On the Implementation of Computerized Adaptive Observations for Psychological Assessment.

The use of observational tools in psychological assessment has decreased in recent years, mainly due to its personnel and time costs, and researchers have not explored methodological innovations like adaptive algorithms in observational assessment. In the present study, we introduce the behavior-driven observation procedure to develop, test, and implement observational adaptive instruments. In Study 1, we use a preexisting observational checklist to evaluate nonverbal behaviors related to psychotic symptoms and to specify the adaptive algorithm's model. We fit the model to observational data collected from 114 participants. The results support the model's goodness of fit. In Study 2, we use the estimated model parameters to calibrate the adaptive procedure and test the algorithm for accuracy and efficiency in adaptively reconstructing 58 nonadaptively collected response patterns. The results show the algorithm's good accuracy and efficiency, with a 40% average reduction in the number of administered items. In Study 3, we used real raters to test the adaptive checklist built with behavior-driven observation. The results indicate adequate intrarater agreement and good consistency of the observed response patterns. In conclusion, the results support the possibility of using behavior-driven observation to create accurate and affordable (in terms of resources) observational assessment tools.

ResilienCity: Resilience and Psychotic-Like Experiences 10 Years After L'Aquila Earthquake.

An earthquake hit the city of L'Aquila in central Italy in 2009, leaving the city completely destroyed and 309 casualties. Unexpectedly, lower rates of psychotic experiences in persons affected by the earthquake compared to non-affected persons were found 10 months after the earthquake. The very long-term impact of a natural disaster on the prevalence of psychotic experiences deserves more in-depth detailing. The Authors examined resilience and psychotic experiences in a university student sample of 494. No effect of direct exposure to the earthquake (odds ratio = 0.64, 95%CI [0.37, 1.11]), material damages (odds ratio = 0.86, 95%CI [0.60, 1.23]), psychological suffering (odds ratio = 1.06, 95% CI [0.83, 1.36]), or global impact severity (odds ratio = 0.92, 95%CI [0.76, 1.12]) on psychotic experiences was detected. Resilience levels did not differ between affected and non-affected persons. Resilience showed a strong protective effect on psychotic experiences (odds ratio=0.38, 95% CI [0.28, 0.51]. The protective effect of the RSA factor "Perception of Self" was significantly stronger in individuals affected by the earthquake compared to non-affected subjects. Being affected by an earthquake is not a risk factor for psychotic experiences in a university student sample, as no direct effect of the earthquake was detected after 10 years after the event. Resilience is confirmed as a strong protective factor for psychotic experiences irrespectively of large collective traumatic events. Extension of these results to a general population sample could provide interesting insights into recovery from natural disasters.

Early interpersonal violence mediates the effect of family history of mental disorder on suicide attempts in a non-clinical sample.

BACKGROUND: Suicide is a leading cause of death worldwide, with several risk factors, including a family history of mental disorders (FHMD) and interpersonal violence. The relationship between these risk factors needs further investigation. AIM: Addressing the impact of interpersonal violence on suicide attempts, and its interaction with FHMD. METHODS: 192 participants completed an online questionnaire, including the Psychological Maltreatment Review and the Karolinska Interpersonal Violence Scale (putative mediating variables variables), questions about previous suicide attempts and FHMD. Logistic regression and mediation analysis were performed. RESULTS: FHMD (OR=7.09, 95%CI [2.20,22.81]), expressed violence in childhood (OR=2.55, 95%CI [1.26,5.18]) and exposure to violence in childhood (OR=2.80, 95%CI [1.80,4.34]) predicted attempted suicide. Exposure to, and expression of violence in childhood mediated 15.23% and 9.63% respectively of the total effect of FHPD on attempted suicide. LIMITATIONS: Small sample size, reporting bias on FHMD an attempted suicide, self-selection bias due to sampling technique. CONCLUSIONS: The familial load on adult suicidal behavior is partially mediated by exposure to violence in childhood, suggesting that the presence of a relative affected by any psychiatric condition may contribute to exposure to violence in childhood, which eventually enhances the risk of suicide in adulthood.