Evidências de validade do teste informatizado para avaliação das funções executivas / Evidence of validity of the computerized test for evaluating executive functions / Evidencia de validez de la prueba computarizada para evaluación de funciones ejecutivas

Funções executivas (FE) referem-se ao conjunto de habilidades que, de forma integrada, coordenam o comportamento e a cognição. Assim, o comprometimento no desenvolvimento das FE está ligado a vários desfechos negativos ao longo da vida. Portanto, a avaliação dessas habilidades na infância é essencial para identificar e prevenir prejuízos na vida adulta. Este estudo teve como objetivo investigar evidências de validade do Teste Informatizado para Avaliação das Funções Executivas (Tafe) pelo critério de idade e pelo padrão de correlação entre medidas do TAFE e outras medidas de FE. Para isso, foi utilizada uma amostra de 51 crianças, entre 4 e 10 anos de idade, matriculadas em uma escola privada na cidade de Goiânia (GO), da pré-escola ao 4º ano do ensino fundamental. Como instrumentos, foram utilizados, além do Tafe, as tarefas de Bloco de Corsi, Teste de Trilhas A e B, Teste de Trilhas Pré-Escolares, Teste de Stroop Pré-Escolares e Subteste Dígitos da Escala Wechsler de Inteligência. Foram conduzidas análises estatísticas Kruskal Wallis para verificar a evidência de validade por relação com idade e análises de correlação não paramétrica de Spearman para avaliar as evidências de validade convergente. O instrumento investigado mostrou-se efetivo para discriminar entre as diferentes faixas etárias, assim, sensível ao desenvolvimento das FE. Os resultados obtidos no Tafe correlacionaram-se aos obtidos em outros testes que também avaliaram FE, mostrando claros padrões de convergência. Logo, as análises dos resultados fornecem evidências de validade ao Tafe, derivadas a partir de diferentes estratégias de investigação.(AU)

Executive functions (EF) refer to the set of skills that, in an integrated way, coordinate behavior and cognition. Thus, the commitment in developing EF is linked to several negative outcomes throughout life. Therefore, the assessment of these abilities in childhood is essential to identify and prevent possible harm in adult life. This study aimed to investigate evidences of validity of the Computerized Test for Evaluation of Executive Functions (TAFE) by the age criterion and by the pattern of correlation between TAFE measures and other EF measures. To this end, a sample of 51 children, between 4 and 10 years old, enrolled in a private school in the municipality of Goiânia (GO), from preschool to the 4th year of elementary school, was used. As instruments, in addition to TAFE, the tasks of Corsi Block, Trails Test A and B, Preschool Trails Test, Preschool Stroop Test and the Digits Subtest of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale were used. Kruskal Wallis statistical analyzes were conducted to verify the evidence of validity by age criteria and Spearman's nonparametric correlation analysis to assess evidence of convergent validation. The instrument investigated was effective to discriminate between different age groups, thus being sensitive to the development of EF. The results obtained in TAFE were correlated with those obtained in other tests that also assess FE, showing patterns of convergence. Therefore, the analysis of the results provides validation evidence to TAFE, derived from different investigation methods.(AU)

Las funciones ejecutivas (FE) se refieren al conjunto de habilidades que coordinan la conducta y la cognición. Así, el deterioro en el desarrollo de FE está relacionado con varios resultados negativos durante la vida. Por tanto, la valoración de estas habilidades en la infancia es fundamental para identificar y prevenir posibles daños en la vida adulta. Este estudio tuvo como objetivo investigar la evidencia de validez de la Prueba Computarizada para Evaluación de Funciones Ejecutivas (Tafe) por el criterio de edad y convergencia entre las medidas Tafe y otras medidas de FE. Para ello, se utilizó una muestra de 51 niños, de entre 4 y 10 años de edad, matriculados en un colegio privado de Goiânia (Goiás, Brasil) desde la preescolar hasta 4.º de primaria. Como instrumentos, además del Tafe, se utilizaron las tareas de Bloque de Corsi, el Test de los senderos A y B, el Test de los Senderos Preescolares, el Test de Stroop Preescolar y la Subprueba de Dígitos de la Escala Wechsler de Inteligencia. Se realizaron análisis estadísticos de Kruskal Wallis para verificar la validez por criterios de edad y análisis de correlación no-paramétrica de Spearman para evaluar la evidencia de validez convergente. Tafe demostró ser efectivo para discriminar entre diferentes grupos de edad, así es sensible al desarrollo de FE. Los resultados en Tafe se correlacionaron con los obtenidos en otras pruebas de FE, lo que muestra claros patrones de convergencia. Por tanto, el análisis aporta evidencias de validez para Tafe, derivadas de diferentes estrategias de investigación.(AU)

Sistema de avaliação de testes psicológicos: histórias contadas e não contadas / Psychological test evaluation system: stories told and untold / Sistema de evaluación de tests psicológicos: historias contadas y no contadas

O Sistema de Avaliação de Testes Psicológicos (SATEPSI) recebeu notoriedade entre brasileiros e estrangeiros por oferecer um complexo sistema de qualificação dos testes psicológicos, pouco visto em âmbito mundial. Sua elaboração dependeu de uma autarquia, que o financiou, normatizou e o mantém, mas também de pesquisadores docentes de avaliação psicológica, que trouxeram a expertise da área para que houvesse o pleno estabelecimento de seus parâmetros. Passadas duas décadas de seu lançamento, o SATEPSI foi tema de artigos, capítulos, lives e diálogos digitais, nos quais foram destaque, de modo geral, as Resoluções do Conselho Federal de Psicologia, que o normatiza, e seus impactos para a área de avaliação psicológica - como, por exemplo, o aumento do número de pesquisas e de testes brasileiros qualificados. O que se pretende neste artigo é mencionar sua construção, à luz dos autores que vivenciaram o SATEPSI em funções e tempos distintos. Atenção especial será dada aos Métodos Projetivos, cuja história ainda é pouco revelada.(AU)

The system to evaluate psychological tests (Satepsi) received notoriety among Brazilians and foreigners for offering a complex system of qualification of psychological tests, which is rarely seen worldwide. Its development depended on an autarchy (which financed, standardized, and maintains it) and on researchers teaching psychological assessment, who brought their expertise to the area so its parameters could be fully established. After two decades of its launch, Satepsi was the subject of articles, chapters, lives, and digital dialogues, which usually highlighted the Resolutions of the Federal Council of Psychology that normatize psychological evaluation and their impacts, such as the increase in the number of qualified Brazilian tests. This study aims to mention its construction in the light of the authors who experienced Satepsi in different functions and times, giving special attention to Projective Methods, whose history remains to be shown.(AU)

El Sistema de Evaluación de Tests Psicológicos (SATEPSI) ganó notoriedad entre los brasileños y los extranjeros por ofrecer un complejo sistema de calificación de los tests psicológicos, poco frecuente a nivel mundial. Su elaboración dependió de una autarquía, que lo financió, lo estandarizó y lo mantiene, pero también de investigadores docentes de evaluación psicológica, que trajeron la experiencia del área para que hubiera el pleno establecimiento de sus parámetros. Tras dos décadas de su lanzamiento, SATEPSI fue tema de artículos, capítulos, en directo y diálogos digitales, en los cuales destacaron, de modo general, las Resoluciones del Consejo Federal de Psicología que lo normatiza y sus impactos para el área de evaluación psicológica, como el aumento del número de investigaciones y de pruebas brasileñas calificadas. Lo que se pretende en este artículo es mencionar su construcción, a la luz de los autores que vivieron el SATEPSI en funciones y tiempos distintos. Se prestará especial atención a los métodos proyectivos cuya historia aún no se ha revelado.(AU)

Measuring early childhood development in multiple contexts: the internal factor structure and reliability of the early Human Capability Index in seven low and middle income countries.

BACKGROUND: The fourth year of the Sustainable Development Agenda era calls for countries to continue to invest not only in interventions and policies that will promote global equity and sustainability, but also in the monitoring systems required to track progress against these targets. A more pragmatic solution to measuring children's early development in low and middle income countries in particular, is required. This study explores the psychometric properties of the early Human Capability Index (eHCI), a population measure of holistic development for children aged 3-5 years, designed with the vision of being flexible and feasible for use in low resource and capacity settings. METHODS: Utilizing data from seven low and middle income countries: Brazil (n = 1810), China (n = 11,421), Kiribati (n = 8339), Lao People's Democratic Republic (n = 7493), Samoa (n = 12,191), Tonga (n = 6214), and Tuvalu (n = 549), analyses explored the internal factor structure and reliability of scores produced by the tool within each country. RESULTS: Confirmatory factor analyses and internal consistency coefficients demonstrated that after local adaptation, translation, and different implementation methods across countries, the eHCI maintained the same factor structure of nine theoretically-based developmental domains: Physical Health, Verbal Communication, Cultural Knowledge, Social and Emotional Skills, Perseverance, Approaches to Learning, Numeracy, Reading, and Writing. CONCLUSIONS: Findings support the aims of the eHCI in being adaptable and applicable for use within a range of low and middle income countries to facilitate measurement and monitoring of children's early development, as is required for the tracking of progress towards the Sustainable Development Agenda.

Improving Dental Students Fine Motor Skills by Visualization and Mental Imagery: A Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial / Mejora de las Habilidades Motoras Finas de los Estudiantes de Odontología Mediante Visualización e Imaginería: Ensayo Clínico Aleatorizado Piloto

ABSTRACT: Clinical motor skills are essential to train dental students. There is evidence that imagery serves to acquire and improve motor skills, since imagining an action, activates the same neural areas as when this is physically performed. The aim of this pilot randomized clinical trial was to examine the feasibility of tridimensional visualization associated with mental imagery on the development of fine motor skills of dental students compared to conventional training. Seventeen dental students without previous preclinical experiences, between 18-25 years old were recruited. After giving a theoretical lecture on the inlay preparation, participants were randomly allocated in two groups. The Experimental Group (N=9) performed daily 30 minutes of "mental practice" after visualizing a video showing the execution of an ideal inlay preparation alternating it with black screen periods to facilitate the imagery. The Control Group (N= 8) performed a 30 minutes "hands on practice" daily of the same preparation. On the fifth day, both groups carried out an inlay preparation physically, which was scanned and overlapped to the virtual preparation to assess accuracy. The execution time and accuracy of the preparation performed with regard to an ideal preparation were compared between groups. The learning style and fine motor skills at baseline were similar in all participants (P>0.001). No statistically significant differences were found between the groups in terms of accuracy. The time of execution in the experimental group was significantly lower than the control group. This pilot study showed that visualization associated to mental imagery could develop fine motor skills in dental students, requiring less execution time than physical practice.

RESUMEN: Las habilidades motoras clínicas son esenciales para entrenar a los estudiantes de odontología. Existe evidencia que la imaginería sirve para adquirir y mejorar las habilidades motoras, ya que al imaginar una acción, se activan las mismas áreas neuronales que cuando la acción se realiza físicamente. El objetivo de este ensayo clínico aleatorizado piloto fue examinar la factibilidad del uso de visualización tridimensional asociada con imaginería para el desarrollo de las habilidades motoras finas en estudiantes de odontología comparado con el entrenamiento convencional. Se reclutaron diecisiete estudiantes de odontología, entre 18-25 años de edad, sin experiencias preclínicas previas. Después de recibir una clase teórica sobre la preparación de una incrustación, los participantes fueron asignados aleatoriamente a dos grupos. El grupo experimental (N = 9) realizó diariamente 30 minutos de "práctica mental" después de visualizar un video que muestra la ejecución de una preparación de incrustación ideal alternando con períodos de pantalla negra para facilitar la imaginación. El grupo de control (N = 8) realizó una práctica diaria de 30 minutos de la misma preparación. El quinto día, ambos grupos llevaron a cabo físicamente una preparación de incrustación, que fue escaneada y esta imagen se superpuso a la preparación virtual ideal para evaluar la precisión. El tiempo de ejecución y la precisión de la preparación realizada con respecto a una preparación ideal se compararon entre ambos grupos. El estilo de aprendizaje y las habilidades motoras finas al inicio del estudio fueron similares en todos los participantes (P > 0,001). No se encontraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre los grupos en términos de precisión. El tiempo de ejecución en el grupo experimental fue significativamente menor que en el grupo control. Este estudio piloto mostró que la visualización asociada a imaginería podría desarrollar habilidades motoras finas en estudiantes de odontología, requiriendo menos tiempo de ejecución que la práctica física.

Music therapy career aptitude and generalized self-efficacy in music therapy students.

BACKGROUND: While the Music Therapy Career Aptitude Test (MTCAT) provides a measure of student aptitude, measures of perceived self-efficacy may provide additional information about a students' suitability for a music therapy career. OBJECTIVE: As a first step in determining whether future studies examining combined scores from the MTCAT and the Generalized Self-Efficacy (GSE) scale would be useful to help predict academic success in music therapy, we explored the internal reliability of these two measures in a sample of undergraduate students, and the relationship (concurrent validity) of the measures to one another. METHODS: Eighty undergraduate music therapy students (14 male; 66 female) completed the MTCAT and GSE. To determine internal reliability we conducted tests of normality and calculated Cronbach's Coefficient Alpha for each measure. Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated to ascertain the strength of the relationship between the MTCAT and GSE. RESULTS: MTCAT scores were normally distributed and had high internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.706). GSE scores were not normally distributed, but had high internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.748). The correlation coefficient analysis revealed that MTCAT and GSE scores were moderately correlated ((r = 0.426, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: MTCAT scores can be used to partially determine perceived self-efficacy in undergraduate music therapy students; however, a more complete picture of student suitability for music therapy may be determined by administering the GSE alongside the MTCAT. Future studies are needed to determine whether combined MTCAT and GSE scores can be used to predict student success in an undergraduate music therapy program.

Capacity building of skilled birth attendants: a review of pre-service education curricula.

OBJECTIVE: to assess the level, type and content of pre-service education curricula of health workers providing maternity services against the ICM global standards for Midwifery Education and Essential competencies for midwifery practice. We reviewed the quality and relevance of pre-service education curricula of four cadres of health-care providers of maternity care in Northern Nigeria. DESIGN AND SETTING: we adapted and used the ICM global standards for Midwifery Education and Essential competencies for midwifery practice to design a framework of criteria against which we assessed curricula for pre-service training. We reviewed the pre-service curricula for Nurses, Midwives, Community Health Extension Workers (CHEW) and Junior Community Health Extension Workers (JCHEW) in three states. Criteria against which the curricula were evaluated include: minimum entry requirement, the length of the programme, theory: practice ratio, curriculum model, minimum number of births conducted during training, clinical experience, competencies, maximum number of students allowable and proportion of Maternal, Newborn and Child Health components (MNCH) as part of the total curriculum. FINDINGS: four pre-service education programmes were reviewed; the 3 year basic midwifery, 3 year basic nursing, 3 year Community Health Extension Worker (CHEW) and 2 year Junior Community Health Extension Worker (JCHEW) programme. Findings showed that, none of these four training curricula met all the standards. The basic midwifery curriculum most closely met the standards and competencies set out. The nursing curriculum showed a strong focus on foundations of nursing practice, theories of nursing, public health and maternal newborn and child health. This includes well-defined modules on family health which are undertaken from the first year to the third year of the programme. The CHEW and JCHEW curricula are currently inadequate with regard to training health-care workers to be skilled birth attendants. KEY CONCLUSIONS: although the midwifery curriculum most closely reflects the ICM global standards for Midwifery Education and Essential competencies for midwifery practice, a revision of the competencies and content is required especially as it relates to the first year of training. There is an urgent need to modify the JCHEW and CHEW curricula by increasing the content and clinical hands-on experience of MNCH components of the curricula. Without effecting these changes, it is doubtful that graduates of the CHEW and JCHEW programmes have the requisite competencies needed to function adequately as skilled birth attendants in Health Centres, PHCs and MCHs, without direct supervision of a midwife or medical doctor with midwifery skills.

Iron Deficiency Anemia in Infants and Young Children: Evaluation and Management / 임상소아혈액종양

Despite a sharp decline in the prevalence of iron deficiency anemia (IDA) during the past several decades owing to better nutrition and iron-fortified foods, IDA continues to remain the most common disorder in the world. From about 4 months of age, iron stores are insufficient to maintain the rapidly expanding blood volume associated with normal growth. If there is no steady dietary supply, iron stores become depleted and IDA develops. It is known that iron deficiency (ID) may impair not only physical activity but also mental functions such as learning. Children with ID are found to have more psychomotor deficits and achieve lower scores in aptitude tests than those with normal iron status. Therefore, the detection and treatment, or preferably prevention of ID and IDA is imperative during late infancy, when increased vulnerability to ID coincides with the rapid growth and differentiation of the brain. The diagnosis of IDA is confirmed by the findings of a hemoglobin level <11 g/dL and low iron stores (serum ferritin level <12 microg/L, transferrin saturation <16%). Iron status should be evaluated in children who have risk factors for IDA such as low birth weight, premature baby, exclusive breastfeeding beyond 6 months of life, and weaning to whole milk and complementary foods without iron-fortified foods. With the management of underlying cause, oral iron therapy should be given to replenish iron stores. Parenteral therapy may be used in children who cannot tolerate or absorb oral preparations.

Iron Deficiency Anemia in Infants and Young Children: Evaluation and Management / 임상소아혈액종양

Despite a sharp decline in the prevalence of iron deficiency anemia (IDA) during the past several decades owing to better nutrition and iron-fortified foods, IDA continues to remain the most common disorder in the world. From about 4 months of age, iron stores are insufficient to maintain the rapidly expanding blood volume associated with normal growth. If there is no steady dietary supply, iron stores become depleted and IDA develops. It is known that iron deficiency (ID) may impair not only physical activity but also mental functions such as learning. Children with ID are found to have more psychomotor deficits and achieve lower scores in aptitude tests than those with normal iron status. Therefore, the detection and treatment, or preferably prevention of ID and IDA is imperative during late infancy, when increased vulnerability to ID coincides with the rapid growth and differentiation of the brain. The diagnosis of IDA is confirmed by the findings of a hemoglobin level <11 g/dL and low iron stores (serum ferritin level <12 microg/L, transferrin saturation <16%). Iron status should be evaluated in children who have risk factors for IDA such as low birth weight, premature baby, exclusive breastfeeding beyond 6 months of life, and weaning to whole milk and complementary foods without iron-fortified foods. With the management of underlying cause, oral iron therapy should be given to replenish iron stores. Parenteral therapy may be used in children who cannot tolerate or absorb oral preparations.

Measures used by medical students to reduce test anxiety.

OBJECTIVE: To determine test anxiety in medical students and to assess the measures used by them to reduce it. METHODS: The cross-sectional study was conducted in August 2009 at the Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, and involved 388 medical students who were voluntary participants. The 10-item Westside Test Anxiety Scale, was used to measure anxiety and the pre-designed questionnaire asked the students about the frequent measures used by them to overcome anxiety during exams and their past Grade Point Average. All data was coded and analysed using SPSS version 16 with a prior set alpha level of 0.05. RESULTS: Of the 450 students who were initially considered for the study, 388 fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Among them, 101 (25.3%) were male students with a mean anxiety level of 2.55 +/- 1.27, and 287 (71.8%) were females with a mean anxiety level of 3.07 +/- 1.43 (p<0.05). Prayers and self-motivation (28.3%), sleep and relaxation (11%), television and music (10%), calling friends (8.5%) and revision (6.7%) were the frequent measures used by the medical students to overcome exam anxiety. Students in their fourth and final years of studies showed a higher level of anxiety compared to those in the 2nd and 3rd years. CONCLUSION: The study indicated high levels of exam anxiety among the medical students, showing that there is a need for anxiety-reduction programmes in medical colleges.

Can expectation enhance response to suggestion? De-automatization illuminates a conundrum.

Disparate theoretical viewpoints construe hypnotic suggestibility either as a stable trait, largely determined by underlying cognitive aptitude, or as a flexible skill amenable to attitudinal factors including beliefs and expectations. Circumscribed findings support both views. The present study attempted to consolidate these orthogonal perspectives through the lens of expectancy modification. We surreptitiously controlled light and sound stimuli to convince participants that they were responding strongly to hypnotic suggestions for visual and auditory hallucinations. Extending our previous findings, we indexed hypnotic suggestibility by de-automatizing an involuntary audiovisual phenomenon-the McGurk effect. Here we show that, regardless of expectancy modification, the experimental procedure led to heightened expectations concerning future hypnotic response. We found little effect of expectation, however, on actual response to suggestion. Our findings intimate that, at least in the present experimental context, expectation hardly correlates with--and is unlikely to be a primary determinant of--high hypnotic suggestibility.

Music therapy career aptitude test.

The purpose of the Music Therapy Career Aptitude Test (MTCAT) was to measure the affective domain of music therapy students including their self-awareness as it relates to the music therapy career, value in human development, interest in general therapy, and aptitude for being a professional music therapist. The MTCAT was administered to 113 music therapy students who are currently freshman or sophomores in an undergraduate music therapy program or in the first year of a music therapy master's equivalency program. The results of analysis indicated that the MTCAT is normally distributed and that all 20 questions are significantly correlated with the total test score of the MTCAT. The reliability of the MTCAT was considerably high (Cronbach's Coefficient Alpha=0.8). The criterion-related validity was examined by comparing the MTCAT scores of music therapy students with the scores of 43 professional music therapists. The correlation between the scores of students and professionals was found to be statistically significant. The results suggests that normal distribution, internal consistency, homogeneity of construct, item discrimination, correlation analysis, content validity, and criterion-related validity in the MTCAT may be helpful in predicting music therapy career aptitude and may aid in the career decision making process of college music therapy students.

Personality types and performance on aptitude and achievement tests: implications for osteopathic medical education.

CONTEXT: Several studies have shown that the personality types of medical and dental students affect performance on aptitude and achievement examinations. However, such studies are lacking in osteopathic medical literature. OBJECTIVE: To determine if personality type is associated with performance on aptitude and achievement tests taken by osteopathic medical students. METHODS: The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) was used to determine the mental-function pairs-sensing-thinking, intuition-thinking, sensing-feeling, or intuition-feeling-of osteopathic medical students at Midwestern University/Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine in Downers Grove, Ill. Results were analyzed with participants' scores on the Medical College Admissions Test and the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination-USA (COMLEX-USA) Level 1. RESULTS: A total of 295 osteopathic medical students completed the MBTI, but 32 (11%) were excluded because they did not meet the study criteria. Among the remaining 263 participants, no personality types were associated with high or low scores on the Medical College Admissions Test (P=.229). However, participants in the intuition-feeling group had statistically significant lower scores on COMLEX-USA Level 1 (P=.002). CONCLUSION: The differences in scores obtained on COMLEX-USA Level 1 were statistically significant when students were identified by personality type. This finding suggests that using the MBTI during training could enhance learning and improve academic performance in osteopathic medical schools.

Dynamic assessment and response to intervention: two sides of one coin.

This article compares and contrasts the main features of dynamic testing and assessment (DT/A) and response to intervention (RTI). The comparison is carried out along the following lines: (a) historical and empirical roots of both concepts, (b) premises underlying DT/A and RTI, (c) terms used in these concepts, (d) use of these concepts, (e) evidence in support of DT/A and RTI, and (f) expectations associated with each of the concepts. The main outcome of this comparison is a conclusion that both approaches belong to one family of methodologies in psychology and education whose key feature is in blending assessment and intervention in one holistic activity. Because DT/A has been around much longer than RTI, it makes sense for the proponents of RTI to consider both the accomplishments and frustrations that have accumulated in the field of DT/A.

Robust ANCOVA using a smoother with bootstrap bagging.

Many robust analogs of the classic analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) method have been proposed, some of which are based on some type of regression smoother. A method that first appeared in this journal, which is relatively simple and performs well in simulations, is based on a running interval smoother combined with comparing medians or 20% trimmed means. It makes no parametric assumption about the regression lines and does not assume that the regression lines are parallel. A possible way of improving the efficiency of the running interval smoother is to use bootstrap bagging and a minor goal here is to report some results supporting this approach. The major goal is to consider how ANCOVA might be performed when bootstrap bagging is used. Simple extensions of extant approaches that use some type of bootstrap method were found to be unsatisfactory. However, a basic percentile bootstrap method was found to perform well in simulations. And a reanalysis of data dealing with teachers' expectations about the cognitive ability of students illustrates that bootstrap bagging can make a practical difference.

Valoración integral del examen estatal de la residencia en Estomatología General Integral: curso 2005-2006 / Comprehensive assessment on the State exam of Comprehensive Dental Care Residency, 2005-2006

El examen estatal es una evaluación que comprueba el logro de los objetivos generales y esenciales del contenido, teniendo en cuenta que se realiza al finalizar el segundo año de la especialidad de Estomatología General Integral, después de haber aprobado todos los módulos comprendidos en el programa de la residencia, al concluir el curso académico (2005-2006). Se realizó una investigación descriptiva y retrospectiva a 134 exámenes estatales aplicados a los residentes de estomatología general integral de la Facultad de Ciencias Médicas de Pinar del Río, cuyo objetivo principal fue hacer una valoración integral del instrumento evaluativo. Se revisó la totalidad de los exámenes y a los datos obtenidos se les aplicó el análisis porcentual de frecuencia relativa encontrando que los estudiantes obtuvieron mejores calificaciones en el examen práctico en el intervalo de 80 89 y de 90- 95...(AU)

The state exam is an evaluation which documents the accomplishing of the general and essential content objectives, considering that it is applied at the end of the second year of the specialty of Comprehensive Dental Care, after having passed all the modules comprised in the residency syllabus when the academic year (2005-2006) ended. A descriptive and retrospective research was performed with 134 state exams applied to the residents in Comprehensive Dental Care belonging to the Medical School in Pinar del Rio, whose main objective was to carry out a comprehensive assessment of the evaluative tool. All the exams were reviewed and the data collected underwent the percentage analysis of relative frequency, finding that the students had the best qualifications in the practical exam in the interval of 80-89 and 90-95...(AU)

Visual imaging capacity and imagery control in Fine Arts students.

This study investigated relationships between visual imaging abilities (imaging capacity and imagery control) and academic performance in 146 Fine Arts students (31 men, 115 women). Mean age was 22.3 yr. (SD= 1.9; range 20-26 yr.). All of the participants who volunteered for the experiment regularly attended classes and were first, second, or third year students. For evaluation of imaging abilities, the Spanish versions of the Gordon Test of Visual Imagery Control, the Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire, the Verbalizer-Visualizer Questionnaire, and Betts' Questionnaire Upon Mental Imagery were used. Academic performance was assessed in four areas, Drawing, Painting, Sculpture, and Complementary Subjects, over a three-year period. The results indicate that imagery control was associated with academic performance in Fine Arts. These findings are discussed in the context of previous studies, and new lines of research are proposed.

Relationship between visual and motor imagery.

The relationship between visual and motor imagery was investigated by administering a battery of visual and motor imagery measures to a sample of 101 men (n=49) and women (n=52), who ranged in age from 18 to 59 (M=34.5, SD= 12.6). A principal components analysis applied to the correlation matrix indicated four underlying components, which explained 62.9% of the variance. The components were named Implicit Visual Imagery Ability, Self-report of Visual and Motor Imagery, Implicit Motor Imagery Ability, and Explicit Motor Imagery Ability. These results suggested a dissociation between visual and motor imagery although visual and motor imagery were associated as self-reports and there were correlations among particular measures.

Measurement of talent in judo using a unique, judo-specific ability test.

AIM: Coaches of young athletes at early phases of development often use batteries of tests in order to obtain information that will be helpful in predicting their future success. However, little scientific inquiry has been conducted on the relevance of the testing process to the final selection and success of young prospects. The purpose of this study was to examine the benefits of a unique judo-specific ability test in early phases of talent development and selection. METHODS: Ten judokas (12-15 years of age) underwent assessment of general ability and specific judo ability 3 times during 1994 and 1995, at about 6-month intervals. The general ability test included: sit-ups, push-ups, and side-to-side jumps. The specific judo ability test was comprised of 10 stations in which the judokas performed physical ability and skill tasks. Following the 12-month training program the judokas were ranked by the 2 national judo coaches. Eight years after the beginning of the training program, the judokas were ranked once again by the national coaches. RESULTS: Data analysis revealed that the specific judo ability test did not correlate with either the 1995 or with the 2003 ranking. CONCLUSIONS: Because the unique judo-specific ability test was not found to be sensitive enough to accurately measure talent, it is suggested that future studies investigate the usefulness of tests reflecting a more open-skill environment.

Effects of complex aural stimuli on mental performance.

The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of complex aural stimuli on mental performance. A series of experiments were designed to obtain data for two different analyses. The first analysis is a "Stimulus" versus "No-stimulus" comparison for each of the four dependent variables, i.e. quantitative ability, reasoning ability, spatial ability and memory of an individual, by comparing the control treatment with the rest of the treatments. The second set of analysis is a multi-variant analysis of variance for component level main effects and interactions. The two component factors are tempo of the complex aural stimuli and sound volume level, each administered at three discrete levels for all four dependent variables. Ten experiments were conducted on eleven subjects. It was found that complex aural stimuli influence the quantitative and spatial aspect of the mind, while the reasoning ability was unaffected by the stimuli. Although memory showed a trend to be worse with the presence of complex aural stimuli, the effect was statistically insignificant. Variation in tempo and sound volume level of an aural stimulus did not significantly affect the mental performance of an individual. The results of these experiments can be effectively used in designing work environments.

Professional competence in final-year dental undergraduates: assessment of students admitted by individualised selection and through traditional modes.

In 1993, a new admission system was introduced at the Dental School, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden. One-third, and subsequently 60% of the students were admitted through an individualised selection system, and the remainder through traditional modes, using secondary school matriculation scores, or a university standard aptitude test. In this study, professional competence of final year undergraduates, assessed by faculty members, was related to mode of admission. The participating faculty members had tutored the students in the adult comprehensive care clinic for 1-3 semesters. 13 faculty members assessed students from 3 freshman intakes. A specially designed protocol was used, comprising 7 different criteria to be graded on a scale of 1 to 5, and one overall rating on a scale of 1 to 7. The faculty members were also asked to nominate which of the 7 criteria they considered most important for the overall rating: (A) knowledge, (B) initiative, (C) responsibility and judgement, (D) patient contact, (E) clinical skills, (F) co-operative approach and (G) commitment and motivation. Responsibility and judgement (n=11) and knowledge (n=6) were rated as the most important criteria. The evaluation of professional competence using the overall rating as a score shows a better median value (M=5.5) for the individualised group than for the traditional group (M=5.0). There was little or no difference between the 2 groups in median values for the most important 2 criteria, (C and A), but for the individualised group, the interval for the inter-quartile range (IQR) was not only higher, but also more homogeneous. It is concluded that by final year, students originally admitted by individual selection seem to be more professionally competent than classmates admitted on traditional university entrance scores.