scholarly journals Validation of an Internet delivered and analysed test of cognitive function for use in web based psychology courses

2003 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter H. Wilson ◽  
Paul Maruff

In this study we investigated the use of Internet technologies for administering and analysing a test of cognitive function in a web based psychology course. The aim was to determine whether the cognitive test actually measured the same functions when administered in three different settings: a supervised university based laboratory , an unsupervised university based laboratory, and a remote (or off campus) setting. Results showed that the different data collection processes generated similar data sets: the profile of responses over the four different tests of cognitive function were preserved across the different assessment settings, and improvements that occurred with practice were also consistent. Thus, the dataset can be used confidently to model key psychological principles, despite the added experimental noise created by having participants sit the tests in different settings, using different computers. The present findings highlight the potential use of web based technologies for delivering laboratory experiments in core psychology courses.

2002 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 165-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steffen Pope Wilson ◽  
Amy Harris

This study examined the effectiveness of the commercial Web site, The Psychology Place ( http://psychologyplace.com ) in helping students learn course material in an introductory psychology course. This site consists of linked pages that contain tutorials, readings, and links to relevant sites. All participants in this study attended conventional course lecture. In addition, half of the participants completed assignments from this Web site. Students who completed assignments from The Psychology Place and attended lecture demonstrated better understanding and retention of course material than students who had only attended lecture. This finding is noteworthy for instructors because incorporating this site into a course was minimally time consuming.


Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 859
Author(s):  
Maria Seidel ◽  
Helen Brooker ◽  
Kamilla Lauenborg ◽  
Keith Wesnes ◽  
Magnus Sjögren

Anorexia Nervosa (AN) is a severe and often enduring disorder characterized by restriction of food intake, low body weight, fear of weight gain, and distorted body image. Investigations on cognition performance in AN patients have yielded conflicting results. Using an established and sensitive computerized cognitive test battery, we aimed to assess core aspects of cognitive function, including attention span, information processing, reasoning, working and episodic memory, in AN patients and controls. Patients were recruited from the Danish Prospective Longitudinal all-comer inclusion study in Eating Disorders (PROLED). Included were 26 individuals with AN and 36 healthy volunteers (HV). All were tested with CogTrack (an online cognitive assessment system) at baseline, and AN patients were tested again at a follow-up time point after weight increase (n = 13). At baseline, AN patients showed faster reaction times in the attention tasks, as well as increased accuracy in grammatical reasoning compared to HV. There were no differences in cognitive function between AN patients and HV in the other cognitive domains measured (sustained attention, working and episodic memory, speed of retrieval, and speed of grammatical reasoning). No differences were visible in the AN sample between baseline and follow-up. Performance did not correlate with any clinical variables in the AN sample. These findings supplement results from other studies suggesting increased concentration and reasoning accuracy in patients suffering from AN, who showed increased performance in cognitive tasks despite their illness.


2021 ◽  
pp. 009862832110153
Author(s):  
Rhea L. Owens ◽  
Sean Heaslip ◽  
Meara Thombre

Background: While abnormal psychology courses have traditionally focused on psychopathology, there are several benefits to adopting a strengths-based approach. Objective: This study examined the teaching of a strengths-based assessment approach (the DICE-PM Model), compared to teaching as usual, in an undergraduate abnormal psychology course. Method: Two sections of an abnormal psychology course were taught a strengths-based assessment approach while two sections were taught as usual. All participants completed measures of knowledge of psychological disorders and mental illness stigma at the beginning and end of the semester. Results: Both groups demonstrated significant improvements in knowledge of disorders and a significant decrease in mental illness stigma with the exception of one category assessed (recovery), generally with small effect sizes. Those in the strengths group, compared to the control, showed a significantly greater decrease in mental illness stigma involving anxiety related to others with mental illness, though also with a small effect. Conclusion: Findings suggest strengths-based assessment education does not compromise the instruction of psychological disorders and is equivalent to a traditional abnormal psychology course in reducing mental illness stigma. Teaching Implications: Such an approach may be beneficial early in students’ education to reduce mental illness stigma and promote comprehensive assessment practices.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sohyae Lee ◽  
Jin-young Min ◽  
Beom Kim ◽  
Sang-Won Ha ◽  
Jeohng Ho Han ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Recent evidence suggests that sodium imbalances may be associated with cognitive impairment; however, the association between specific domains of cognition remains unclear. This study examines the association between serum sodium levels and immediate and delayed verbal memory as measured by the CERAD Word Learning Test (CERAD WLT), executive function as measured by the Animal Fluency test (AFT), and sustained attention, working memory, and processing speed as measured by the Digit Symbol Substitution test (DSST) in the elderly population of the US aged 60 and older who participated in the 2011–2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (n = 2,541). Methods Cognitive function tests were performed by trained interviewers and sodium levels were measured using indirect ion selective electrode methodology. Results After adjusting for all covariates, quintiles of CERAD WLT scores showed significant positive associations with log-transformed sodium levels (Immediate recall (IR) β = 4.25 (SE = 1.83, p-value 0.027); Delayed recall (DR) β = 6.54 (SE = 1.82, p-value 0.001)). Compared to normal sodium levels, hyponatremia was significantly associated with lower CERAD WLT-IR (β = -0.34, SE = 0.15, p-value 0.035) and CERAD WLT-DR scores (β -0.48, SE = 0.10, p-value < 0.001) and showed borderline significance with AFT scores (β = = -0.38, SE = 0.19, p-value 0.052). Hypernatremia did not show any significant relationships with cognitive test scores, compared to normal sodium levels. Conclusions Our cross-sectional study showed that lower sodium levels were associated with cognitive change, especially regarding memory and executive function.


Open Heart ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. e001569
Author(s):  
Fredrike Blokzijl ◽  
Frederik Keus ◽  
Saskia Houterman ◽  
Willem Dieperink ◽  
Iwan C C van der Horst ◽  
...  

ObjectiveThis study aimed to explore the influence of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) on both postoperative cognitive dysfunction and quality of life (QoL) and the association between the two patient-related outcomes.MethodsIn a prospective, observational cohort study, patients with elective, isolated CABG were included. Cognitive function was assessed using the Cogstate computerised cognitive test battery preoperatively, 3 days and 6 months after surgery. QoL was measured preoperatively and at 6 months using the RAND-36 questionnaire including the Physical Component Score (PCS) and the Mental Component Score (MCS). Regression analysis, with adjustment for confounders, was used to evaluate the association between postoperative cognitive dysfunction and QoL.ResultsA total of 142 patients were included in the study. Evidence of persistent cognitive dysfunction was observed in 33% of patients after 6 months. At 6 months, the PCS had improved in 59% and decreased in 21% of patients, and the MCS increased in 49% and decreased in 29%. Postoperative cognitive changes were not associated with QoL scores.ConclusionsPostoperative cognitive dysfunction and decreased QoL are common 6 months after surgery, although cognitive function and QoL were found to have improved in many patients at 6 months of follow-up. Impaired cognitive function is not associated with impaired QoL at 6 months.Trial registration numberNCT03774342.


2014 ◽  
Vol 204 (3) ◽  
pp. 194-199 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Richards ◽  
J. H. Barnett ◽  
M. K. Xu ◽  
T. J. Croudace ◽  
D. Gaysina ◽  
...  

BackgroundRecurrent affective problems are predictive of cognitive impairment, but the timing and directionality, and the nature of the cognitive impairment, are unclear.AimsTo test prospective associations between life-course affective symptoms and cognitive function in late middle age.MethodA total of 1668 men and women were drawn from the Medical Research Council National Survey of Health and Development (the British 1946 birth cohort). Longitudinal affective symptoms spanning age 13–53 years served as predictors; outcomes consisted of self-reported memory problems at 60–64 years and decline in memory and information processing from age 53 to 60–64 years.ResultsRegression analyses revealed no clear pattern of association between longitudinal affective symptoms and decline in cognitive test scores, after adjusting for gender, childhood cognitive ability, education and midlife socioeconomic status. In contrast, affective symptoms were strongly, diffusely and independently associated with self-reported memory problems.ConclusionsAffective symptoms are more clearly associated with self-reported memory problems in late midlife than with objectively measured cognitive performance.


Author(s):  
Redah Z Mahmood ◽  
Judith Grossi ◽  
Todd M Koelling

Background: Experts agree that HF patients should practice appropriate self-care behaviors to minimize the risk of adverse clinical events, including early unplanned readmissions. We sought to understand patient perceptions and adherence to a web-based system designed to support self-care of HF patients. Methods: 100 HF patients were surveyed regarding their computer use and attitudes toward using an internet based web-portal (WP) to support self-care, provide patient education, and communicate with healthcare providers (HCP’s). We then consented 42 patients to participate in a 12 week trial of using the WP to track clinical parameters (daily weights, blood pressure, sodium/fluid intake, exercise), provide links for HF self-education, and update HCP’s on their progress. Patients received a face to face teaching session on accessing and using the WP. Results: The computer use survey (N=100) demonstrated that 72% of patients reported having a computer at home, 67% used email and 71% used the internet. In the WP intervention group (N=41) only 24 (58.5%) were able to successfully access the WP and enter data during the pilot (see table 1). Conclusions: Pilot data showed a significant positive correlation (see table 1) between patients indicating use of internet to access heaIth care information (HCI) and adherence with the WP. Despite strong interest to use a home based WP for self-care and communication with providers, we found that many hurdles prevented patients from using the WP. Internet based educational tools for HF patients may be desirable, but limitations in patients’ ability to access internet based programs may ultimately render the tools ineffective.


2010 ◽  
Vol 27 (11) ◽  
pp. 1006-1010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Van Ameringen ◽  
Catherine Mancini ◽  
William Simpson ◽  
Beth Patterson

Eos ◽  
2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhong Liu ◽  
James Acker

Using satellite remote sensing data sets can be a daunting task. Giovanni, a Web-based tool, facilitates access, visualization, and exploration for many of NASA’s Earth science data sets.


2017 ◽  
Vol 73 (3) ◽  
pp. 279-285
Author(s):  
Charlotte M. Deane ◽  
Ian D. Wall ◽  
Darren V. S. Green ◽  
Brian D. Marsden ◽  
Anthony R. Bradley

In this work, two freely available web-based interactive computational tools that facilitate the analysis and interpretation of protein–ligand interaction data are described. Firstly,WONKA, which assists in uncovering interesting and unusual features (for example residue motions) within ensembles of protein–ligand structures and enables the facile sharing of observations between scientists. Secondly,OOMMPPAA, which incorporates protein–ligand activity data with protein–ligand structural data using three-dimensional matched molecular pairs.OOMMPPAAhighlights nuanced structure–activity relationships (SAR) and summarizes available protein–ligand activity data in the protein context. In this paper, the background that led to the development of both tools is described. Their implementation is outlined and their utility using in-house Structural Genomics Consortium (SGC) data sets and openly available data from the PDB and ChEMBL is described. Both tools are freely available to use and download at http://wonka.sgc.ox.ac.uk/WONKA/ and http://oommppaa.sgc.ox.ac.uk/OOMMPPAA/.


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