scholarly journals Inattentive responding can induce spurious associations between task behavior and symptom measures

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel Zorowitz ◽  
Yael Niv ◽  
Daniel Bennett

A common research design in the field of computational psychiatry involves leveraging the power of online participant recruitment to assess correlations between behavior in cognitive tasks and the self-reported severity of psychiatric symptoms in large, diverse samples. Although large online samples have many advantages for psychiatric research, some potential pitfalls of this research design are not widely understood. Here we detail circumstances in which entirely spurious correlations may arise between task behavior and symptom severity as a result of inadequate screening of careless or low-effort responding on psychiatric symptom surveys. Specifically, since many psychiatric symptom surveys have asymmetric ground-truth score distributions in the general population, participants who respond carelessly on these surveys will show apparently elevated symptom levels. If these participants are similarly careless in their task performance, and are not excluded from analysis, this may result in a spurious association between greater symptom scores and worse behavioral task performance. Here, we demonstrate exactly this pattern of results in N = 386 participants recruited online to complete a self-report symptom battery and a short reversal-learning choice task. We show that many behavior-symptom correlations are entirely abolished when participants flagged for careless responding on surveys are excluded from analysis. We also show that exclusion based on task performance alone is not sufficient to prevent these spurious correlations. Of note, we demonstrate that false-positive rates for these spurious correlations increase with sample size, contrary to common assumptions. We offer guidance on how researchers using this general experimental design can guard against this issue in future research; in particular, we recommend the adoption of screening methods for self-report measures that are currently uncommon in this field.

1990 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 123-139 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bevan C. Grant ◽  
Keith D. Ballard ◽  
Ted L. Glynn

A multiple baseline research design across teachers was used to evaluate the effects of feedback to teachers of behavioral data gathered in baseline lessons. Two teachers received such feedback while a third teacher served as a control. Both teachers who received feedback increased the amount of time students spent in motor-on-task behavior (+15%). Increases in motor-on-task behavior did not occur at the expense of any other student behavior. While this increase provided the students with more learning trials, only one of the two intervention teachers was able to increase the percentage of success of all student achievement groups when performing the learning trials. There were no substantial differences in student behavior between the three classes taught by the teacher who did not receive feedback. The study showed that although there were considerable differences in how physical education lessons were implemented, the two intervention teachers were able to respond to feedback and to modify their lessons so that the amount of student participation was increased.


2021 ◽  
Vol 36 (6) ◽  
pp. 1098-1098
Author(s):  
Franchezka Lapitan ◽  
Amanda Wisinger ◽  
Joseph Fink

Abstract Objective Neurocognitive complaints have been observed in severe cases of post-COVID-19 diagnosis. However, limited information exists regarding specific neurocognitive deficits of patients reporting mild infection symptoms and persistent memory problems after infection. We report on a patient referred for worsening memory complaints 7-months after testing positive. Method Patient was a 74-year-old Caucasian female with a history of COVID-19. Relevant history was significant for sleep apnea, pulmonary embolism, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and type-2 diabetes. Imaging pre-infection revealed mild cerebrovascular disease. Patient underwent a tele-neuropsychological evaluation to assess the extent of cognitive difficulties. Results Results indicated prominent difficulties were in the domains of immediate and delayed memory and executive functioning. Patient denied anxiety and depression on self-report measures, however, collateral information suggested she experienced a substantial increase in psychiatric symptoms following COVID-19. Activities of daily living (ADLs) were preserved, but she required increased assistance with complex ADLs. Post-infection cerebrovascular disease on imaging was documented as unchanged. Conclusions Although specific cognitive impairments were noted, discernment of direct residual effects of COVID-19 is limited in cases without a pre-COVID-19 neurocognitive baseline and with pre-existing conditions affecting the brain, such as cerebrovascular disease. This case illustrates the rising conundrum of clinical cases with stable underlying medical conditions but presence of cognitive deficits post-infection. Caution is needed to avoid over-interpretation of cognitive test results and necessity for a thorough clinical history that includes duration and clinical characteristics of COVID-19. Future research is needed on larger group studies comparing pre and post-COVID-19 neurocognitive results of patients with varying levels of vascular risk factors.


2010 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 26-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Kathryn McHugh ◽  
Shelly F. Greenfield

The Women’s Recovery Group study was a Stage I randomized clinical trial comparing a new manual-based group treatment for women with substance use disorders with Group Drug Counseling. Data from this study were examined to determine whether co-occurring symptoms of depression and anxiety would improve with treatment and whether these improvements would demonstrate durability over the follow-up period. The sample consisted of 36 women (29 WRG, 7 GDC) who were administered self-report and clinician-rated measures of anxiety, depression, and general psychiatric symptoms. Although there were no group differences in psychiatric symptom improvement, analyses demonstrated significant within-subject improvement in depression, anxiety, and general psychiatric symptoms. Symptom reduction was not mediated by changes in substance use. This study demonstrated significant psychiatric symptom reduction that remained durable through 6 months of follow-up for women receiving group therapy focused on substance abuse relapse prevention. Reduction in psychiatric symptoms may be an additional benefit of substance abuse group therapy for women.


Crisis ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 60-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda Venta ◽  
Carla Sharp

Background: Identifying risk factors for suicide-related thoughts and behaviors (SRTB) is essential among adolescents in whom SRTB remain a leading cause of death. Although many risk factors have already been identified, influential theories now suggest that the domain of interpersonal relationships may play a critical role in the emergence of SRTB. Because attachment has long been seen as the foundation of interpersonal functioning, we suggest that attachment insecurity warrants attention as a risk factor for SRTB. Aims: This study sought to explore relations between attachment organization and suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, and self-harm in an inpatient adolescent sample, controlling for demographic and psychopathological covariates. Method: We recruited 194 adolescents from an inpatient unit and assigned them to one of four attachment groups (secure, preoccupied, dismissing, or disorganized attachment). Interview and self-report measures were used to create four variables reflecting the presence or absence of suicidal ideation in the last year, single lifetime suicide attempt, multiple lifetime suicide attempts, and lifetime self-harm. Results: Chi-square and regression analyses did not reveal significant relations between attachment organization and SRTB, although findings did confirm previously established relations between psychopathology and SRTB, such that internalizing disorder was associated with increased self-harm, suicide ideation, and suicide attempt and externalizing disorder was associated with increased self-harm. Conclusion: The severity of this sample and methodological differences from previous studies may explain the nonsignificant findings. Nonsignificant findings may indicate that the relation between attachment organization and SRTB is moderated by other factors that should be explored in future research.


Crisis ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 160-169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul S. Links ◽  
Rahel Eynan ◽  
Jeffrey S. Ball ◽  
Aiala Barr ◽  
Sean Rourke

Abstract. Assertive community treatment appears to have limited impact on the risk of suicide in persons with severe and persistent mental illness (SPMI). This exploratory prospective study attempts to understand this observation by studying the contribution of suicidality to the occurrence of crisis events in patients with SPMI. Specifically, an observer-rated measure of the need for hospitalization, the Crisis Triage Rating Scale, was completed at baseline, crisis occurrence, and resolution to determine how much the level of suicidality contributed to the deemed level of crisis. Second, observer-ratings of suicidal ideation, the Modified Scale for Suicide Ideation, and psychopathology and suicidality, Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, were measured at baseline, crisis occurrence, and resolution. A self-report measure of distress, the Symptom Distress Scale, was completed at baseline, crisis occurrence, and resolution. Finally, the patients' crisis experiences were recorded qualitatively to compare with quantitative measures of suicidality. Almost 40% of the subjects experienced crisis events and more than a quarter of these events were judged to be severe enough to warrant the need for hospitalization. Our findings suggest that elevation of psychiatric symptoms is a major contributor to the crisis occurrences of individuals with SPMI; although the risk of suicide may have to be conceived as somewhat separate from crisis occurrence.


2014 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 70-86 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dan S. Chiaburu ◽  
Troy A. Smith ◽  
Jiexin Wang ◽  
Ryan D. Zimmerman

We meta-analytically examine the relationships between three forms of leader influence, contingent reward (transactional), leader-member exchange (LMX; relational), and transformational (change-oriented) on subordinates’ proactive behaviors. Using non-self-reported data from a combined sample of more than 9,000 employees, we confirm positive relationships between leader influences and employee proactive outcomes. We examine the extent to which one leadership influence is stronger than the others in promoting subordinate proactivity. By combining our new meta-analytic data with existing meta-analytic correlations, we further investigate the extent to which various leadership predictors are differentially related to proactive and prosocial contextual performance, and to task performance. For all outcomes, there are only minimal differences between the contingent reward, LMX, and transformational leadership predictors. Using our results, we propose future research directions for the relationship between leader influences and subordinate work effectiveness.


2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (7) ◽  
pp. 540-553 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Todeva-Radneva ◽  
Rositsa Paunova ◽  
Sevdalina Kandilarova ◽  
Drozdstoy St. Stoyanov

: Psychiatric diagnosis has long been perceived as more of an art than a science since its foundations lie within the observation, and the self-report of the patients themselves and objective diagnostic biomarkers are lacking. Furthermore, the diagnostic tools in use not only stray away from the conventional medical framework but also remain invalidated with evidence-based concepts. However, neuroscience, as a source of valid objective knowledge has initiated the process of a paradigm shift underlined by the main concept of psychiatric disorders being “brain disorders”. It is also a bridge closing the explanatory gap among the different fields of medicine via the translation of the knowledge within a multidisciplinary framework. : The contemporary neuroimaging methods, such as fMRI provide researchers with an entirely new set of tools to reform the current status quo by creating an opportunity to define and validate objective biomarkers that can be translated into clinical practice. Combining multiple neuroimaging techniques with the knowledge of the role of genetic factors, neurochemical imbalance and neuroinflammatory processes in the etiopathophysiology of psychiatric disorders is a step towards a comprehensive biological explanation of psychiatric disorders and a final differentiation of psychiatry as a well-founded medical science. : In addition, the neuroscientific knowledge gained thus far suggests a necessity for directional change to exploring multidisciplinary concepts, such as multiple causality and dimensionality of psychiatric symptoms and disorders. A concomitant viewpoint transition of the notion of validity in psychiatry with a focus on an integrative validatory approach may facilitate the building of a collaborative bridge above the wall existing between the scientific fields analyzing the mind and those studying the brain.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 1589
Author(s):  
Juan Sánchez-Fernández ◽  
Luis-Alberto Casado-Aranda ◽  
Ana-Belén Bastidas-Manzano

The limitations of self-report techniques (i.e., questionnaires or surveys) in measuring consumer response to advertising stimuli have necessitated more objective and accurate tools from the fields of neuroscience and psychology for the study of consumer behavior, resulting in the creation of consumer neuroscience. This recent marketing sub-field stems from a wide range of disciplines and applies multiple types of techniques to diverse advertising subdomains (e.g., advertising constructs, media elements, or prediction strategies). Due to its complex nature and continuous growth, this area of research calls for a clear understanding of its evolution, current scope, and potential domains in the field of advertising. Thus, this current research is among the first to apply a bibliometric approach to clarify the main research streams analyzing advertising persuasion using neuroimaging. Particularly, this paper combines a comprehensive review with performance analysis tools of 203 papers published between 1986 and 2019 in outlets indexed by the ISI Web of Science database. Our findings describe the research tools, journals, and themes that are worth considering in future research. The current study also provides an agenda for future research and therefore constitutes a starting point for advertising academics and professionals intending to use neuroimaging techniques.


Author(s):  
Han Shi Jocelyn Chew ◽  
Violeta Lopez

Objective: To provide an overview of what is known about the impact of COVID-19 on weight and weight-related behaviors. Methods: Systematic scoping review using the Arksey and O’Malley methodology. Results: A total of 19 out of 396 articles were included. All studies were conducted using online self-report surveys. The average age of respondents ranged from 19 to 47 years old, comprised of more females. Almost one-half and one-fifth of the respondents gained and lost weight during the COVID-19 pandemic, respectively. Among articles that examined weight, diet and physical activity changes concurrently, weight gain was reported alongside a 36.3% to 59.6% increase in total food consumption and a 67.4% to 61.4% decrease in physical activities. Weight gain predictors included female sex, middle-age, increased appetite, snacking after dinner, less physical exercise, sedentary behaviors of ≥6 h/day, low water consumption and less sleep at night. Included articles did not illustrate significant associations between alcohol consumption, screen time, education, place of living and employment status, although sedentary behaviors, including screen time, did increase significantly. Conclusions: Examining behavioral differences alone is insufficient in predicting weight status. Future research could examine differences in personality and coping mechanisms to design more personalized and effective weight management interventions.


Author(s):  
Majed A. Algarni ◽  
Mohammad S. Alzahrani ◽  
Yasser Alatawi ◽  
Raghad A. Alasmari ◽  
Hashem O. Alsaab ◽  
...  

In the first few months of the pandemic, Makkah region reported the highest number of COVID-19 cases among all regions in Saudi Arabia. More than 80% of these reported cases were non-Saudi residents. In this study, we evaluated the perceived threat from and psychological impact of COVID-19 among non-Saudi residents of Makkah region. This was a cross-sectional analysis of data collected using a standardized self-report questionnaire. A total of 292 expatriates were included in the study, the majority of whom were non-Arabic speakers. The prevalence of self-reported depression was nearly 40%, anxiety was 32%, and stress was 43%. The findings indicated variability in the prevalence of psychological symptoms among expatriates from different ethnic backgrounds. Additionally, work environment and perceived threat were strong predictors of psychological disorders. This suggested that the perceived threat from and psychological burden of COVID-19 among non-Saudis in Makkah region is substantial. Future research should investigate the reasons behind these variations in the psychological impact of the pandemic among different ethnic groups.


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