality (45.7) was poorer than nonsmokers' (53.3) (P < 0.01). Low correlations with energy were observed for HEI-2010 total and component scores (|r| ≤ 0.21). Cronbach's coefficient α was 0.68, supporting the reliability of the HEI-2010 total score as an indicator of overall diet quality. Nonetheless, PCA indicated multiple underlying dimensions, highlighting the fact that the component scores are equally as important as the total. A comparable reevaluation of the HEI-2005 yielded similar results. This study supports the validity and the reliability of both versions of the HEI.
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Cortical processing of speech in individuals with auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder.
Apeksha, Kumari; Kumar, U Ajith
2018-06-01
Auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder (ANSD) is a condition where cochlear amplification function (involving outer hair cells) is normal but neural conduction in the auditory pathway is disordered. This study was done to investigate the cortical representation of speech in individuals with ANSD and to compare it with the individuals with normal hearing. Forty-five participants including 21 individuals with ANSD and 24 individuals with normal hearing were considered for the study. Individuals with ANSD had hearing thresholds ranging from normal hearing to moderate hearing loss. Auditory cortical evoked potentials-through odd ball paradigm-were recorded using 64 electrodes placed on the scalp for /ba/-/da/ stimulus. Onset cortical responses were also recorded in repetitive paradigm using /da/ stimuli. Sensitivity and reaction time required to identify the oddball stimuli were also obtained. Behavioural results indicated that individuals in ANSD group had significantly lower sensitivity and longer reaction times compared to individuals with normal hearing sensitivity. Reliable P300 could be elicited in both the groups. However, a significant difference in scalp topographies was observed between the two groups in both repetitive and oddball paradigms. Source localization using local auto regressive analyses revealed that activations were more diffuses in individuals with ANSD when compared to individuals with normal hearing sensitivity. Results indicated that the brain networks and regions activated in individuals with ANSD during detection and discrimination of speech sounds are different from normal hearing individuals. In general, normal hearing individuals showed more focused activations while in individuals with ANSD activations were diffused.
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Burt, Jenni; Abel, Gary; Elmore, Natasha; Campbell, John; Roland, Martin; Benson, John; Silverman, Jonathan
2014-03-06
To investigate initial reliability of the Global Consultation Rating Scale (GCRS: an instrument to assess the effectiveness of communication across an entire doctor-patient consultation, based on the Calgary-Cambridge guide to the medical interview), in simulated patient consultations. Multiple ratings of simulated general practitioner (GP)-patient consultations by trained GP evaluators. UK primary care. 21 GPs and six trained GP evaluators. GCRS score. 6 GP raters used GCRS to rate randomly assigned video recordings of GP consultations with simulated patients. Each of the 42 consultations was rated separately by four raters. We considered whether a fixed difference between scores had the same meaning at all levels of performance. We then examined the reliability of GCRS using mixed linear regression models. We augmented our regression model to also examine whether there were systematic biases between the scores given by different raters and to look for possible order effects. Assessing the communication quality of individual consultations, GCRS achieved a reliability of 0.73 (95% CI 0.44 to 0.79) for two raters, 0.80 (0.54 to 0.85) for three and 0.85 (0.61 to 0.88) for four. We found an average difference of 1.65 (on a 0-10 scale) in the scores given by the least and most generous raters: adjusting for this evaluator bias increased reliability to 0.78 (0.53 to 0.83) for two raters; 0.85 (0.63 to 0.88) for three and 0.88 (0.69 to 0.91) for four. There were considerable order effects, with later consultations (after 15-20 ratings) receiving, on average, scores more than one point higher on a 0-10 scale. GCRS shows good reliability with three raters assessing each consultation. We are currently developing the scale further by assessing a large sample of real-world consultations.
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Miccoli, Laura; Delgado, Rafael; Rodríguez-Ruiz, Sonia; Guerra, Pedro; García-Mármol, Eduardo; Fernández-Santaella, M. Carmen
2014-01-01
In the last decades, food pictures have been repeatedly employed to investigate the emotional impact of food on healthy participants as well as individuals who suffer from eating disorders and obesity. However, despite their widespread use, food pictures are typically selected according to each researcher's personal criteria, which make it difficult to reliably select food images and to compare results across different studies and laboratories. Therefore, to study affective reactions to food, it becomes pivotal to identify the emotional impact of specific food images based on wider samples of individuals. In the present paper we introduce the Open Library of Affective Foods (OLAF), which is a set of original food pictures created to reliably select food pictures based on the emotions they prompt, as indicated by affective ratings of valence, arousal, and dominance and by an additional food craving scale. OLAF images were designed to allow simultaneous use with affective images from the International Affective Picture System (IAPS), which is a well-known instrument to investigate emotional reactions in the laboratory. The ultimate goal of the OLAF is to contribute to understanding how food is emotionally processed in healthy individuals and in patients who suffer from eating and weight-related disorders. The present normative data, which was based on a large sample of an adolescent population, indicate that when viewing affective non-food IAPS images, valence, arousal, and dominance ratings were in line with expected patterns based on previous emotion research. Moreover, when viewing food pictures, affective and food craving ratings were consistent with research on food cue processing. As a whole, the data supported the methodological and theoretical reliability of the OLAF ratings, therefore providing researchers with a standardized tool to reliably investigate the emotional and motivational significance of food. The OLAF database is publicly available at zenodo.org. PMID:25490404
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Miccoli, Laura; Delgado, Rafael; Rodríguez-Ruiz, Sonia; Guerra, Pedro; García-Mármol, Eduardo; Fernández-Santaella, M Carmen
2014-01-01
In the last decades, food pictures have been repeatedly employed to investigate the emotional impact of food on healthy participants as well as individuals who suffer from eating disorders and obesity. However, despite their widespread use, food pictures are typically selected according to each researcher's personal criteria, which make it difficult to reliably select food images and to compare results across different studies and laboratories. Therefore, to study affective reactions to food, it becomes pivotal to identify the emotional impact of specific food images based on wider samples of individuals. In the present paper we introduce the Open Library of Affective Foods (OLAF), which is a set of original food pictures created to reliably select food pictures based on the emotions they prompt, as indicated by affective ratings of valence, arousal, and dominance and by an additional food craving scale. OLAF images were designed to allow simultaneous use with affective images from the International Affective Picture System (IAPS), which is a well-known instrument to investigate emotional reactions in the laboratory. The ultimate goal of the OLAF is to contribute to understanding how food is emotionally processed in healthy individuals and in patients who suffer from eating and weight-related disorders. The present normative data, which was based on a large sample of an adolescent population, indicate that when viewing affective non-food IAPS images, valence, arousal, and dominance ratings were in line with expected patterns based on previous emotion research. Moreover, when viewing food pictures, affective and food craving ratings were consistent with research on food cue processing. As a whole, the data supported the methodological and theoretical reliability of the OLAF ratings, therefore providing researchers with a standardized tool to reliably investigate the emotional and motivational significance of food. The OLAF database is publicly available at zenodo.org.
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Moussas, George; Dadouti, Georgia; Douzenis, Athanassios; Poulis, Evangelos; Tzelembis, Athanassios; Bratis, Dimitris; Christodoulou, Christos; Lykouras, Lefteris
2009-05-14
Problems associated with alcohol abuse are recognised by the World Health Organization as a major health issue, which according to most recent estimations is responsible for 1.4% of the total world burden of morbidity and has been proven to increase mortality risk by 50%. Because of the size and severity of the problem, early detection is very important. This requires easy to use and specific tools. One of these is the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). This study aims to standardise the questionnaire in a Greek population. AUDIT was translated and back-translated from its original language by two English-speaking psychiatrists. The tool contains 10 questions. A score >or= 11 is an indication of serious abuse/dependence. In the study, 218 subjects took part: 128 were males and 90 females. The average age was 40.71 years (+/- 11.34). From the 218 individuals, 109 (75 male, 34 female) fulfilled the criteria for alcohol dependence according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition (DSM-IV), and presented requesting admission; 109 subjects (53 male, 56 female) were healthy controls. Internal reliability (Cronbach alpha) was 0.80 for the controls and 0.80 for the alcohol-dependent individuals. Controls had significantly lower average scores (t test P < 0.001) when compared to the alcoholics. The questionnaire's sensitivity for scores >8 was 0.98 and its specificity was 0.94 for the same score. For the alcohol-dependent sample 3% scored as false negatives and from the control group 1.8% scored false positives. In the alcohol-dependent sample there was no difference between males and females in their average scores (t test P > 0.05). The Greek version of AUDIT has increased internal reliability and validity. It detects 97% of the alcohol-dependent individuals and has a high sensitivity and specificity. AUDIT is easy to use, quick and reliable and can be very useful in detection alcohol problems in sensitive populations.
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Quinn, Lori; Khalil, Hanan; Dawes, Helen; Fritz, Nora E; Kegelmeyer, Deb; Kloos, Anne D; Gillard, Jonathan W; Busse, Monica
2013-07-01
Clinical intervention trials in people with Huntington disease (HD) have been limited by a lack of reliable and appropriate outcome measures. The purpose of this study was to determine the reliability and minimal detectable change (MDC) of various outcome measures that are potentially suitable for evaluating physical functioning in individuals with HD. This was a multicenter, prospective, observational study. Participants with pre-manifest and manifest HD (early, middle, and late stages) were recruited from 8 international sites to complete a battery of physical performance and functional measures at 2 assessments, separated by 1 week. Test-retest reliability (using intraclass correlation coefficients) and MDC values were calculated for all measures. Seventy-five individuals with HD (mean age=52.12 years, SD=11.82) participated in the study. Test-retest reliability was very high (>.90) for participants with manifest HD for the Six-Minute Walk Test (6MWT), 10-Meter Walk Test, Timed "Up & Go" Test (TUG), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Physical Performance Test (PPT), Barthel Index, Rivermead Mobility Index, and Tinetti Mobility Test (TMT). Many MDC values suggested a relatively high degree of inherent variability, particularly in the middle stage of HD. Minimum detectable change values for participants with manifest HD that were relatively low across disease stages were found for the BBS (5), PPT (5), and TUG (2.98). For individuals with pre-manifest HD (n=11), the 6MWT and Four Square Step Test had high reliability and low MDC values. The sample size for the pre-manifest HD group was small. The BBS, PPT, and TUG appear most appropriate for clinical trials aimed at improving physical functioning in people with manifest HD. Further research in people with pre-manifest HD is necessary.
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Kloos, Anne D.; Fritz, Nora E.; Kostyk, Sandra K.; Young, Gregory S.; Kegelmeyer, Deb A.
2014-01-01
Background and purpose Individuals with Huntington's disease (HD) experience balance and gait problems that lead to falls. Clinicians currently have very little information about the reliability and validity of outcome measures to determine the efficacy of interventions that aim to reduce balance and gait impairments in HD. This study examined the reliability and concurrent validity of spatiotemporal gait measures, the Tinetti Mobility Test (TMT), Four Square Step Test (FSST), and Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) Scale in individuals with HD. Methods Participants with HD [n = 20; mean age ± SD = 50.9 ± 13.7; 7 male] were tested on spatiotemporal gait measures the TMT, FSST, and ABC Scale before and after a six week period to determine test–retest reliability and minimal detectable change (MDC) values. Linear relationships between gait and clinical measures were estimated using Pearson's correlation coefficients. Results Spatiotemporal gait measures, the TMT total and the FSST showed good to excellent test–retest reliability (ICC > 0.75). MDC values were 0.30 m/s and 0.17 m/s for velocity in forward and backward walking respectively, four points for the TMT, and 3 s for the FSST. The TMT and FSST were highly correlated with most spatiotemporal measures. The ABC Scale demonstrated lower reliability and less concurrent validity than other measures. Conclusions The high test–retest reliability over a six week period and concurrent validity between the TMT, FSST, and spatiotemporal gait measures suggest that the TMT and FSST may be useful outcome measures for future intervention studies in ambulatory individuals with HD. PMID:25128156
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Kloos, Anne D; Fritz, Nora E; Kostyk, Sandra K; Young, Gregory S; Kegelmeyer, Deb A
2014-09-01
Individuals with Huntington's disease (HD) experience balance and gait problems that lead to falls. Clinicians currently have very little information about the reliability and validity of outcome measures to determine the efficacy of interventions that aim to reduce balance and gait impairments in HD. This study examined the reliability and concurrent validity of spatiotemporal gait measures, the Tinetti Mobility Test (TMT), Four Square Step Test (FSST), and Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) Scale in individuals with HD. Participants with HD [n = 20; mean age ± SD=50.9 ± 13.7; 7 male] were tested on spatiotemporal gait measures and the TMT, FSST, and ABC Scale before and after a six week period to determine test-retest reliability and minimal detectable change (MDC) values. Linear relationships between gait and clinical measures were estimated using Pearson's correlation coefficients. Spatiotemporal gait measures, the TMT total and the FSST showed good to excellent test-retest reliability (ICC > 0.75). MDC values were 0.30 m/s and 0.17 m/s for velocity in forward and backward walking respectively, four points for the TMT, and 3s for the FSST. The TMT and FSST were highly correlated with most spatiotemporal measures. The ABC Scale demonstrated lower reliability and less concurrent validity than other measures. The high test-retest reliability over a six week period and concurrent validity between the TMT, FSST, and spatiotemporal gait measures suggest that the TMT and FSST may be useful outcome measures for future intervention studies in ambulatory individuals with HD. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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Riecher-Rössler, A; Aston, J; Ventura, J; Merlo, M; Borgwardt, S; Gschwandtner, U; Stieglitz, R-D
2008-04-01
Early detection of psychosis is of growing clinical importance. So far there is, however, no screening instrument for detecting individuals with beginning psychosis in the atypical early stages of the disease with sufficient validity. We have therefore developed the Basel Screening Instrument for Psychosis (BSIP) and tested its feasibility, interrater-reliability and validity. Aim of this paper is to describe the development and structure of the instrument, as well as to report the results of the studies on reliability and validity. The instrument was developed based on a comprehensive search of literature on the most important risk factors and early signs of schizophrenic psychoses. The interraterreliability study was conducted on 24 psychiatric cases. Validity was tested based on 206 individuals referred to our early detection clinic from 3/1/2000 until 2/28/2003. We identified seven categories of relevance for early detection of psychosis and used them to construct a semistructured interview. Interrater-reliability for high risk individuals was high (Kappa .87). Predictive validity was comparable to other, more comprehensive instruments: 16 (32 %) of 50 individuals classified as being at risk for psychosis by the BSIP have in fact developed frank psychosis within an follow-up period of two to five years. The BSIP is the first screening instrument for the early detection of psychosis which has been validated based on transition to psychosis. The BSIP is easy to use by experienced psychiatrists and has a very good interrater-reliability and predictive validity.
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Pelizza, Lorenzo; Paterlini, Federica; Azzali, Silvia; Garlassi, Sara; Scazza, Ilaria; Pupo, Simona; Simmons, Magenta; Nelson, Barnaby; Raballo, Andrea
2018-04-26
The Comprehensive Assessment of At-Risk Mental States (CAARMS) was specifically developed to assess and detect young people at ultra-high risk (UHR) of developing psychosis. The current study was undertaken to test the reliability and validity of the authorized Italian version of the CAARMS (CAARMS-ITA) in a help-seeking population. Psychometric properties of the CAARMS-ITA were established using a sample of 223 Italian adolescents and young adults aged between 13 and 35 years, who were divided into 3 groups according to the CAARMS criteria: UHR-negative individuals (UHR [-]; n = 64), UHR-positive (UHR [+]; n = 55) and individuals with a first-episode psychosis (FEP; n = 104). The CAARMS-ITA's reliability was tested measuring interrater reliability and internal consistency. Construct validity was tested comparing the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and CAARMS-ITA subscale scores across groups (ie, UHR [-], UHR [+] and FEP). For concurrent validity, we studied correlations between symptoms of the CAARMS-ITA and their equivalents in the PANSS. Finally, the predictive validity was examined by following up with UHR [+] individuals. The 12-month transition rate to psychosis was calculated. The CAARMS-ITA showed good interrater reliability. The PANSS "Positive Symptoms" subscale scores in UHR [+] individuals were intermediate between FEP and UHR [-] groups. The positive and negative symptoms scores of the CAARMS-ITA significantly correlated with the corresponding scores of the PANSS. After 12 months, 4 of 41 (9.8%) UHR [+] individuals had transitioned to psychosis. The CAARMS-ITA is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing and detecting at-risk mental states in Italian clinical settings. It also appears to be helpful in the prediction of psychosis transition. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.
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Levaniuk, V F
1977-01-01
The phenotypes with their respective alleles frequencies of the ABO system were studied in 33 230 individuals of 9 ethnic groups of the Transcarpathian Region population. Statistically significant differences in allele frequencies were found in Gypsies, Germans and Slovaks as compared to those in the main Ukrainian population. There are significant differences between Hungarians and Gypsies of the Transcarpathian Region and analogous populations beyond the region. Absence of a reliable difference between gene pools of the Slav groups of the population and of Hungarians may point to the local origin of the later.
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Addressing Uniqueness and Unison of Reliability and Safety for a Better Integration
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Huang, Zhaofeng; Safie, Fayssal
2016-01-01
Over time, it has been observed that Safety and Reliability have not been clearly differentiated, which leads to confusion, inefficiency, and, sometimes, counter-productive practices in executing each of these two disciplines. It is imperative to address this situation to help Reliability and Safety disciplines improve their effectiveness and efficiency. The paper poses an important question to address, "Safety and Reliability - Are they unique or unisonous?" To answer the question, the paper reviewed several most commonly used analyses from each of the disciplines, namely, FMEA, reliability allocation and prediction, reliability design involvement, system safety hazard analysis, Fault Tree Analysis, and Probabilistic Risk Assessment. The paper pointed out uniqueness and unison of Safety and Reliability in their respective roles, requirements, approaches, and tools, and presented some suggestions for enhancing and improving the individual disciplines, as well as promoting the integration of the two. The paper concludes that Safety and Reliability are unique, but compensating each other in many aspects, and need to be integrated. Particularly, the individual roles of Safety and Reliability need to be differentiated, that is, Safety is to ensure and assure the product meets safety requirements, goals, or desires, and Reliability is to ensure and assure maximum achievability of intended design functions. With the integration of Safety and Reliability, personnel can be shared, tools and analyses have to be integrated, and skill sets can be possessed by the same person with the purpose of providing the best value to a product development.
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Boves, Than J.; Buehler, David A.; Wood, Petra Bohall; Rodewald, Amanda D.; Larkin, Jeffrey L.; Keyser, Patrick D.; Wigley, T. Ben
2014-01-01
Colorful plumage traits in birds may convey multiple, redundant, or unreliable messages about an individual. Plumage may reliably convey information about disparate qualities such as age, condition, and parental ability because discrete tracts of feathers may cause individuals to incur different intrinsic or extrinsic costs. Few studies have examined the information content of plumage in a species that inhabits forest canopies, a habitat with unique light environments and selective pressures. We investigated the information content of four plumage patches (blue-green crown and rump, tail white, and black breast band) in a canopy-dwelling species, the Cerulean Warbler (Setophaga cerulea), in relation to age, condition, provisioning, and reproduction. We found that older males displayed wider breast bands, greater tail white, and crown and rump feathers with greater blue-green (435–534 nm) chroma and hue than males in their first potential breeding season. In turn, older birds were in better condition (short and long term) and were reproductively superior to younger birds. We propose that these age-related plumage differences (i.e. delayed plumage maturation) were not a consequence of a life history strategy but instead resulted from constraints during early feather molts. Within age classes, we found evidence to support the multiple messages hypothesis. Birds with greater tail white molted tails in faster, those with more exaggerated rump plumage (lower hue, greater blue-green chroma) provisioned more, and those with lower rump blue-green chroma were in better condition. Despite evidence of reliable signaling in this species, we found no strong relationships between plumage and reproductive performance, potentially because factors other than individual differences more strongly influenced fecundity.
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Sliding into happiness: A new tool for measuring affective responses to words.
Warriner, Amy Beth; Shore, David I; Schmidt, Louis A; Imbault, Constance L; Kuperman, Victor
2017-03-01
Reliable measurement of affective responses is critical for research into human emotion. Affective evaluation of words is most commonly gauged on multiple dimensions-including valence (positivity) and arousal-using a rating scale. Despite its popularity, this scale is open to criticism: It generates ordinal data that is often misinterpreted as interval, it does not provide the fine resolution that is essential by recent theoretical accounts of emotion, and its extremes may not be properly calibrated. In 5 experiments, the authors introduce a new slider tool for affective evaluation of words on a continuous, well-calibrated and high-resolution scale. In Experiment 1, participants were shown a word and asked to move a manikin representing themselves closer to or farther away from the word. The manikin's distance from the word strongly correlated with the word's valence. In Experiment 2, individual differences in shyness and sociability elicited reliable differences in distance from the words. Experiment 3 validated the results of Experiments 1 and 2 using a demographically more diverse population of responders. Finally, Experiment 4 (along with Experiment 2) suggested that task demand is not a potential cause for scale recalibration. In Experiment 5, men and women placed a manikin closer or farther from words that showed sex differences in valence, highlighting the sensitivity of this measure to group differences. These findings shed a new light on interactions among affect, language, and individual differences, and demonstrate the utility of a new tool for measuring word affect. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).
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Requirements for authorisation of internal dosimetry services.
Melo, D R; Cunha, P G; Torres, M M C; Lourenço, M C
2003-01-01
In order to ensure that a facility is in compliance with the occupational exposure requirements established by regulatory authorities, the measurements and dose assessments specified in the individual monitoring programme need to be reliable. There are two important questions that shall be addressed here: one is how the licensed facilities can demonstrate to their workers and regulatory bodies compliance with the regulatory limits and the reliability of the results of the individual monitoring programmes; the other concerns the mechanisms used to demonstrate to a facility in another country the reliability of the measurement results of an individual monitoring bioassay programme. The accreditation of the bioassay laboratory, according to ISO/IEC 17025, shall be the basic requirement for obtaining the authorisation granted by the national regulatory authority. For the second question, such confidence can be achieved through International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC).
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Palermo, Romina; O’Connor, Kirsty B.; Davis, Joshua M.; Irons, Jessica; McKone, Elinor
2013-01-01
Although good tests are available for diagnosing clinical impairments in face expression processing, there is a lack of strong tests for assessing “individual differences” – that is, differences in ability between individuals within the typical, nonclinical, range. Here, we develop two new tests, one for expression perception (an odd-man-out matching task in which participants select which one of three faces displays a different expression) and one additionally requiring explicit identification of the emotion (a labelling task in which participants select one of six verbal labels). We demonstrate validity (careful check of individual items, large inversion effects, independence from nonverbal IQ, convergent validity with a previous labelling task), reliability (Cronbach’s alphas of.77 and.76 respectively), and wide individual differences across the typical population. We then demonstrate the usefulness of the tests by addressing theoretical questions regarding the structure of face processing, specifically the extent to which the following processes are common or distinct: (a) perceptual matching and explicit labelling of expression (modest correlation between matching and labelling supported partial independence); (b) judgement of expressions from faces and voices (results argued labelling tasks tap into a multi-modal system, while matching tasks tap distinct perceptual processes); and (c) expression and identity processing (results argued for a common first step of perceptual processing for expression and identity). PMID:23840821
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Distinct Subtypes of Apathy Revealed by the Apathy Motivation Index.
Ang, Yuen-Siang; Lockwood, Patricia; Apps, Matthew A J; Muhammed, Kinan; Husain, Masud
2017-01-01
Apathy is a debilitating but poorly understood disorder characterized by a reduction in motivation. As well as being associated with several brain disorders, apathy is also prevalent in varying degrees in healthy people. Whilst many tools have been developed to assess levels of apathy in clinical disorders, surprisingly there are no measures of apathy suitable for healthy people. Moreover, although apathy is commonly comorbid with symptoms of depression, anhedonia and fatigue, how and why these symptoms are associated is unclear. Here we developed the Apathy-Motivation Index (AMI), a brief self-report index of apathy and motivation. Using exploratory factor analysis (in a sample of 505 people), and then confirmatory analysis (in a different set of 479 individuals), we identified subtypes of apathy in behavioural, social and emotional domains. Latent profile analyses showed four different profiles of apathy that were associated with varying levels of depression, anhedonia and fatigue. The AMI is a novel and reliable measure of individual differences in apathy and might provide a useful means of probing different mechanisms underlying sub-clinical lack of motivation in otherwise healthy individuals. Moreover, associations between apathy and comorbid states may be reflective of problems in different emotional, social and behavioural domains.
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Nedjat, Saharnaz; Montazeri, Ali; Holakouie, Kourosh; Mohammad, Kazem; Majdzadeh, Reza
2008-03-21
The objective of the current study was to translate and validate the Iranian version of the WHOQOL-BREF. A forward-backward translation procedure was followed to develop the Iranian version of the questionnaire. A stratified random sample of individuals aged 18 and over completed the questionnaire in Tehran, Iran. Psychometric properties of the instrument including reliability (internal consistency, and test-retest analysis), validity (known groups' comparison and convergent validity), and items' correlation with their hypothesized domains were assessed. In all 1164 individuals entered into the study. The mean age of the participants was 36.6 (SD = 13.2) years, and the mean years of their formal education was 10.7 (SD = 4.4). In general the questionnaire received well and all domains met the minimum reliability standards (Cronbach's alpha and intra-class correlation > 0.7), except for social relationships (alpha = 0.55). Performing known groups' comparison analysis, the results indicated that the questionnaire discriminated well between subgroups of the study samples differing in their health status. Since the WHOQOL-BREF demonstrated statistically significant correlation with the Iranian version of the SF-36 as expected, the convergent validity of the questionnaire was found to be desirable. Correlation matrix also showed satisfactory results in all domains except for social relationships. This study has provided some preliminary evidence of the reliability and validity of the WHOQOL-BREF to be used in Iran, though further research is required to challenge the problems of reliability in one of the dimensions and the instrument's factor structure.
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Time frequency analysis of olfactory induced EEG-power change.
Schriever, Valentin Alexander; Han, Pengfei; Weise, Stefanie; Hösel, Franziska; Pellegrino, Robert; Hummel, Thomas
2017-01-01
The objective of the present study was to investigate the usefulness of time-frequency analysis (TFA) of olfactory-induced EEG change with a low-cost, portable olfactometer in the clinical investigation of smell function. A total of 78 volunteers participated. The study was composed of three parts where olfactory stimuli were presented using a custom-built olfactometer. Part I was designed to optimize the stimulus as well as the recording conditions. In part II EEG-power changes after olfactory/trigeminal stimulation were compared between healthy participants and patients with olfactory impairment. In Part III the test-retest reliability of the method was evaluated in healthy subjects. Part I indicated that the most effective paradigm for stimulus presentation was cued stimulus, with an interstimulus interval of 18-20s at a stimulus duration of 1000ms with each stimulus quality presented 60 times in blocks of 20 stimuli each. In Part II we found that central processing of olfactory stimuli analyzed by TFA differed significantly between healthy controls and patients even when controlling for age. It was possible to reliably distinguish patients with olfactory impairment from healthy individuals at a high degree of accuracy (healthy controls vs anosmic patients: sensitivity 75%; specificity 89%). In addition we could show a good test-retest reliability of TFA of chemosensory induced EEG-power changes in Part III. Central processing of olfactory stimuli analyzed by TFA reliably distinguishes patients with olfactory impairment from healthy individuals at a high degree of accuracy. Importantly this can be achieved with a simple olfactometer.
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Corsi, Daniel J.; Subramanian, S. V.; McKee, Martin; Li, Wei; Swaminathan, Sumathi; Lopez-Jaramillo, Patricio; Avezum, Alvaro; Lear, Scott A.; Dagenais, Gilles; Rangarajan, Sumathy; Teo, Koon; Yusuf, Salim; Chow, Clara K.
2012-01-01
Background Public health research has turned towards examining upstream, community-level determinants of cardiovascular disease risk factors. Objective measures of the environment, such as those derived from direct observation, and perception-based measures by residents have both been associated with health behaviours. However, current methods are generally limited to objective measures, often derived from administrative data, and few instruments have been evaluated for use in rural areas or in low-income countries. We evaluate the reliability of a quantitative tool designed to capture perceptions of community tobacco, nutrition, and social environments obtained from interviews with residents in communities in 5 countries. Methodology/ Principal Findings Thirteen measures of the community environment were developed from responses to questionnaire items from 2,360 individuals residing in 84 urban and rural communities in 5 countries (China, India, Brazil, Colombia, and Canada) in the Environmental Profile of a Community’s Health (EPOCH) study. Reliability and other properties of the community-level measures were assessed using multilevel models. High reliability (>0.80) was demonstrated for all community-level measures at the mean number of survey respondents per community (n = 28 respondents). Questionnaire items included in each scale were found to represent a common latent factor at the community level in multilevel factor analysis models. Conclusions/ Significance Reliable measures which represent aspects of communities potentially related to cardiovascular disease (CVD)/risk factors can be obtained using feasible sample sizes. The EPOCH instrument is suitable for use in different settings to explore upstream determinants of CVD/risk factors. PMID:22973446
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Bian, Lin
2012-01-01
In clinical practice, hearing thresholds are measured at only five to six frequencies at octave intervals. Thus, the audiometric configuration cannot closely reflect the actual status of the auditory structures. In addition, differential diagnosis requires quantitative comparison of behavioral thresholds with physiological measures, such as otoacoustic emissions (OAEs) that are usually measured in higher resolution. The purpose of this research was to develop a method to improve the frequency resolution of the audiogram. A repeated-measure design was used in the study to evaluate the reliability of the threshold measurements. A total of 16 participants with clinically normal hearing and mild hearing loss were recruited from a population of university students. No intervention was involved in the study. Custom developed system and software were used for threshold acquisition with quality control (QC). With real-ear calibration and monitoring of test signals, the system provided accurate and individualized measure of hearing thresholds that were determined by an analysis based on signal detection theory (SDT). The reliability of the threshold measure was assessed by correlation and differences between the repeated measures. The audiometric configurations were diverse and unique to each individual ear. The accuracy, within-subject reliability, and between-test repeatability are relatively high. With QC, the high-resolution audiograms can be reliably and accurately measured. Hearing thresholds measured as ear canal sound pressures with higher frequency resolution can provide more customized hearing-aid fitting. The test system may be integrated with other physiological measures, such as OAEs, into a comprehensive evaluative tool. American Academy of Audiology.
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Lombarts, Kiki M J M H; Ferguson, Andrew; Hollmann, Markus W; Malling, Bente; Arah, Onyebuchi A
2016-11-01
Given the increasing international recognition of clinical teaching as a competency and regulation of residency training, evaluation of anesthesiology faculty teaching is needed. The System for Evaluating Teaching Qualities (SETQ) Smart questionnaires were developed for assessing teaching performance of faculty in residency training programs in different countries. This study investigated (1) the structure, (2) the psychometric qualities of the new tools, and (3) the number of residents' evaluations needed per anesthesiology faculty to use the instruments reliably. Two SETQ Smart questionnaires-for faculty self-evaluation and for resident evaluation of faculty-were developed. A multicenter survey was conducted among 399 anesthesiology faculty and 430 residents in six countries. Statistical analyses included exploratory factor analysis, reliability analysis using Cronbach α, item-total scale correlations, interscale correlations, comparison of composite scales to global ratings, and generalizability analysis to assess residents' evaluations needed per faculty. In total, 240 residents completed 1,622 evaluations of 247 faculty. The SETQ Smart questionnaires revealed six teaching qualities consisting of 25 items. Cronbach α's were very high (greater than 0.95) for the overall SETQ Smart questionnaires and high (greater than 0.80) for the separate teaching qualities. Interscale correlations were all within the acceptable range of moderate correlation. Overall, questionnaire and scale scores correlated moderately to highly with the global ratings. For reliable feedback to individual faculty, three to five resident evaluations are needed. The first internationally piloted questionnaires for evaluating individual anesthesiology faculty teaching performance can be reliably, validly, and feasibly used for formative purposes in residency training.
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Lovett, Rosemary; Summerfield, Quentin; Vickers, Deborah
2013-06-01
The Toy Discrimination Test measures children's ability to discriminate spoken words. Previous assessments of reliability tested children with normal hearing or mild hearing impairment, and most studies used a version of the test without a masking sound. We assessed test-retest reliability for children with hearing impairment using maskers of broadband noise and two-talker babble. Stimuli were presented from a loudspeaker. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) was varied adaptively to estimate the speech-reception threshold (SRT) corresponding to 70.7% correct performance. Participants completed each masked condition twice. Fifty-five children with permanent hearing impairment participated, aged 3.0 to 6.3 years. Thirty-four children used acoustic hearing aids; 21 children used cochlear implants. For the noise masker, the within-subject standard deviation of SRTs was 2.4 dB, and the correlation between first and second SRT was + 0.73. For the babble masker, corresponding values were 2.7 dB and + 0.60. Reliability was similar for children with hearing aids and children with cochlear implants. The results can inform the interpretation of scores from individual children. If a child completes a condition twice in different listening situations (e.g. aided and unaided), a difference between scores ≥ 7.5 dB would be statistically significant (p <.05).
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Hertzog, Christopher; Dixon, Roger A; Hultsch, David F; MacDonald, Stuart W S
2003-12-01
The authors used 6-year longitudinal data from the Victoria Longitudinal Study (VLS) to investigate individual differences in amount of episodic memory change. Latent change models revealed reliable individual differences in cognitive change. Changes in episodic memory were significantly correlated with changes in other cognitive variables, including speed and working memory. A structural equation model for the latent change scores showed that changes in speed and working memory predicted changes in episodic memory, as expected by processing resource theory. However, these effects were best modeled as being mediated by changes in induction and fact retrieval. Dissociations were detected between cross-sectional ability correlations and longitudinal changes. Shuffling the tasks used to define the Working Memory latent variable altered patterns of change correlations.
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Synthesis of multifilament silicon carbide fibers by chemical vapor deposition
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Revankar, Vithal; Hlavacek, Vladimir
1991-01-01
A process for development of clean silicon carbide fiber with a small diameter and high reliability is presented. An experimental evaluation of operating conditions for SiC fibers of good mechanical properties and devising an efficient technique which will prevent welding together of individual filaments are discussed. The thermodynamic analysis of a different precursor system was analyzed vigorously. Thermodynamically optimum conditions for stoichiometric SiC deposit were obtained.
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Individual Differences in Secondary Task Performance.
1980-09-01
applied than in the experimental literature (e.g. Brown, 1968). The assertion that primary and secondary tasks compete for mental resources has a further...Subjects were paid $8.00 for participation in two 1 -hour sessions. Bonus points were awarded on the basis of performance in the experimental tasks...the experimental measures are presented in Table 3. Reliabilities, shown in the diagonal, are based on correlations between measures from Day 1 and Day
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Validity of an Observation Method for Assessing Pain Behavior in Individuals With Multiple Sclerosis
Cook, Karon F.; Roddey, Toni S.; Bamer, Alyssa M.; Amtmann, Dagmar; Keefe, Francis J
2012-01-01
Context Pain is a common and complex experience for individuals who live with multiple sclerosis (MS) that interferes with physical, psychological and social function. A valid and reliable tool for quantifying observed pain behaviors in MS is critical to understanding how pain behaviors contribute to pain-related disability in this clinical population. Objectives To evaluate the reliability and validity of a pain behavioral observation protocol in individuals who have MS. Methods Community-dwelling volunteers with multiple sclerosis (N=30), back pain (N=5), or arthritis (N=8) were recruited based on clinician referrals, advertisements, fliers, web postings, and participation in previous research. Participants completed measures of pain severity, pain interference, and self-reported pain behaviors and were videotaped doing typical activities (e.g., walking, sitting). Two coders independently recorded frequencies of pain behaviors by category (e.g., guarding, bracing) and inter-rater reliability statistics were calculated. Naïve observers reviewed videotapes of individuals with MS and rated their pain. Spearman correlations were calculated between pain behavior frequencies and self-reported pain and pain ratings by naïve observers. Results Inter-rater reliability estimates indicated the reliability of pain codes in the MS sample. Kappa coefficients ranged from moderate agreement (sighing = 0.40) to substantial agreement (guarding = 0.83). These values were comparable to those obtained in the combined back pain and arthritis sample. Concurrent validity was supported by correlations with self-reported pain (0.46-0.53) and with self-reports of pain behaviors (0.58). Construct validity was supported by finding of 0.87 correlation between total pain behaviors observed by coders and mean pain ratings by naïve observers. Conclusion Results support use of the pain behavior observation protocol for assessing pain behaviors of individuals with MS. Valid assessments of pain behaviors of individuals with MS in could lead to creative interventions in the management of chronic pain in this population. PMID:23159684
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Estimating Sleep from Multisensory Armband Measurements: Validity and Reliability in Teens
Roane, Brandy M.; Van Reen, Eliza; Hart, Chantelle N.; Wing, Rena; Carskadon, Mary A.
2015-01-01
SUMMARY Given the recognition that sleep may influence obesity risk, there is increasing interest in measuring sleep parameters within obesity studies. The goal of the current analyses was to determine whether the SenseWear® Pro3 Armband (armband), typically used to assess physical activity, is reliable at assessing sleep parameters. We compared the armband to the AMI Motionlogger® (actigraph), a validated activity monitor for sleep assessment and to polysomnography (PSG), the gold standard for assessing sleep. Participants were twenty adolescents (mean age=15.5 years) with a mean BMI %tile of 63.7. All participants wore the armband and actigraph on their non-dominant arm while in-lab during a nocturnal PSG recording (600 minutes). Epoch-by-epoch sleep/wake data and concordance of sleep parameters were examined. No significant sleep parameter differences were found between the armband and PSG; the actigraph tended to overestimate sleep and underestimate wake compared to PSG. Both devices showed high sleep sensitivity, but lower wake detection rates. Bland-Altman plots showed large individual differences in armband sleep parameter concordance rates. The armband did well estimating sleep overall with group results more similar to PSG than the actigraph; however, the armband was less accurate at an individual level than the actigraph. PMID:26126746
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Estimating sleep from multisensory armband measurements: validity and reliability in teens.
Roane, Brandy M; Van Reen, Eliza; Hart, Chantelle N; Wing, Rena; Carskadon, Mary A
2015-12-01
Given the recognition that sleep may influence obesity risk, there is increasing interest in measuring sleep parameters within obesity studies. The goal of the current analyses was to determine whether the SenseWear(®) Pro3 Armband (armband), typically used to assess physical activity, is reliable at assessing sleep parameters. The armband was compared with the AMI Motionlogger(®) (actigraph), a validated activity monitor for sleep assessment, and with polysomnography, the gold standard for assessing sleep. Participants were 20 adolescents (mean age = 15.5 years) with a mean body mass index percentile of 63.7. All participants wore the armband and actigraph on their non-dominant arm while in-lab during a nocturnal polysomnographic recording (600 min). Epoch-by-epoch sleep/wake data and concordance of sleep parameters were examined. No significant sleep parameter differences were found between the armband and polysomnography; the actigraph tended to overestimate sleep and underestimate wake compared with polysomnography. Both devices showed high sleep sensitivity, but lower wake detection rates. Bland-Altman plots showed large individual differences in armband sleep parameter concordance rates. The armband did well estimating sleep overall, with group results more similar to polysomnography than the actigraph; however, the armband was less accurate at an individual level than the actigraph. © 2015 European Sleep Research Society.
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Does Repeated Testing Impact Concordance Between Genital and Self-Reported Sexual Arousal in Women?
Velten, Julia; Chivers, Meredith L; Brotto, Lori A
2018-04-01
Women show a substantial variability in their genital and subjective responses to sexual stimuli. The level of agreement between these two aspects of response is termed sexual concordance and has been increasingly investigated because of its implications for understanding models of sexual response and as a potential endpoint in clinical trials of treatments to improve women's sexual dysfunction. However, interpreting changes in sexual concordance may be problematic because, to date, it still is unclear how repeated testing itself influences sexual concordance in women. We are aware of only one study that evaluated temporal stability of concordance in women, and it found no evidence of stability. However, time stability would be necessary for arguing that concordance is a stable individual difference. The main goal of this study was to investigate the test-retest reliability of sexual concordance in a sample of 30 women with sexual difficulties. Using hierarchical linear modeling, we found that sexual concordance was not influenced by repeated testing 12 weeks later, but showed test-retest reliability suggesting temporal stability. Our findings support the hypothesis that sexual concordance is a relatively stable individual difference and that changes in sexual concordance after treatment or experimental conditions could, therefore, be attributed to effects of those conditions.
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Cappella, Annalisa; Cummaudo, Marco; Arrigoni, Elena; Collini, Federica; Cattaneo, Cristina
2017-01-01
The main idea behind age assessment in adults is related to the analysis of the physiological degeneration of particular skeletal structures with age. The main issues with these procedures are due to the fact that they have not been tested on different modern populations and in different taphonomic contexts and that they tend to underestimate the age of older individuals. The purpose of this study was to test the applicability and the reliability of these methods on a contemporary population of skeletal remains of 145 elderly individuals of known sex and age. The results show that, due to taphonomic influences, some skeletal sites showed a lower survival. Therefore, the methods with the highest percentage of applicability were Lovejoy (89.6%) and Rougé-Maillart (81.3%), followed by Suchey-Brooks (59.3%), and those with the lowest percentage of applicability were Beauthier (26.2%) and Iscan (22.7%). In addition, this research has shown how for older adults the study of both acetabulum and auricular surface may be more reliable for aging. This is also in accordance with the fact that auricular surface and the acetabulum are the areas more frequently surviving taphonomic insult. © 2016 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.
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Framework for evaluating disease severity measures in older adults with comorbidity.
Boyd, Cynthia M; Weiss, Carlos O; Halter, Jeff; Han, K Carol; Ershler, William B; Fried, Linda P
2007-03-01
Accounting for the influence of concurrent conditions on health and functional status for both research and clinical decision-making purposes is especially important in older adults. Although approaches to classifying severity of individual diseases and conditions have been developed, the utility of these classification systems has not been evaluated in the presence of multiple conditions. We present a framework for evaluating severity classification systems for common chronic diseases. The framework evaluates the: (a) goal or purpose of the classification system; (b) physiological and/or functional criteria for severity graduation; and (c) potential reliability and validity of the system balanced against burden and costs associated with classification. Approaches to severity classification of individual diseases were not originally conceived for the study of comorbidity. Therefore, they vary greatly in terms of objectives, physiological systems covered, level of severity characterization, reliability and validity, and costs and burdens. Using different severity classification systems to account for differing levels of disease severity in a patient with multiple diseases, or, assessing global disease burden may be challenging. Most approaches to severity classification are not adequate to address comorbidity. Nevertheless, thoughtful use of some existing approaches and refinement of others may advance the study of comorbidity and diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to patients with multimorbidity.
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A network of amygdala connections predict individual differences in trait anxiety.
Greening, Steven G; Mitchell, Derek G V
2015-12-01
In this study we demonstrate that the pattern of an amygdala-centric network contributes to individual differences in trait anxiety. Individual differences in trait anxiety were predicted using maximum likelihood estimates of amygdala structural connectivity to multiple brain targets derived from diffusion-tensor imaging (DTI) and probabilistic tractography on 72 participants. The prediction was performed using a stratified sixfold cross validation procedure using a regularized least square regression model. The analysis revealed a reliable network of regions predicting individual differences in trait anxiety. Higher trait anxiety was associated with stronger connections between the amygdala and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, an area implicated in the generation of emotional reactions, and inferior temporal gyrus and paracentral lobule, areas associated with perceptual and sensory processing. In contrast, higher trait anxiety was associated with weaker connections between amygdala and regions implicated in extinction learning such as medial orbitofrontal cortex, and memory encoding and environmental context recognition, including posterior cingulate cortex and parahippocampal gyrus. Thus, trait anxiety is not only associated with reduced amygdala connectivity with prefrontal areas associated with emotion modulation, but also enhanced connectivity with sensory areas. This work provides novel anatomical insight into potential mechanisms behind information processing biases observed in disorders of emotion. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Schertz, Jessamyn; Cho, Taehong; Lotto, Andrew; Warner, Natasha
2015-01-01
The current work examines native Korean speakers’ perception and production of stop contrasts in their native language (L1, Korean) and second language (L2, English), focusing on three acoustic dimensions that are all used, albeit to different extents, in both languages: voice onset time (VOT), f0 at vowel onset, and closure duration. Participants used all three cues to distinguish the L1 Korean three-way stop distinction in both production and perception. Speakers’ productions of the L2 English contrasts were reliably distinguished using both VOT and f0 (even though f0 is only a very weak cue to the English contrast), and, to a lesser extent, closure duration. In contrast to the relative homogeneity of the L2 productions, group patterns on a forced-choice perception task were less clear-cut, due to considerable individual differences in perceptual categorization strategies, with listeners using either primarily VOT duration, primarily f0, or both dimensions equally to distinguish the L2 English contrast. Differences in perception, which were stable across experimental sessions, were not predicted by individual variation in production patterns. This work suggests that reliance on multiple cues in representation of a phonetic contrast can form the basis for distinct individual cue-weighting strategies in phonetic categorization. PMID:26644630
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Comparison of fMRI paradigms assessing visuospatial processing: Robustness and reproducibility
Herholz, Peer; Zimmermann, Kristin M.; Westermann, Stefan; Frässle, Stefan; Jansen, Andreas
2017-01-01
The development of brain imaging techniques, in particular functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), made it possible to non-invasively study the hemispheric lateralization of cognitive brain functions in large cohorts. Comprehensive models of hemispheric lateralization are, however, still missing and should not only account for the hemispheric specialization of individual brain functions, but also for the interactions among different lateralized cognitive processes (e.g., language and visuospatial processing). This calls for robust and reliable paradigms to study hemispheric lateralization for various cognitive functions. While numerous reliable imaging paradigms have been developed for language, which represents the most prominent left-lateralized brain function, the reliability of imaging paradigms investigating typically right-lateralized brain functions, such as visuospatial processing, has received comparatively less attention. In the present study, we aimed to establish an fMRI paradigm that robustly and reliably identifies right-hemispheric activation evoked by visuospatial processing in individual subjects. In a first study, we therefore compared three frequently used paradigms for assessing visuospatial processing and evaluated their utility to robustly detect right-lateralized brain activity on a single-subject level. In a second study, we then assessed the test-retest reliability of the so-called Landmark task–the paradigm that yielded the most robust results in study 1. At the single-voxel level, we found poor reliability of the brain activation underlying visuospatial attention. This suggests that poor signal-to-noise ratios can become a limiting factor for test-retest reliability. This represents a common detriment of fMRI paradigms investigating visuospatial attention in general and therefore highlights the need for careful considerations of both the possibilities and limitations of the respective fMRI paradigm–in particular, when being interested in effects at the single-voxel level. Notably, however, when focusing on the reliability of measures of hemispheric lateralization (which was the main goal of study 2), we show that hemispheric dominance (quantified by the lateralization index, LI, with |LI| >0.4) of the evoked activation could be robustly determined in more than 62% and, if considering only two categories (i.e., left, right), in more than 93% of our subjects. Furthermore, the reliability of the lateralization strength (LI) was “fair” to “good”. In conclusion, our results suggest that the degree of right-hemispheric dominance during visuospatial processing can be reliably determined using the Landmark task, both at the group and single-subject level, while at the same time stressing the need for future refinements of experimental paradigms and more sophisticated fMRI data acquisition techniques. PMID:29059201
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Reliability of drivers in urban intersections.
Gstalter, Herbert; Fastenmeier, Wolfgang
2010-01-01
The concept of human reliability has been widely used in industrial settings by human factors experts to optimise the person-task fit. Reliability is estimated by the probability that a task will successfully be completed by personnel in a given stage of system operation. Human Reliability Analysis (HRA) is a technique used to calculate human error probabilities as the ratio of errors committed to the number of opportunities for that error. To transfer this notion to the measurement of car driver reliability the following components are necessary: a taxonomy of driving tasks, a definition of correct behaviour in each of these tasks, a list of errors as deviations from the correct actions and an adequate observation method to register errors and opportunities for these errors. Use of the SAFE-task analysis procedure recently made it possible to derive driver errors directly from the normative analysis of behavioural requirements. Driver reliability estimates could be used to compare groups of tasks (e.g. different types of intersections with their respective regulations) as well as groups of drivers' or individual drivers' aptitudes. This approach was tested in a field study with 62 drivers of different age groups. The subjects drove an instrumented car and had to complete an urban test route, the main features of which were 18 intersections representing six different driving tasks. The subjects were accompanied by two trained observers who recorded driver errors using standardized observation sheets. Results indicate that error indices often vary between both the age group of drivers and the type of driving task. The highest error indices occurred in the non-signalised intersection tasks and the roundabout, which exactly equals the corresponding ratings of task complexity from the SAFE analysis. A comparison of age groups clearly shows the disadvantage of older drivers, whose error indices in nearly all tasks are significantly higher than those of the other groups. The vast majority of these errors could be explained by high task load in the intersections, as they represent difficult tasks. The discussion shows how reliability estimates can be used in a constructive way to propose changes in car design, intersection layout and regulation as well as driver training.
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Binge Eating Disorder: Reliability and Validity of a New Diagnostic Category.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Brody, Michelle L.; And Others
1994-01-01
Examined reliability and validity of binge eating disorder (BED), proposed for inclusion in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), fourth edition. Interrater reliability of BED diagnosis compared favorably with that of most diagnoses in DSM revised third edition. Study comparing obese individuals with and without BED and…
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Reliability and Validity Tests of Singelis's Self-Construal Scale (1994).
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Wang, Qi
Two studies focused on the reliability and validity of T.M. Singelis's 24-item Self-Construal Scale (SCS) (1994). In the first study, Cronbach alphas were calculated to assess the internal consistency of the reliability of the two subscales that were supposed to measure individuals' independent and interdependent self construals. The sample was…
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Erford, Bradley T.; Alsamadi, Silvana C.
2012-01-01
Score reliability and validity of parent responses concerning their 10- to 17-year-old students were analyzed using the Screening Test for Emotional Problems-Parent Report (STEP-P), which assesses a variety of emotional problems classified under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act. Score reliability, convergent, and…
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Bräutigam, Klaus-Rainer; Jörissen, Juliane; Priefer, Carmen
2014-08-01
The reduction of food waste is seen as an important societal issue with considerable ethical, ecological and economic implications. The European Commission aims at cutting down food waste to one-half by 2020. However, implementing effective prevention measures requires knowledge of the reasons and the scale of food waste generation along the food supply chain. The available data basis for Europe is very heterogeneous and doubts about its reliability are legitimate. This mini-review gives an overview of available data on food waste generation in EU-27 and discusses their reliability against the results of own model calculations. These calculations are based on a methodology developed on behalf of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and provide data on food waste generation for each of the EU-27 member states, broken down to the individual stages of the food chain and differentiated by product groups. The analysis shows that the results differ significantly, depending on the data sources chosen and the assumptions made. Further research is much needed in order to improve the data stock, which builds the basis for the monitoring and management of food waste. © The Author(s) 2014.
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Houx, P J; Shepherd, J; Blauw, G-J; Murphy, M B; Ford, I; Bollen, E L; Buckley, B; Stott, D J; Jukema, W; Hyland, M; Gaw, A; Norrie, J; Kamper, A M; Perry, I J; MacFarlane, P W; Meinders, A Edo; Sweeney, B J; Packard, C J; Twomey, C; Cobbe, S M; Westendorp, R G
2002-10-01
For large scale follow up studies with non-demented patients in which cognition is an endpoint, there is a need for short, inexpensive, sensitive, and reliable neuropsychological tests that are suitable for repeated measurements. The commonly used Mini-Mental-State-Examination fulfils only the first two requirements. In the PROspective Study of Pravastatin in the Elderly at Risk (PROSPER), 5804 elderly subjects aged 70 to 82 years were examined using a learning test (memory), a coding test (general speed), and a short version of the Stroop test (attention). Data presented here were collected at dual baseline, before randomisation for active treatment. The tests proved to be reliable (with test/retest reliabilities ranging from acceptable (r=0.63) to high (r=0.88) and sensitive to detect small differences in subjects from different age categories. All tests showed significant practice effects: performance increased from the first measurement to the first follow up after two weeks. Normative data are provided that can be used for one time neuropsychological testing as well as for assessing individual and group change. Methods for analysing cognitive change are proposed.
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Validating the Riverside Acculturation Stress Inventory with Asian Americans.
Miller, Matthew J; Kim, Jungeun; Benet-Martínez, Verónica
2011-06-01
An emerging body of empirical research highlights the impact of acculturative stress in the lives of culturally diverse populations. Therefore, to facilitate future research in this area, we conducted 3 studies to examine the psychometric properties of the Riverside Acculturation Stress Inventory (RASI; Benet-Martínez & Haritatos, 2005) and its 5 subscales in a total sample of 793 self-identified Asian American participants. The reliability and validity of RASI scores and the hypothesized 1-factor higher order model (with 1st-order factors Language Skills, Work Challenges, Intercultural Relations, Discrimination, and Cultural Isolation) of the RASI were examined in Study 1. The RASI higher order structure and score validity and reliability were examined across different generational groups in Study 2. The stability of RASI scores over a 3-week period was examined in Study 3. Overall, findings from these studies support the hypothesized structure of the RASI and indicate that this brief instrument provides reliable and valid acculturative stress scores. In addition, results suggest that RASI items are interpreted in an equivalent manner across different generations of Asian American individuals. Implications for research and assessment are discussed. 2011 APA, all rights reserved
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NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Aguilar, Mariela C.; Gonzalez, Alex; Rowaan, Cornelis; De Freitas, Carolina; Rosa, Potyra R.; Alawa, Karam; Lam, Byron L.; Parel, Jean-Marie A.
2016-03-01
As there is no clinically available instrument to systematically and reliably determine the photosensitivity thresholds of patients with dry eyes, blepharospasms, migraines, traumatic brain injuries, and genetic disorders such as Achromatopsia, retinitis pigmentosa and other retinal dysfunctions, a computer-controlled optoelectronics system was designed. The BPEI Photosensitivity System provides a light stimuli emitted from a bi-cupola concave, 210 white LED array with varying intensity ranging from 1 to 32,000 lux. The system can either utilize a normal or an enhanced testing mode for subjects with low light tolerance. The automated instrument adjusts the intensity of each light stimulus. The subject is instructed to indicate discomfort by pressing a hand-held button. Reliability of the responses is tracked during the test. The photosensitivity threshold is then calculated after 10 response reversals. In a preliminary study, we demonstrated that subjects suffering from Achromatopsia experienced lower photosensitivity thresholds than normal subjects. Hence, the system can safely and reliably determine the photosensitivity thresholds of healthy and light sensitive subjects by detecting and quantifying the individual differences. Future studies will be performed with this system to determine the photosensitivity threshold differences between normal subjects and subjects suffering from other conditions that affect light sensitivity.
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Influence of speech sample on perceptual rating of hypernasality.
Medeiros, Maria Natália Leite de; Fukushiro, Ana Paula; Yamashita, Renata Paciello
2016-07-07
To investigate the influence of speech sample of spontaneous conversation or sentences repetition on intra and inter-rater hypernasality reliability. One hundred and twenty audio recorded speech samples (60 containing spontaneous conversation and 60 containing repeated sentences) of individuals with repaired cleft palate±lip, both genders, aged between 6 and 52 years old (mean=21±10) were selected and edited. Three experienced speech and language pathologists rated hypernasality according to their own criteria using 4-point scale: 1=absence of hypernasality, 2=mild hypernasality, 3=moderate hypernasality and 4=severe hypernasality, first in spontaneous speech samples and 30 days after, in sentences repetition samples. Intra- and inter-rater agreements were calculated for both speech samples and were statistically compared by the Z test at a significance level of 5%. Comparison of intra-rater agreements between both speech samples showed an increase of the coefficients obtained in the analysis of sentences repetition compared to those obtained in spontaneous conversation. Comparison between inter-rater agreement showed no significant difference among the three raters for the two speech samples. Sentences repetition improved intra-raters reliability of perceptual judgment of hypernasality. However, the speech sample had no influence on reliability among different raters.
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Modelling and experimental study of temperature profiles in cw laser diode bars
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Bezotosnyi, V. V.; Gordeev, V. P.; Krokhin, O. N.; Mikaelyan, G. T.; Oleshchenko, V. A.; Pevtsov, V. F.; Popov, Yu M.; Cheshev, E. A.
2018-02-01
Three-dimensional simulation is used to theoretically assess temperature profiles in proposed 10-mm-wide cw laser diode bars packaged in a standard heat spreader of the C - S mount type with the aim of raising their reliable cw output power. We obtain calculated temperature differences across the emitting aperture and along the cavity. Using experimental laser bar samples with up to 60 W of cw output power, the emission spectra of individual clusters are measured at different pump currents. We compare and discuss the simulation results and experimental data.
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Hanson, Lisa C; Taylor, Nicholas F; McBurney, Helen
2016-09-01
To determine the retest reliability of the 10m incremental shuttle walk test (ISWT) in a mixed cardiac rehabilitation population. Participants completed two 10m ISWTs in a single session in a repeated measures study. Ten participants completed a third 10m ISWT as part of a pilot study. Hospital physiotherapy department. 62 adults aged a mean of 68 years (SD 10) referred to a cardiac rehabilitation program. Retest reliability of the 10m ISWT expressed as relative reliability and measurement error. Relative reliability was expressed in a ratio in the form of an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and measurement error in the form of the standard error of measurement (SEM) and 95% confidence intervals for the group and individual. There was a high level of relative reliability over the two walks with an ICC of .99. The SEMagreement was 17m, and a change of at least 23m for the group and 54m for the individual would be required to be 95% confident of exceeding measurement error. The 10m ISWT demonstrated good retest reliability and is sufficiently reliable to be applied in practice in this population without the use of a practice test. Copyright © 2015 Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Citronberg, Jessica S; Wilkens, Lynne R; Lim, Unhee; Hullar, Meredith A J; White, Emily; Newcomb, Polly A; Le Marchand, Loïc; Lampe, Johanna W
2016-09-01
Plasma lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP), a measure of internal exposure to bacterial lipopolysaccharide, has been associated with several chronic conditions and may be a marker of chronic inflammation; however, no studies have examined the reliability of this biomarker in a healthy population. We examined the temporal reliability of LBP measured in archived samples from participants in two studies. In Study one, 60 healthy participants had blood drawn at two time points: baseline and follow-up (either three, six, or nine months). In Study two, 24 individuals had blood drawn three to four times over a seven-month period. We measured LBP in archived plasma by ELISA. Test-retest reliability was estimated by calculating the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Plasma LBP concentrations showed moderate reliability in Study one (ICC 0.60, 95 % CI 0.43-0.75) and Study two (ICC 0.46, 95 % CI 0.26-0.69). Restricting the follow-up period improved reliability. In Study one, the reliability of LBP over a three-month period was 0.68 (95 % CI: 0.41-0.87). In Study two, the ICC of samples taken ≤seven days apart was 0.61 (95 % CI 0.29-0.86). Plasma LBP concentrations demonstrated moderate test-retest reliability in healthy individuals with reliability improving over a shorter follow-up period.
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Verbal learning changes in older adults across 18 months.
Zimprich, Daniel; Rast, Philippe
2009-07-01
The major aim of this study was to investigate individual changes in verbal learning across a period of 18 months. Individual differences in verbal learning have largely been neglected in the last years and, even more so, individual differences in change in verbal learning. The sample for this study comes from the Zurich Longitudinal Study on Cognitive Aging (ZULU; Zimprich et al., 2008a) and comprised 336 older adults in the age range of 65-80 years at first measurement occasion. In order to address change in verbal learning we used a latent change model of structured latent growth curves to account for the non-linearity of the verbal learning data. The individual learning trajectories were captured by a hyperbolic function which yielded three psychologically distinct parameters: initial performance, learning rate, and asymptotic performance. We found that average performance increased with respect to initial performance, but not in learning rate or in asymptotic performance. Further, variances and covariances remained stable across both measurement occasions, indicating that the amount of individual differences in the three parameters remained stable, as did the relationships among them. Moreover, older adults differed reliably in their amount of change in initial performance and asymptotic performance. Eventually, changes in asymptotic performance and learning rate were strongly negatively correlated. It thus appears as if change in verbal learning in old age is a constrained process: an increase in total learning capacity implies that it takes longer to learn. Together, these results point to the significance of individual differences in change of verbal learning in the elderly.
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Test-retest reliability of the Military Pre-training Questionnaire.
Robinson, M; Stokes, K; Bilzon, J; Standage, M; Brown, P; Thompson, D
2010-09-01
Musculoskeletal injuries are a significant cause of morbidity during military training. A brief, inexpensive and user-friendly tool that demonstrates reliability and validity is warranted to effectively monitor the relationship between multiple predictor variables and injury incidence in military populations. To examine the test-retest reliability of the Military Pre-training Questionnaire (MPQ), designed specifically to assess risk factors for injury among military trainees across five domains (physical activity, injury history, diet, alcohol and smoking). Analyses were based on a convenience sample of 58 male British Army trainees. Kappa (kappa), weighted kappa (kappa(w)) and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were used to evaluate the 2-week test-retest reliability of the MPQ. For index measures constituting the assessment of a given construct, internal consistency was assessed by Cronbach's alpha (alpha) coefficients. Reliability of individual items ranged from poor to almost perfect (kappa range = 0.45-0.86; kappa(w) range = 0.11-0.91; ICC range = 0.34-0.86) with most items demonstrating moderate reliability. Overall scores related to physical activity, diet, alcohol and smoking constructs were reliable between both administrations (ICC = 0.63-0.85). Support for the internal consistency of the incorporated alcohol (alpha = 0.78) and cigarette (alpha = 0.75) scales was also provided. The MPQ is a reliable self-report instrument for assessing multiple injury-related risk factors during initial military training. Further assessment of the psychometric properties of the MPQ (e.g. different types of validity) with military populations/samples will support its interpretation and use in future surveillance and epidemiological studies.
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Reliability and validity of a brief method to assess nociceptive flexion reflex (NFR) threshold.
Rhudy, Jamie L; France, Christopher R
2011-07-01
The nociceptive flexion reflex (NFR) is a physiological tool to study spinal nociception. However, NFR assessment can take several minutes and expose participants to repeated suprathreshold stimulations. The 4 studies reported here assessed the reliability and validity of a brief method to assess NFR threshold that uses a single ascending series of stimulations (Peak 1 NFR), by comparing it to a well-validated method that uses 3 ascending/descending staircases of stimulations (Staircase NFR). Correlations between the NFR definitions were high, were on par with test-retest correlations of Staircase NFR, and were not affected by participant sex or chronic pain status. Results also indicated the test-retest reliabilities for the 2 definitions were similar. Using larger stimulus increments (4 mAs) to assess Peak 1 NFR tended to result in higher NFR threshold estimates than using the Staircase NFR definition, whereas smaller stimulus increments (2 mAs) tended to result in lower NFR threshold estimates than the Staircase NFR definition. Neither NFR definition was correlated with anxiety, pain catastrophizing, or anxiety sensitivity. In sum, a single ascending series of electrical stimulations results in a reliable and valid estimate of NFR threshold. However, caution may be warranted when comparing NFR thresholds across studies that differ in the ascending stimulus increments. This brief method to assess NFR threshold is reliable and valid; therefore, it should be useful to clinical pain researchers interested in quickly assessing inter- and intra-individual differences in spinal nociceptive processes. Copyright © 2011 American Pain Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Salamh, Paul A; Kolber, Morey
2014-01-01
To investigate the reliability, minimal detectable change (MDC90) and concurrent validity of a gravity-based bubble inclinometer (inclinometer) and iPhone® application for measuring standing lumbar lordosis. Two investigators used both an inclinometer and an iPhone® with an inclinometer application to measure lumbar lordosis of 30 asymptomatic participants. ICC models 3,k and 2,k were used for the intrarater and interrater analysis, respectively. Good interrater and intrarater reliability was present for the inclinometer with Intraclass Correlation Coefficients (ICC) of 0.90 and 0.85, respectively and the iPhone® application with ICC values of 0.96 and 0.81. The minimal detectable change (MDC90) indicates that a change greater than or equal to 7° and 6° is needed to exceed the threshold of error using the iPhone® and inclinometer, respectively. The concurrent validity between the two instruments was good with a Pearson product-moment coefficient of correlation (r) of 0.86 for both raters. Ninety-five percent limits of agreement identified differences ranging from 9° greater in regards to the iPhone® to 8° less regarding the inclinometer. Both the inclinometer and iPhone® application possess good interrater reliability, intrarater reliability and concurrent validity for measuring standing lumbar lordosis. This investigation provides preliminary evidence to suggest that smart phone applications may offer clinical utility comparable to inclinometry for quantifying standing lumbar lordosis. Clinicians should recognize potential individual differences when using these devices interchangeably.
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Hilgard, Joseph; Engelhardt, Christopher R.; Bartholow, Bruce D.
2013-01-01
A new measure of individual habits and preferences in video game use is developed in order to better study the risk factors of pathological game use (i.e., excessively frequent or prolonged use, sometimes called “game addiction”). This measure was distributed to internet message boards for game enthusiasts and to college undergraduates. An exploratory factor analysis identified 9 factors: Story, Violent Catharsis, Violent Reward, Social Interaction, Escapism, Loss-Sensitivity, Customization, Grinding, and Autonomy. These factors demonstrated excellent fit in a subsequent confirmatory factor analysis, and, importantly, were found to reliably discriminate between inter-individual game preferences (e.g., Super Mario Brothers as compared to Call of Duty). Moreover, three factors were significantly related to pathological game use: the use of games to escape daily life, the use of games as a social outlet, and positive attitudes toward the steady accumulation of in-game rewards. The current research identifies individual preferences and motives relevant to understanding video game players' evaluations of different games and risk factors for pathological video game use. PMID:24058355
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Hilgard, Joseph; Engelhardt, Christopher R; Bartholow, Bruce D
2013-01-01
A new measure of individual habits and preferences in video game use is developed in order to better study the risk factors of pathological game use (i.e., excessively frequent or prolonged use, sometimes called "game addiction"). This measure was distributed to internet message boards for game enthusiasts and to college undergraduates. An exploratory factor analysis identified 9 factors: Story, Violent Catharsis, Violent Reward, Social Interaction, Escapism, Loss-Sensitivity, Customization, Grinding, and Autonomy. These factors demonstrated excellent fit in a subsequent confirmatory factor analysis, and, importantly, were found to reliably discriminate between inter-individual game preferences (e.g., Super Mario Brothers as compared to Call of Duty). Moreover, three factors were significantly related to pathological game use: the use of games to escape daily life, the use of games as a social outlet, and positive attitudes toward the steady accumulation of in-game rewards. The current research identifies individual preferences and motives relevant to understanding video game players' evaluations of different games and risk factors for pathological video game use.
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Tactile Acuity Charts: A Reliable Measure of Spatial Acuity
Bruns, Patrick; Camargo, Carlos J.; Campanella, Humberto; Esteve, Jaume; Dinse, Hubert R.; Röder, Brigitte
2014-01-01
For assessing tactile spatial resolution it has recently been recommended to use tactile acuity charts which follow the design principles of the Snellen letter charts for visual acuity and involve active touch. However, it is currently unknown whether acuity thresholds obtained with this newly developed psychophysical procedure are in accordance with established measures of tactile acuity that involve passive contact with fixed duration and control of contact force. Here we directly compared tactile acuity thresholds obtained with the acuity charts to traditional two-point and grating orientation thresholds in a group of young healthy adults. For this purpose, two types of charts, using either Braille-like dot patterns or embossed Landolt rings with different orientations, were adapted from previous studies. Measurements with the two types of charts were equivalent, but generally more reliable with the dot pattern chart. A comparison with the two-point and grating orientation task data showed that the test-retest reliability of the acuity chart measurements after one week was superior to that of the passive methods. Individual thresholds obtained with the acuity charts agreed reasonably with the grating orientation threshold, but less so with the two-point threshold that yielded relatively distinct acuity estimates compared to the other methods. This potentially considerable amount of mismatch between different measures of tactile acuity suggests that tactile spatial resolution is a complex entity that should ideally be measured with different methods in parallel. The simple test procedure and high reliability of the acuity charts makes them a promising complement and alternative to the traditional two-point and grating orientation thresholds. PMID:24504346
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van der Ploeg, Hidde P; Streppel, Kitty R M; van der Beek, Allard J; van der Woude, Luc H V; Vollenbroek-Hutten, Miriam; van Mechelen, Willem
2007-01-01
The objective was to determine the test-retest reliability and criterion validity of the Physical Activity Scale for Individuals with Physical Disabilities (PASIPD). Forty-five non-wheelchair dependent subjects were recruited from three Dutch rehabilitation centers. Subjects' diagnoses were: stroke, spinal cord injury, whiplash, and neurological-, orthopedic- or back disorders. The PASIPD is a 7-d recall physical activity questionnaire that was completed twice, 1 wk apart. During this week, physical activity was also measured with an Actigraph accelerometer. The test-retest reliability Spearman correlation of the PASIPD was 0.77. The criterion validity Spearman correlation was 0.30 when compared to the accelerometer. The PASIPD had test-retest reliability and criterion validity that is comparable to well established self-report physical activity questionnaires from the general population.
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Wii Balance Board: Reliability and Clinical Use in Assessment of Balance in Healthy Elderly Women.
Monteiro-Junior, Renato Sobral; Ferreira, Arthur Sá; Puell, Vivian Neiva; Lattari, Eduardo; Machado, Sérgio; Otero Vaghetti, César Augusto; da Silva, Elirez Bezerra
2015-01-01
Force plate is considered gold standard tool to assess body balance. However the Wii Balance Board (WBB) platform is a trustworthy equipment to assess stabilometric components in young people. Thus, we aim to examine the reliability of measures of center of pressure with WBB in healthy elderly women. Twenty one healthy and physically active women were enrolled in the study (age: 64 ± 7 years; body mass index: 29 ± 5 kg/m2. The WBB was used to assess the center of pressure measures in the individuals. Pressure was linearly applied to different points to test the platform precision. Three assessments were performed, with two of them being held on the same day at a 5- to 10-minute interval, and the third one was performed 48 h later. A linear regression analysis was used to find out linearity, while the intraclass correlation coefficient was used to assess reliability. The platform precision was adequate (R2 = 0.997, P = 0.01). Center of pressure measures showed an excellent reliability (all intraclass correlation coefficient values were > 0.90; p < 0.01). The WBB is a precise and reliable tool of body stability quantitative measure in healthy active elderly women and its use should be encouraged in clinical settings.
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Photovoltaic performance and reliability workshop
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Kroposki, B
1996-10-01
This proceedings is the compilation of papers presented at the ninth PV Performance and Reliability Workshop held at the Sheraton Denver West Hotel on September 4--6, 1996. This years workshop included presentations from 25 speakers and had over 100 attendees. All of the presentations that were given are included in this proceedings. Topics of the papers included: defining service lifetime and developing models for PV module lifetime; examining and determining failure and degradation mechanisms in PV modules; combining IEEE/IEC/UL testing procedures; AC module performance and reliability testing; inverter reliability/qualification testing; standardization of utility interconnect requirements for PV systems; need activitiesmore » to separate variables by testing individual components of PV systems (e.g. cells, modules, batteries, inverters,charge controllers) for individual reliability and then test them in actual system configurations; more results reported from field experience on modules, inverters, batteries, and charge controllers from field deployed PV systems; and system certification and standardized testing for stand-alone and grid-tied systems.« less
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Brunyé, Tad T.; Collier, Zachary A.; Cantelon, Julie; Holmes, Amanda; Wood, Matthew D.; Linkov, Igor; Taylor, Holly A.
2015-01-01
Previous research has demonstrated that route planners use several reliable strategies for selecting between alternate routes. Strategies include selecting straight rather than winding routes leaving an origin, selecting generally south- rather than north-going routes, and selecting routes that avoid traversal of complex topography. The contribution of this paper is characterizing the relative influence and potential interactions of these strategies. We also examine whether individual differences would predict any strategy reliance. Results showed evidence for independent and additive influences of all three strategies, with a strong influence of topography and initial segment straightness, and relatively weak influence of cardinal direction. Additively, routes were also disproportionately selected when they traversed relatively flat regions, had relatively straight initial segments, and went generally south rather than north. Two individual differences, extraversion and sense of direction, predicted the extent of some effects. Under real-world conditions navigators indeed consider a route’s initial straightness, cardinal direction, and topography, but these cues differ in relative influence and vary in their application across individuals. PMID:25992685
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Wang, X; Jiao, Y; Tang, T; Wang, H; Lu, Z
2013-12-19
Intrinsic connectivity networks (ICNs) are composed of spatial components and time courses. The spatial components of ICNs were discovered with moderate-to-high reliability. So far as we know, few studies focused on the reliability of the temporal patterns for ICNs based their individual time courses. The goals of this study were twofold: to investigate the test-retest reliability of temporal patterns for ICNs, and to analyze these informative univariate metrics. Additionally, a correlation analysis was performed to enhance interpretability. Our study included three datasets: (a) short- and long-term scans, (b) multi-band echo-planar imaging (mEPI), and (c) eyes open or closed. Using dual regression, we obtained the time courses of ICNs for each subject. To produce temporal patterns for ICNs, we applied two categories of univariate metrics: network-wise complexity and network-wise low-frequency oscillation. Furthermore, we validated the test-retest reliability for each metric. The network-wise temporal patterns for most ICNs (especially for default mode network, DMN) exhibited moderate-to-high reliability and reproducibility under different scan conditions. Network-wise complexity for DMN exhibited fair reliability (ICC<0.5) based on eyes-closed sessions. Specially, our results supported that mEPI could be a useful method with high reliability and reproducibility. In addition, these temporal patterns were with physiological meanings, and certain temporal patterns were correlated to the node strength of the corresponding ICN. Overall, network-wise temporal patterns of ICNs were reliable and informative and could be complementary to spatial patterns of ICNs for further study. Copyright © 2013 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Nordmann, Emily; Cleland, Alexandra A; Bull, Rebecca
2014-06-01
To date, there have been several attempts made to build a database of normative data for English idiomatic expressions (e.g., Libben & Titone, 2008; Titone & Connine, 1994), however, there has been some discussion in the literature as to the validity and reliability of the data obtained, particularly for decomposability ratings. Our work aimed to address these issues by looking at ratings from native and non-native speakers and to extend the deeper investigation and analysis of decomposability to other aspects of idiomatic expressions, namely familiarly, meaning and literality. Poor reliability was observed on all types of ratings, suggesting that rather than decomposability being a special case, individual variability plays a large role in how participants rate idiomatic phrases in general. Ratings from native and non-native speakers were positively correlated and an analysis of covariance found that once familiarity with an idiom was accounted for, most of the differences between native and non-native ratings were not significant. Overall, the results suggest that individual experience with idioms plays an important role in how they are perceived and this should be taken into account when selecting stimuli for experimental studies. Furthermore, the results are suggestive of the inability of speakers to inhibit the figurative meanings for idioms that they are highly familiar with. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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Vagal Flexibility: A Physiological Predictor of Social Sensitivity
Muhtadie, Luma; Akinola, Modupe; Koslov, Katrina; Mendes, Wendy Berry
2015-01-01
This research explores vagal flexibility— dynamic modulation of cardiac vagal control—as an individual-level physiological index of social sensitivity. In 4 studies, we test the hypothesis that individuals with greater cardiac vagal flexibility, operationalized as higher cardiac vagal tone at rest and greater cardiac vagal withdrawal (indexed by a decrease in respiratory sinus arrhythmia) during cognitive or attentional demand, perceive social-emotional information more accurately and show greater sensitivity to their social context. Study 1 sets the foundation for this investigation by establishing that vagal flexibility can be elicited consistently in the laboratory and reliably over time. Study 2 demonstrates that vagal flexibility has different associations with psychological characteristics than does vagal tone, and that these characteristics are primarily social in nature. Study 3 links individual differences in vagal flexibility with accurate detection of social and emotional cues depicted in still facial images. Study 4 demonstrates that individuals with greater vagal flexibility respond to dynamic social feedback in a more context-sensitive manner than do individuals with less vagal flexibility. Specifically, compared with their less flexible counterparts, individuals with greater vagal flexibility, when assigned to receive negative social feedback, report more shame, show more pronounced blood pressure responses, and display less sociable behavior, but when receiving positive social feedback display more sociable behavior. Taken together, these findings suggest that vagal flexibility is a useful individual difference physiological predictor of social sensitivity, which may have implications for clinical, developmental, and health psychologists. PMID:25545841
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de Fiebre, Nancyellen C; Sumien, Nathalie; Forster, Michael J; de Fiebre, Christopher M
2006-09-01
Two tests often used in aging research, the elevated path test and the Morris water maze test, were examined for their application to the study of brain aging in a large sample of C57BL/6JNia mice. Specifically, these studies assessed: (1) sensitivity to age and the degree of interrelatedness among different behavioral measures derived from these tests, (2) the effect of age on variation in the measurements, and (3) the reliability of individual differences in performance on the tests. Both tests detected age-related deficits in group performance that occurred independently of each other. However, analysis of data obtained on the Morris water maze test revealed three relatively independent components of cognitive performance. Performance in initial acquisition of spatial learning in the Morris maze was not highly correlated with performance during reversal learning (when mice were required to learn a new spatial location), whereas performance in both of those phases was independent of spatial performance assessed during a single probe trial administered at the end of acquisition training. Moreover, impaired performance during initial acquisition could be detected at an earlier age than impairments in reversal learning. There were modest but significant age-related increases in the variance of both elevated path test scores and in several measures of learning in the Morris maze test. Analysis of test scores of mice across repeated testing sessions confirmed reliability of the measurements obtained for cognitive and psychomotor function. Power calculations confirmed that there are sufficiently large age-related differences in elevated path test performance, relative to within age variability, to render this test useful for studies into the ability of an intervention to prevent or reverse age-related deficits in psychomotor performance. Power calculations indicated a need for larger sample sizes for detection of intervention effects on cognitive components of the Morris water maze test, at least when implemented at the ages tested in this study. Variability among old mice in both tests, including each of the various independent measures in the Morris maze, may be useful for elucidating the biological bases of different aspects of dysfunctional brain aging.
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NASCOM network: Ground communications reliability report
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
1973-01-01
A reliability performance analysis of the NASCOM Network circuits is reported. Network performance narrative summary is presented to include significant changes in circuit configurations, current figures, and trends in each trouble category with notable circuit totals specified. Lost time and interruption tables listing circuits which were affected by outages showing their totals category are submitted. A special analysis of circuits with low reliabilities is developed with tables depicting the performance and graphs for individual reliabilities.
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Yan, Chao-Gan; Cheung, Brian; Kelly, Clare; Colcombe, Stan; Craddock, R. Cameron; Di Martino, Adriana; Li, Qingyang; Zuo, Xi-Nian; Castellanos, F. Xavier; Milham, Michael P.
2014-01-01
Functional connectomics is one of the most rapidly expanding areas of neuroimaging research. Yet, concerns remain regarding the use of resting-state fMRI (R-fMRI) to characterize inter-individual variation in the functional connectome. In particular, recent findings that “micro” head movements can introduce artifactual inter-individual and group-related differences in R-fMRI metrics have raised concerns. Here, we first build on prior demonstrations of regional variation in the magnitude of framewise displacements associated with a given head movement, by providing a comprehensive voxel-based examination of the impact of motion on the BOLD signal (i.e., motion-BOLD relationships). Positive motion-BOLD relationships were detected in primary and supplementary motor areas, particularly in low motion datasets. Negative motion-BOLD relationships were most prominent in prefrontal regions, and expanded throughout the brain in high motion datasets (e.g., children). Scrubbing of volumes with FD > 0.2 effectively removed negative but not positive correlations; these findings suggest that positive relationships may reflect neural origins of motion while negative relationships are likely to originate from motion artifact. We also examined the ability of motion correction strategies to eliminate artifactual differences related to motion among individuals and between groups for a broad array of voxel-wise R-fMRI metrics. Residual relationships between motion and the examined R-fMRI metrics remained for all correction approaches, underscoring the need to covary motion effects at the group-level. Notably, global signal regression reduced relationships between motion and inter-individual differences in correlation-based R-fMRI metrics; Z-standardization (mean-centering and variance normalization) of subject-level maps for R-fMRI metrics prior to group-level analyses demonstrated similar advantages. Finally, our test-retest (TRT) analyses revealed significant motion effects on TRT reliability for R-fMRI metrics. Generally, motion compromised reliability of R-fMRI metrics, with the exception of those based on frequency characteristics – particularly, amplitude of low frequency fluctuations (ALFF). The implications of our findings for decision-making regarding the assessment and correction of motion are discussed, as are insights into potential differences among volume-based metrics of motion. PMID:23499792
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Smith, David V; Utevsky, Amanda V; Bland, Amy R; Clement, Nathan; Clithero, John A; Harsch, Anne E W; McKell Carter, R; Huettel, Scott A
2014-07-15
A central challenge for neuroscience lies in relating inter-individual variability to the functional properties of specific brain regions. Yet, considerable variability exists in the connectivity patterns between different brain areas, potentially producing reliable group differences. Using sex differences as a motivating example, we examined two separate resting-state datasets comprising a total of 188 human participants. Both datasets were decomposed into resting-state networks (RSNs) using a probabilistic spatial independent component analysis (ICA). We estimated voxel-wise functional connectivity with these networks using a dual-regression analysis, which characterizes the participant-level spatiotemporal dynamics of each network while controlling for (via multiple regression) the influence of other networks and sources of variability. We found that males and females exhibit distinct patterns of connectivity with multiple RSNs, including both visual and auditory networks and the right frontal-parietal network. These results replicated across both datasets and were not explained by differences in head motion, data quality, brain volume, cortisol levels, or testosterone levels. Importantly, we also demonstrate that dual-regression functional connectivity is better at detecting inter-individual variability than traditional seed-based functional connectivity approaches. Our findings characterize robust-yet frequently ignored-neural differences between males and females, pointing to the necessity of controlling for sex in neuroscience studies of individual differences. Moreover, our results highlight the importance of employing network-based models to study variability in functional connectivity. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Ackermann, Sandra; Hartmann, Francina; Papassotiropoulos, Andreas; de Quervain, Dominique J-F; Rasch, Björn
2015-06-01
Sleep and memory are stable and heritable traits that strongly differ between individuals. Sleep benefits memory consolidation, and the amount of slow wave sleep, sleep spindles, and rapid eye movement sleep have been repeatedly identified as reliable predictors for the amount of declarative and/or emotional memories retrieved after a consolidation period filled with sleep. These studies typically encompass small sample sizes, increasing the probability of overestimating the real association strength. In a large sample we tested whether individual differences in sleep are predictive for individual differences in memory for emotional and neutral pictures. Between-subject design. Cognitive testing took place at the University of Basel, Switzerland. Sleep was recorded at participants' homes, using portable electroencephalograph-recording devices. Nine hundred-twenty-nine healthy young participants (mean age 22.48 ± 3.60 y standard deviation). None. In striking contrast to our expectations as well as numerous previous findings, we did not find any significant correlations between sleep and memory consolidation for pictorial stimuli. Our results indicate that individual differences in sleep are much less predictive for pictorial memory processes than previously assumed and suggest that previous studies using small sample sizes might have overestimated the association strength between sleep stage duration and pictorial memory performance. Future studies need to determine whether intraindividual differences rather than interindividual differences in sleep stage duration might be more predictive for the consolidation of emotional and neutral pictures during sleep. © 2015 Associated Professional Sleep Societies, LLC.
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Psychometric Development of the Research and Knowledge Scale.
Powell, Lauren R; Ojukwu, Elizabeth; Person, Sharina D; Allison, Jeroan; Rosal, Milagros C; Lemon, Stephenie C
2017-02-01
Many research participants are misinformed about research terms, procedures, and goals; however, no validated instruments exist to assess individual's comprehension of health-related research information. We propose research literacy as a concept that incorporates understanding about the purpose and nature of research. We developed the Research and Knowledge Scale (RaKS) to measure research literacy in a culturally, literacy-sensitive manner. We describe its development and psychometric properties. Qualitative methods were used to assess perspectives of research participants and researchers. Literature and informed consent reviews were conducted to develop initial items. These data were used to develop initial domains and items of the RaKS, and expert panel reviews and cognitive pretesting were done to refine the scale. We conducted psychometric analyses to evaluate the scale. The cross-sectional survey was administered to a purposive community-based sample (n=430) using a Web-based data collection system and paper. We did classic theory testing on individual items and assessed test-retest reliability and Kuder-Richardson-20 for internal consistency. We conducted exploratory factor analysis and analysis of variance to assess differences in mean research literacy scores in sociodemographic subgroups. The RaKS is comprised of 16 items, with a Kuder-Richardson-20 estimate of 0.81 and test-retest reliability 0.84. There were differences in mean scale scores by race/ethnicity, age, education, income, and health literacy (all P<0.01). This study provides preliminary evidence for the reliability and validity of the RaKS. This scale can be used to measure research participants' understanding about health-related research processes and identify areas to improve informed decision-making about research participation.
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Hilbert, Anja; de Zwaan, Martina; Braehler, Elmar; Kersting, Anette
2016-01-01
The Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire is an internationally widely used instrument assessing different eating styles that may contribute to weight gain and overweight: emotional eating, external eating, and restraint. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the 30-item German version of the DEBQ including its measurement invariance across gender, age, and BMI-status in a representative German population sample. Furthermore, we examined the distribution of eating styles in the general population and provide population-based norms for DEBQ scales. A representative sample of the German general population (N = 2513, age ≥ 14 years) was assessed with the German version of the DEBQ along with information on sociodemographic characteristics and body weight and height. The German version of the DEQB demonstrates good item characteristics and reliability (restraint: α = .92, emotional eating: α = .94, external eating: α = .89). The 3-factor structure of the DEBQ could be replicated in exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses and results of multi-group confirmatory factor analyses supported its metric and scalar measurement invariance across gender, age, and BMI-status. External eating was the most prevalent eating style in the German general population. Women scored higher on emotional and restrained eating scales than men, and overweight individuals scored higher in all three eating styles compared to normal weight individuals. Small differences across age were found for external eating. Norms were provided according to gender, age, and BMI-status. Our findings suggest that the German version of the DEBQ has good reliability and construct validity, and is suitable to reliably measure eating styles across age, gender, and BMI-status. Furthermore, the results demonstrate a considerable variation of eating styles across gender and BMI-status. PMID:27656879
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Mueller, Shane T.; Geerken, Alexander R.; Dixon, Kyle L.; Kroliczak, Gregory; Olsen, Reid H.J.; Miller, Jeremy K.
2015-01-01
Background. The Psychology Experiment Building Language (PEBL) software consists of over one-hundred computerized tests based on classic and novel cognitive neuropsychology and behavioral neurology measures. Although the PEBL tests are becoming more widely utilized, there is currently very limited information about the psychometric properties of these measures. Methods. Study I examined inter-relationships among nine PEBL tests including indices of motor-function (Pursuit Rotor and Dexterity), attention (Test of Attentional Vigilance and Time-Wall), working memory (Digit Span Forward), and executive-function (PEBL Trail Making Test, Berg/Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Iowa Gambling Test, and Mental Rotation) in a normative sample (N = 189, ages 18–22). Study II evaluated test–retest reliability with a two-week interest interval between administrations in a separate sample (N = 79, ages 18–22). Results. Moderate intra-test, but low inter-test, correlations were observed and ceiling/floor effects were uncommon. Sex differences were identified on the Pursuit Rotor (Cohen’s d = 0.89) and Mental Rotation (d = 0.31) tests. The correlation between the test and retest was high for tests of motor learning (Pursuit Rotor time on target r = .86) and attention (Test of Attentional Vigilance response time r = .79), intermediate for memory (digit span r = .63) but lower for the executive function indices (Wisconsin/Berg Card Sorting Test perseverative errors = .45, Tower of London moves = .15). Significant practice effects were identified on several indices of executive function. Conclusions. These results are broadly supportive of the reliability and validity of individual PEBL tests in this sample. These findings indicate that the freely downloadable, open-source PEBL battery (http://pebl.sourceforge.net) is a versatile research tool to study individual differences in neurocognitive performance. PMID:26713233
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Nagl, Michaela; Hilbert, Anja; de Zwaan, Martina; Braehler, Elmar; Kersting, Anette
The Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire is an internationally widely used instrument assessing different eating styles that may contribute to weight gain and overweight: emotional eating, external eating, and restraint. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the 30-item German version of the DEBQ including its measurement invariance across gender, age, and BMI-status in a representative German population sample. Furthermore, we examined the distribution of eating styles in the general population and provide population-based norms for DEBQ scales. A representative sample of the German general population (N = 2513, age ≥ 14 years) was assessed with the German version of the DEBQ along with information on sociodemographic characteristics and body weight and height. The German version of the DEQB demonstrates good item characteristics and reliability (restraint: α = .92, emotional eating: α = .94, external eating: α = .89). The 3-factor structure of the DEBQ could be replicated in exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses and results of multi-group confirmatory factor analyses supported its metric and scalar measurement invariance across gender, age, and BMI-status. External eating was the most prevalent eating style in the German general population. Women scored higher on emotional and restrained eating scales than men, and overweight individuals scored higher in all three eating styles compared to normal weight individuals. Small differences across age were found for external eating. Norms were provided according to gender, age, and BMI-status. Our findings suggest that the German version of the DEBQ has good reliability and construct validity, and is suitable to reliably measure eating styles across age, gender, and BMI-status. Furthermore, the results demonstrate a considerable variation of eating styles across gender and BMI-status.
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NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Macknick, J.; Miara, A.; O'Connell, M.; Vorosmarty, C. J.; Newmark, R. L.
2017-12-01
The US power sector is highly dependent upon water resources for reliable operations, primarily for thermoelectric cooling and hydropower technologies. Changes in the availability and temperature of water resources can limit electricity generation and cause outages at power plants, which substantially affect grid-level operational decisions. While the effects of water variability and climate changes on individual power plants are well documented, prior studies have not identified the significance of these impacts at the regional systems-level at which the grid operates, including whether there are risks for large-scale blackouts, brownouts, or increases in production costs. Adequately assessing electric grid system-level impacts requires detailed power sector modeling tools that can incorporate electric transmission infrastructure, capacity reserves, and other grid characteristics. Here, we present for the first time, a study of how climate and water variability affect operations of the power sector, considering different electricity sector configurations (low vs. high renewable) and environmental regulations. We use a case study of the US Eastern Interconnection, building off the Eastern Renewable Generation Integration Study (ERGIS) that explored operational challenges of high penetrations of renewable energy on the grid. We evaluate climate-water constraints on individual power plants, using the Thermoelectric Power and Thermal Pollution (TP2M) model coupled with the PLEXOS electricity production cost model, in the context of broader electricity grid operations. Using a five minute time step for future years, we analyze scenarios of 10% to 30% renewable energy penetration along with considerations of river temperature regulations to compare the cost, performance, and reliability tradeoffs of water-dependent thermoelectric generation and variable renewable energy technologies under climate stresses. This work provides novel insights into the resilience and reliability of different configurations of the US electric grid subject to changing climate conditions.
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Mylius, V; Ayache, S S; Ahdab, R; Farhat, W H; Zouari, H G; Belke, M; Brugières, P; Wehrmann, E; Krakow, K; Timmesfeld, N; Schmidt, S; Oertel, W H; Knake, S; Lefaucheur, J P
2013-09-01
The optimization of the targeting of a defined cortical region is a challenge in the current practice of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and the primary motor cortex (M1) are among the most usual TMS targets, particularly in its "therapeutic" application. This study describes a practical algorithm to determine the anatomical location of the DLPFC and M1 using a three-dimensional (3D) brain reconstruction provided by a TMS-dedicated navigation system from individual magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data. The coordinates of the right and left DLPFC and M1 were determined in 50 normal brains (100 hemispheres) by five different investigators using a standardized procedure. Inter-rater reliability was good, with 95% limits of agreement ranging between 7 and 16 mm for the different coordinates. As expressed in the Talairach space and compared with anatomical or imaging data from the literature, the coordinates of the DLPFC defined by our algorithm corresponded to the junction between BA9 and BA46, while M1 coordinates corresponded to the posterior border of hand representation. Finally, we found an influence of gender and possibly of age on some coordinates on both rostrocaudal and dorsoventral axes. Our algorithm only requires a short training and can be used to provide a reliable targeting of DLPFC and M1 between various TMS investigators. This method, based on an image-guided navigation system using individual MRI data, should be helpful to a variety of TMS studies, especially to standardize the procedure of stimulation in multicenter "therapeutic" studies. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Piper, Brian J; Mueller, Shane T; Geerken, Alexander R; Dixon, Kyle L; Kroliczak, Gregory; Olsen, Reid H J; Miller, Jeremy K
2015-01-01
Background. The Psychology Experiment Building Language (PEBL) software consists of over one-hundred computerized tests based on classic and novel cognitive neuropsychology and behavioral neurology measures. Although the PEBL tests are becoming more widely utilized, there is currently very limited information about the psychometric properties of these measures. Methods. Study I examined inter-relationships among nine PEBL tests including indices of motor-function (Pursuit Rotor and Dexterity), attention (Test of Attentional Vigilance and Time-Wall), working memory (Digit Span Forward), and executive-function (PEBL Trail Making Test, Berg/Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Iowa Gambling Test, and Mental Rotation) in a normative sample (N = 189, ages 18-22). Study II evaluated test-retest reliability with a two-week interest interval between administrations in a separate sample (N = 79, ages 18-22). Results. Moderate intra-test, but low inter-test, correlations were observed and ceiling/floor effects were uncommon. Sex differences were identified on the Pursuit Rotor (Cohen's d = 0.89) and Mental Rotation (d = 0.31) tests. The correlation between the test and retest was high for tests of motor learning (Pursuit Rotor time on target r = .86) and attention (Test of Attentional Vigilance response time r = .79), intermediate for memory (digit span r = .63) but lower for the executive function indices (Wisconsin/Berg Card Sorting Test perseverative errors = .45, Tower of London moves = .15). Significant practice effects were identified on several indices of executive function. Conclusions. These results are broadly supportive of the reliability and validity of individual PEBL tests in this sample. These findings indicate that the freely downloadable, open-source PEBL battery (http://pebl.sourceforge.net) is a versatile research tool to study individual differences in neurocognitive performance.
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Assessment of Magical Beliefs about Food and Health.
Lindeman, M; Keskivaara, P; Roschier, M
2000-03-01
The Magical Beliefs About Food and Health scale (MFH) was developed to assess individual differences in the tendency to adopt eating and health instructions that many magazines, health care books and food ideologies regard as valid but which obey universal laws of similarity and contagion. In a study of 216 individuals, the total MFH score showed good internal consistency and it was associated with various validity criteria as hypothesized (e.g. vegetarianism and other ideological commitments to food choice, female gender, increased neuroticism, experiential thinking, positive attitudes towards alternative medicine, low sensation seeking and endorsement of universalism values). Factor analysis yielded two factors: General Magical Beliefs and Animal Products as Food Contaminants. In addition, three other items (the Animal Products as Personality Contaminants scale) cross-loaded on the two factors. The factor structure and test-retest reliability were confirmed with separate samples. The results showed that the total MFH score is a reliable and valid measure of magical food and health beliefs, and that the subscales may prove useful when a multidimensional assessment of magical beliefs is needed.
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Assessment of bruise age on dark-skinned individuals using tristimulus colorimetry.
Thavarajah, D; Vanezis, P; Perrett, D
2012-01-01
Studies on the ageing of bruises have been reported on Caucasians or individuals of fair ethnicity. This study focuses on bruise changes in dark-skinned individuals using tristimulus colorimetry for forensic analysis in such individuals. Eighteen subjects of South Indian or Sri-Lankan ethnicity were recruited. Subjects were bruised using a vacuum pump and then daily colour measurements were taken of the bruise using a tristimulus colorimeter. The L*a*b* readings were recorded of a control area and of the bruise until it disappeared. Two Caucasians were used for comparison. This study showed that, using colorimetry, bruises on dark-skinned individuals can be measured and analysed even if the bruises are unclear visually. As the bruise is beneath the skin, the colour difference ΔL*, Δa* and Δb* were calculated. All values showed a trend, indicating that the L*a*b* measuring technique is a reliable method to analyse bruises on dark-skinned individuals. Comparisons of Asian subjects and Caucasian subjects were performed. The largest difference was seen in the b* value. Statistical analysis showed that ΔL* colour difference was the most consistent (95% CI -4.05 to -2.49) showing a significant difference between days 1-4 and 5-8. Objective assessment of bruises on dark-skinned individuals using the L*a*b* method of measuring gave reproducible results. Furthermore, the study showed that the yellowing of a bruise cannot be seen or measured with a tristimulus colorimeter on dark-skinned individuals due to the pigmentation of the skin. With further studies and more subjects, the age of bruises could potentially be assessed for use in forensic analysis.
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[Self-rated Caffeine Sensitivity: Implications for Personalized Sleep Medicine?].
Landolt, Hans Peter
2016-05-11
The prevalence of the insomnia syndrome and the effects of caffeine on sleep are in part genetically determined. Pharmacogenetic studies in humans demonstrate that functional polymorphisms of the genes encoding adenosine A2A receptors and dopamine transporters contribute to individual differences in impaired sleep quality by caffeine. The A2A receptor and dopamine transporter are preferentially expressed in the striatum. Together, these observations suggest that the striatum plays an important role in sleep-wake regulation. Individual caffeine sensitivity and A2A receptor genotype should be taken into account in the development of possible novel adenosine-based pharmacotherapies of sleep-wake disorders and neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's disease. This may permit the prediction of individual drug effects and improve the reliability of clinical trials.
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A Pilot Study Examining the Test-Retest and Internal Consistency Reliability of the ABLLS-R
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Partington, James W.; Bailey, Autumn; Partington, Scott W.
2018-01-01
The literature contains a variety of assessment tools for measuring the skills of individuals with autism or other developmental delays, but most lack adequate empirical evidence supporting their reliability and validity. The current pilot study sought to examine the reliability of scores obtained from the Assessment of Basic Language and Learning…
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Davenport, Todd E; Stevens, Staci R; Baroni, Katie; Van Ness, J Mark; Snell, Christopher R
2011-01-01
To determine the validity and reliability of Short Form 36 Version 2 (SF36v2) in sub-groups of individuals with fatigue. Thirty subjects participated in this study, including n = 16 subjects who met case definition criteria for chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and n = 14 non-disabled sedentary matched control subjects. SF36v2 and Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI-20) were administered before two maximal cardiopulmonary exercise tests (CPETs) administered 24 h apart and an open-ended recovery questionnaire was administered 7 days after CPET challenge. The main outcome measures were self-reported time to recover to pre-challenge functional and symptom status, frequency of post-exertional symptoms and SF36v2 sub-scale scores. Individuals with CFS demonstrated significantly lower SF36v2 and MFI-20 sub-scale scores prior to CPET. Between-group differences remained significant post-CPET, however, there were no significant group by test interaction effects. Subjects with CFS reported significantly more total symptoms (p < 0.001), as well as reports of fatigue (p < 0.001), neuroendocrine (p < 0.001), immune (p < 0.01), pain (p < 0.01) and sleep disturbance (p < 0.01) symptoms than control subjects as a result of CPET. Many symptom counts demonstrated significant relationships with SF36v2 sub-scale scores (p < 0.05). SF36v2 and MFI-20 sub-scale scores demonstrated significant correlations (p < 0.05). Various SF36v2 sub-scale scores demonstrated significant predictive validity to identify subjects who recovered from CPET challenge within 1 day and 7 days (p < 0.05). Potential floor effects were observed for both questionnaires for individuals with CFS. Various sub-scales of SF36v2 demonstrated adequate reliability and validity for clinical and research applications. Adequacy of sensitivity to change of SF36v2 as a result of a fatiguing stressor should be the subject of additional study.
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Schmid, R; Eschen, A; Rüegger-Frey, B; Martin, M
2013-06-01
There is growing evidence that individuals with cognitive impairment and dementia require systematic assessment of needs for the selection of optimal treatments. Currently no valid instrument is applicable for illness-related need assessment in this growing population. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a new instrument ("Bedürfnisinventar bei Gedächtnisstörungen", BIG-65) that systematically assesses illness-related needs. The development was based on an adequate theoretical framework and standardised procedural guidelines and validated to an appropriate sample of individuals attending a Swiss memory clinic (n = 83). The BIG-65 provides a comprehensive range of biopsychosocial and environmental needs items and offers a dementia-friendly structure for the assessment of illness-related needs. The BIG-65 has high face validity and very high test-retest reliability (rtt = 0,916). On average 3.5 (SD = 3.7) unmet needs were assessed. Most frequently mentioned needs were: "forget less" (50%), "better concentration" (23.2%), "information on illness" (20.7%), "information on treatments" (17.1%), "less worry", "less irritable", "improve mood", "improve orientation" (13.4% each). Needs profiles differed between patients with preclinical (subjective cognitive impairment, mild cognitive impairment) and clinical (dementia) diagnosis. The BIG-65 reliably assesses illness-related needs in individuals with moderate dementia. With decreasing cognitive functions or an MMSE <20 points, additional methods such as observation of the emotional expression may be applied. According to our results, individuals with cognitive impairment and dementia pursue individual strategies to stabilize their quality of life level. In addition to the assessment of objective illness symptoms the selection of optimal treatments may profit from a systematic needs assessment to optimally support patients in their individual quality of life strategies.
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Zarcone, Jennifer; Hagopian, Louis; Ninci, Jennifer; McKay, Chloe; Bonner, Andrew; Dillon, Christopher; Hausman, Nicole
2016-01-01
Objectives The goal of this study was to develop and evaluate a tool to measure the complexity and intensity of psychotropic medication interventions, behavioral interventions, and issues related to crisis management for challenging behavior using a standardized rating form. Method The Treatment Intensity Rating Form (TIRF) is a 10-item scale with three categories: pharmacological interventions, behavior supports, and protective equipment. In a retrospective review we examined the final treatment recommendations for 74 individuals with self-injurious behavior (SIB) based on psychiatric and behavioral notes and reports. We also compared whether TIRF scores differed across individuals for whom SIB was maintained by social reinforcement (e.g., to access attention or toys/activities, or escape from tasks) versus those for whom SIB was maintained by automatic reinforcement (e.g., occurs independent of social variables, and is presumed to be maintained by sensory reinforcement). Results The TIRF was demonstrated to have strong inter-rater reliability (98%) and appears to have good face validity. As hypothesized, individuals with SIB maintained by automatic reinforcement had significantly more medication trials (p=0.0005) and required more protective equipment than individuals with SIB maintained by social reinforcement (p=0.0002). Antidepressant medication was used more often with individuals with automatically reinforced SIB, although antipsychotics and anticonvulsants were also commonly used across both groups. Conclusion Findings provide initial support for the TIRF’s reliability, and face validity as a measure the level of complexity of medical and behavioral treatment plans - although additional research is needed to fully evaluate its psychometric properties. PMID:27917287
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Adaptive disengagement buffers self-esteem from negative social feedback.
Leitner, Jordan B; Hehman, Eric; Deegan, Matthew P; Jones, James M
2014-11-01
The degree to which self-esteem hinges on feedback in a domain is known as a contingency of self-worth, or engagement. Although previous research has conceptualized engagement as stable, it would be advantageous for individuals to dynamically regulate engagement. The current research examined whether the tendency to disengage from negative feedback accounts for variability in self-esteem. We created the Adaptive Disengagement Scale (ADS) to capture individual differences in the tendency to disengage self-esteem from negative outcomes. Results demonstrated that the ADS is reliable and valid (Studies 1 and 2). Furthermore, in response to negative social feedback, higher scores on the ADS predicted greater state self-esteem (Study 3), and this relationship was mediated by disengagement (Study 4). These findings demonstrate that adaptive disengagement protects self-esteem from negative outcomes and that the ADS is a valid measure of individual differences in the implementation of this process. © 2014 by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc.
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Wemelsfelder, F; Hunter, A E; Paul, E S; Lawrence, A B
2012-10-01
This study investigates the interobserver and intraobserver reliability of qualitative behavior assessments (QBA) of individual pigs by 3 observer groups selected for their diverging backgrounds, experience, and views of pigs. Qualitative behavior assessment is a "whole animal" assessment approach that characterizes the demeanor of an animal as an expressive body language, using descriptors such as relaxed, anxious, or content. This paper addresses the concern that use of such descriptors in animal science may be prone to distortion by observer-related bias. Using a free-choice profiling methodology, 12 pig farmers, 10 large animal veterinarians, and 10 animal protectionists were instructed to describe and score the behavioral expressions of 10 individual pigs (sus scrofa) in 2 repeat sets of 10 video clips, showing these pigs in interaction with a human female. They were also asked to fill in a questionnaire gauging their experiences with and views on pigs. Pig scores were analyzed with generalized procrustes analysis and effect of treatment on these scores with ANOVA. Questionnaire scores were analyzed with a χ(2) test or ANOVA. Observers achieved consensus both within and among observer groups (P < 0.001), identifying 2 main dimensions of pig expression (dim1: playful/confident-cautious/timid; dim2: aggressive/nervous-relaxed/bored), on which pig scores for different observer groups were highly correlated (pearson r > 0.90). The 3 groups also repeated their assessments of individual pigs with high precision (r > 0.85). Animal protectionists used a wider quantitative range in scoring individual pigs on dimension 2 than the other groups (P < 0.001); however, this difference did not distort the strong overall consistency of characterizations by observers of individual pigs. Questionnaire results indicated observer groups to differ in various ways, such as daily and lifetime contact with pigs (P < 0.001), some aspects of affection and empathy for pigs (P < 0.05), and confidence in the validity of personal QBA descriptors (P < 0.02). The main finding of this study is that despite such differences in background and outlook, the 3 observer groups showed high interobserver and intraobserver reliability in their characterizations of pig body language. This supports the empirical nature of QBA in context of the wider anthropomorphism debate.
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Monitoring the hatch time of individual chicken embryos.
Romanini, C E B; Exadaktylos, V; Tong, Q; McGonnel, I; Demmers, T G M; Bergoug, H; Eterradossi, N; Roulston, N; Garain, P; Bahr, C; Berckmans, D
2013-02-01
This study investigated variations in eggshell temperature (T(egg)) during the hatching process of broiler eggs. Temperature sensors monitored embryo temperature by registering T(egg) every minute. Measurements carried out on a sample of 40 focal eggs revealed temperature drops between 2 to 6°C during the last 3 d of incubation. Video cameras recorded the hatching process and served as the gold standard reference for manually labeling the hatch times of chicks. Comparison between T(egg) drops and the hatch time of individuals revealed a time synchronization with 99% correlation coefficient and an absolute average time difference up to 25 min. Our findings suggest that attaching temperature sensors to eggshells is a precise tool for monitoring the hatch time of individual chicks. Individual hatch monitoring registers the biological age of chicks and facilitates an accurate and reliable means to count hatching results and manage the hatch window.
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Sudakov, S K; Nazarova, G A; Alekseeva, E V; Bashkatova, V G
2013-07-01
We compared individual anxiety assessed by three standard tests, open-field test, elevated plus-maze test, and Vogel conflict drinking test, in the same animals. No significant correlations between the main anxiety parameters were found in these three experimental models. Groups of animals with high and low anxiety rats were formed by a single parameter and subsequent selection of two extreme groups (10%). It was found that none of the tests could be used for reliable estimation of individual anxiety in rats. The individual anxiety level with high degree of confidence was determined in high-anxiety and low-anxiety rats demonstrating behavioral parameters above and below the mean values in all tests used. Therefore, several tests should be used for evaluation of the individual anxiety or sensitivity to emotional stress.
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[Social values and addiction: applicability and psychometric properties of VAL-89 questionnaire].
Pedrero Perez, Eduardo Jose; Rojo Mota, Gloria; Olivar Arroyo, Alvaro
2008-01-01
To study the psychometric properties of the VAL-89 questionnaire and its possible use in addict individuals who ask for treatment. Analysis of the psychometric properties of the questionnaire and its factorial structure, applying it to 792 individuals. 365 of them were substance users seeking treatment and 427 were general population. Reliability of the questionnaire is confirmed, although its factorial structure appears to be different from the original. In our study appear 12 factors, instead of the original 10. These factors are named: Power, Stimulation, Submission, Tradition, Spirituality, Self-Sufficience, Hedonism, Sociability, Universality, Convencionalism, Idealism and Self-Realization. These factors are distributed through several dimensions represented by four axis: individual-social, dominance-equality, tradition-pleasure and great values-anomie. The VAL-89 questionnaire seems to be a useful tool to explore which are the more appreciated social values, being of special interest to know which are specially selected by addict individuals.
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Lin, C
2013-04-01
Pain is a major ailment that motivates individuals to look for treatment. Despite its enormous clinical relevance, very little is known about the factors that influence our preference of an analgesic (or pain-relieving treatment). The current study investigated the influence of the information regarding the probability and the magnitude of the expected analgesic effect on preference of analgesic options. Twenty-four healthy volunteers were instructed to imagine pain across different scenarios and choose between two hypothetical analgesics that differed in their probabilities to successfully relieve pain and the magnitude of their expected analgesic effects. The conservative analgesic was more reliable but less potent than the radical analgesic, whereas the radical analgesic was less reliable but more potent than the conservative analgesic. Consistent with the predictions of prospect theory, a larger proportion of the participants chose the radical analgesic when the overall probability of both analgesics decreased, and when the potency of the radical analgesic was expected to be stronger relative to the conservative analgesic. At the individual level, individuals' relative imagined pain relief (radical analgesic/conservative analgesic) predicted their preference for the radical analgesic. Our findings revealed that preference of analgesic options is mediated by the overall probability of analgesic effect and the relative potency of analgesics. The expected relief one imagines to obtain from analgesics would guide preference. The findings highlight the importance for clinicians to understand how patients subjectively frame the probability and magnitude factors related to decision making in medical context. © 2012 European Federation of International Association for the Study of Pain Chapters.
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Li, Ping; Schloss, Benjamin; Follmer, D Jake
2017-10-01
In this article we report a computational semantic analysis of the presidential candidates' speeches in the two major political parties in the USA. In Study One, we modeled the political semantic spaces as a function of party, candidate, and time of election, and findings revealed patterns of differences in the semantic representation of key political concepts and the changing landscapes in which the presidential candidates align or misalign with their parties in terms of the representation and organization of politically central concepts. Our models further showed that the 2016 US presidential nominees had distinct conceptual representations from those of previous election years, and these patterns did not necessarily align with their respective political parties' average representation of the key political concepts. In Study Two, structural equation modeling demonstrated that reported political engagement among voters differentially predicted reported likelihoods of voting for Clinton versus Trump in the 2016 presidential election. Study Three indicated that Republicans and Democrats showed distinct, systematic word association patterns for the same concepts/terms, which could be reliably distinguished using machine learning methods. These studies suggest that given an individual's political beliefs, we can make reliable predictions about how they understand words, and given how an individual understands those same words, we can also predict an individual's political beliefs. Our study provides a bridge between semantic space models and abstract representations of political concepts on the one hand, and the representations of political concepts and citizens' voting behavior on the other.
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Malec, James F; Kean, Jacob; Altman, Irwin M; Swick, Shannon
2012-12-01
(1) To evaluate the measurement reliability and construct validity of the Mayo-Portland Adaptability Inventory, 4th revision (MPAI-4) in a sample consisting exclusively of patients with cerebrovascular accident (CVA) using single parameter (Rasch) item-response methods; (2) to examine the differential item functioning (DIF) by sex within the CVA population; and (3) to examine DIF and differential test functioning (DTF) across traumatic brain injury (TBI) and CVA samples. Retrospective psychometric analysis of rating scale data. Home- and community-based brain injury rehabilitation program. Individuals post-CVA (n=861) and individuals with TBI (n=603). Not applicable. MPAI-4. Item data on admission to community-based rehabilitation were submitted to Rasch, DIF, and DTF analyses. The final calibration in the CVA sample revealed satisfactory reliability/separation for persons (.91/3.16) and items (1.00/23.64). DIF showed that items for pain, anger, audition, and memory were associated with higher levels of disability for CVA than TBI patients; whereas, self-care, mobility, and use of hands indicated greater overall disability for TBI patients. DTF analyses showed a high degree of association between the 2 sets of items (R=.92; R(2)=.85) and, at most, a 3.7 point difference in raw scores. The MPAI-4 demonstrates satisfactory psychometric properties for use with individuals with CVA applying for interdisciplinary posthospital rehabilitation. DIF reveals clinically meaningful differences between CVA and TBI groups that should be considered in results at the item and subscale level. Copyright © 2012 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Body mass estimates of hominin fossils and the evolution of human body size.
Grabowski, Mark; Hatala, Kevin G; Jungers, William L; Richmond, Brian G
2015-08-01
Body size directly influences an animal's place in the natural world, including its energy requirements, home range size, relative brain size, locomotion, diet, life history, and behavior. Thus, an understanding of the biology of extinct organisms, including species in our own lineage, requires accurate estimates of body size. Since the last major review of hominin body size based on postcranial morphology over 20 years ago, new fossils have been discovered, species attributions have been clarified, and methods improved. Here, we present the most comprehensive and thoroughly vetted set of individual fossil hominin body mass predictions to date, and estimation equations based on a large (n = 220) sample of modern humans of known body masses. We also present species averages based exclusively on fossils with reliable taxonomic attributions, estimates of species averages by sex, and a metric for levels of sexual dimorphism. Finally, we identify individual traits that appear to be the most reliable for mass estimation for each fossil species, for use when only one measurement is available for a fossil. Our results show that many early hominins were generally smaller-bodied than previously thought, an outcome likely due to larger estimates in previous studies resulting from the use of large-bodied modern human reference samples. Current evidence indicates that modern human-like large size first appeared by at least 3-3.5 Ma in some Australopithecus afarensis individuals. Our results challenge an evolutionary model arguing that body size increased from Australopithecus to early Homo. Instead, we show that there is no reliable evidence that the body size of non-erectus early Homo differed from that of australopiths, and confirm that Homo erectus evolved larger average body size than earlier hominins. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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C, Francisca Pérez; Moessner, Markus; A, María Pía Santelices
2017-03-01
This study examines the relationship between triadic family interactions and preschoolers' attachment representations, or internal working models (IWMs), from a qualitative and dimensional perspective. Individual, relational, and sociocultural variables were evaluated using two different samples. The results showed that triadic family interactions were linked to preschoolers' attachment security levels in both groups, indicating the reliability of the proposed model. © 2017 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health.
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Gehling, Julia; Mainka, Tina; Vollert, Jan; Pogatzki-Zahn, Esther M; Maier, Christoph; Enax-Krumova, Elena K
2016-08-05
Conditioned Pain Modulation (CPM) is often used to assess human descending pain inhibition. Nine different studies on the test-retest-reliability of different CPM paradigms have been published, but none of them has investigated the commonly used heat-cold-pain method. The results vary widely and therefore, reliability measures cannot be extrapolated from one CPM paradigm to another. Aim of the present study was to analyse the test-retest-reliability of the common heat-cold-pain method and its correlation to pain thresholds. We tested the short-term test-retest-reliability within 40 ± 19.9 h using a cold-water immersion (10 °C, left hand) as conditioning stimulus (CS) and heat pain (43-49 °C, pain intensity 60 ± 5 on the 101-point numeric rating scale, right forearm) as test stimulus (TS) in 25 healthy right-handed subjects (12females, 31.6 ± 14.1 years). The TS was applied 30s before (TSbefore), during (TSduring) and after (TSafter) the 60s CS. The difference between the pain ratings for TSbefore and TSduring represents the early CPM-effect, between TSbefore and TSafter the late CPM-effect. Quantitative sensory testing (QST, DFNS protocol) was performed on both sessions before the CPM assessment. paired t-tests, Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), standard error of measurement (SEM), smallest real difference (SRD), Pearson's correlation, Bland-Altman analysis, significance level p < 0.05 with Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons, when necessary. Pain ratings during CPM correlated significantly (ICC: 0.411…0.962) between both days, though ratings for TSafter were lower on day 2 (p < 0.005). The early (day 1: 16.7 ± 11.7; day 2: 19.5 ± 11.9; ICC: 0.618, SRD: 20.2) and late (day 1: 1.7 ± 9.2; day 2: 7.6 ± 11.5; ICC: 0.178, SRD: 27.0) CPM effect did not differ significantly between both days. Both early and late CPM-effects did not correlate with the pain thresholds. The short-term test-retest-reliability of the early CPM-effect using the heat-cold-pain method in healthy subjects achieved satisfying results in terms of the ICC. The SRD of the early CPM effect showed that an individual change of > 20 NRS can be attributed to a real change rather than chance. The late CPM-effect was weaker and not reliable.
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Tian, Xing; Poeppel, David; Huber, David E
2011-01-01
The open-source toolbox "TopoToolbox" is a suite of functions that use sensor topography to calculate psychologically meaningful measures (similarity, magnitude, and timing) from multisensor event-related EEG and MEG data. Using a GUI and data visualization, TopoToolbox can be used to calculate and test the topographic similarity between different conditions (Tian and Huber, 2008). This topographic similarity indicates whether different conditions involve a different distribution of underlying neural sources. Furthermore, this similarity calculation can be applied at different time points to discover when a response pattern emerges (Tian and Poeppel, 2010). Because the topographic patterns are obtained separately for each individual, these patterns are used to produce reliable measures of response magnitude that can be compared across individuals using conventional statistics (Davelaar et al. Submitted and Huber et al., 2008). TopoToolbox can be freely downloaded. It runs under MATLAB (The MathWorks, Inc.) and supports user-defined data structure as well as standard EEG/MEG data import using EEGLAB (Delorme and Makeig, 2004).
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The determination of measures of software reliability
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Maxwell, F. D.; Corn, B. C.
1978-01-01
Measurement of software reliability was carried out during the development of data base software for a multi-sensor tracking system. The failure ratio and failure rate were found to be consistent measures. Trend lines could be established from these measurements that provide good visualization of the progress on the job as a whole as well as on individual modules. Over one-half of the observed failures were due to factors associated with the individual run submission rather than with the code proper. Possible application of these findings for line management, project managers, functional management, and regulatory agencies is discussed. Steps for simplifying the measurement process and for use of these data in predicting operational software reliability are outlined.
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Reliability measurement during software development. [for a multisensor tracking system
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Hecht, H.; Sturm, W. A.; Trattner, S.
1977-01-01
During the development of data base software for a multi-sensor tracking system, reliability was measured. The failure ratio and failure rate were found to be consistent measures. Trend lines were established from these measurements that provided good visualization of the progress on the job as a whole as well as on individual modules. Over one-half of the observed failures were due to factors associated with the individual run submission rather than with the code proper. Possible application of these findings for line management, project managers, functional management, and regulatory agencies is discussed. Steps for simplifying the measurement process and for use of these data in predicting operational software reliability are outlined.
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Castanelli, D J; Smith, N A
2017-05-01
The learning environment describes the context and culture in which trainees learn. In order to establish the feasibility and reliability of measuring the anaesthetic learning environment in individual departments we implemented a previously developed instrument in hospitals across New South Wales. We distributed the instrument to trainees from 25 anaesthesia departments and supplied summarized results to individual departments. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed to assess internal structure validity and generalizability theory was used to calculate reliability. The number of trainees required for acceptable precision in results was determined using the standard error of measurement. We received 172 responses (59% response rate). Suitable internal structure validity was confirmed. Measured reliability was acceptable (G-coefficient 0.69) with nine trainees per department. Eight trainees were required for a 95% confidence interval of plus or minus 0.25 in the mean total score. Eight trainees as assessors also allow a 95% confidence interval of approximately plus or minus 0.3 in the subscale mean scores. Results for individual departments varied, with scores below the expected level recorded on individual subscales, particularly the 'teaching' subscale. Our results confirm that, using this instrument, individual departments can obtain acceptable precision in results with achievable trainee numbers. Additionally, with the exception of departments with few trainees, implementation proved feasible across a training region. Repeated use would allow departments or accrediting bodies to monitor their individual learning environment and the impact of changes such as the introduction of new curricular elements, or local initiatives to improve trainee experience. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Journal of Anaesthesia. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com
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Varni, James W; Limbers, Christine A; Burwinkle, Tasha M
2007-01-03
Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) measurement has emerged as an important health outcome in clinical trials, clinical practice improvement strategies, and healthcare services research and evaluation. While pediatric patient self-report should be considered the standard for measuring perceived HRQOL, there are circumstances when children are too young, too cognitively impaired, too ill or fatigued to complete a HRQOL instrument, and reliable and valid parent proxy-report instruments are needed in such cases. Further, it is typically parents' perceptions of their children's HRQOL that influences healthcare utilization. Data from the PedsQL DatabaseSM were utilized to test the reliability and validity of parent proxy-report at the individual age subgroup level for ages 2-16 years as recommended by recent FDA guidelines. The sample analyzed represents parent proxy-report age data on 13,878 children ages 2 to 16 years from the PedsQL 4.0 Generic Core Scales DatabaseSM. Parents were recruited from general pediatric clinics, subspecialty clinics, and hospitals in which their children were being seen for well-child checks, mild acute illness, or chronic illness care (n = 3,718, 26.8%), and from a State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) in California (n = 10,160, 73.2%). The percentage of missing item responses for the parent proxy-report sample as a whole was 2.1%, supporting feasibility. The majority of the parent proxy-report scales across the age subgroups exceeded the minimum internal consistency reliability standard of 0.70 required for group comparisons, while the Total Scale Scores across the age subgroups approached or exceeded the reliability criterion of 0.90 recommended for analyzing individual patient scale scores. Construct validity was demonstrated utilizing the known groups approach. For each PedsQL scale and summary score, across age subgroups, healthy children demonstrated a statistically significant difference in HRQOL (better HRQOL) than children with a known chronic health condition, with most effect sizes in the medium to large effect size range. The results demonstrate the feasibility, reliability, and validity of parent proxy-report at the individual age subgroup for ages 2-16 years. These analyses are consistent with recent FDA guidelines which require instrument development and validation testing for children and adolescents within fairly narrow age groupings and which determine the lower age limit at which reliable and valid responses across age categories are achievable. Even as pediatric patient self-report is advocated, there remains a fundamental role for parent proxy-report in pediatric clinical trials and health services research.
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Silva, Danilo de Oliveira; Briani, Ronaldo Valdir; Pazzinatto, Marcella Ferraz; Ferrari, Deisi; Aragão, Fernando Amâncio; Azevedo, Fábio Mícolis de
2015-11-01
Stair ascent is an activity that exacerbates symptoms of individuals with patellofemoral pain. The discomfort associated with this activity usually results in gait modification such as reduced knee flexion in an attempt to reduce pain. Although such compensatory strategy is a logical approach to decrease pain, it also reduces the normal active shock absorption increasing loading rates and may lead to deleterious and degenerative changes of the knee joint. Thus, the aims of this study were (i) to investigate whether there is reduced knee flexion in adults with PFP compared to healthy controls; and (ii) to analyze loading rates in these subjects, during stair climbing. Twenty-nine individuals with patellofemoral pain and twenty-five control individuals (18-30 years) participated in this study. Each subject underwent three-dimensional kinematic and kinetic analyses during stair climbing on two separate days. Between-groups analyses of variance were performed to identify differences in peak knee flexion and loading rates. Intraclass correlation coefficient was performed to verify the reliability of the variables. On both days, the patellofemoral pain group demonstrated significantly reduced peak knee flexion and increased loading rates. In addition, the two variables obtained high to very high reliability. Reduced knee flexion during stair climbing as a strategy to avoid anterior knee pain does not seem to be healthy for lower limb mechanical distributions. Repeated loading at higher loading rates may be damaging to lower limb joints. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Detecting individual memories through the neural decoding of memory states and past experience.
Rissman, Jesse; Greely, Henry T; Wagner, Anthony D
2010-05-25
A wealth of neuroscientific evidence indicates that our brains respond differently to previously encountered than to novel stimuli. There has been an upswell of interest in the prospect that functional MRI (fMRI), when coupled with multivariate data analysis techniques, might allow the presence or absence of individual memories to be detected from brain activity patterns. This could have profound implications for forensic investigations and legal proceedings, and thus the merits and limitations of such an approach are in critical need of empirical evaluation. We conducted two experiments to investigate whether neural signatures of recognition memory can be reliably decoded from fMRI data. In Exp. 1, participants were scanned while making explicit recognition judgments for studied and novel faces. Multivoxel pattern analysis (MVPA) revealed a robust ability to classify whether a given face was subjectively experienced as old or new, as well as whether recognition was accompanied by recollection, strong familiarity, or weak familiarity. Moreover, a participant's subjective mnemonic experiences could be reliably decoded even when the classifier was trained on the brain data from other individuals. In contrast, the ability to classify a face's objective old/new status, when holding subjective status constant, was severely limited. This important boundary condition was further evidenced in Exp. 2, which demonstrated that mnemonic decoding is poor when memory is indirectly (implicitly) probed. Thus, although subjective memory states can be decoded quite accurately under controlled experimental conditions, fMRI has uncertain utility for objectively detecting an individual's past experiences.