Automated Classification of Dyadic Conversation Scenarios using Autonomic Nervous System Responses.

Two people's physiological responses become more similar as those people talk or cooperate, a phenomenon called physiological synchrony. The degree of synchrony correlates with conversation engagement and cooperation quality, and could thus be used to characterize interpersonal interaction. In this study, we used a combination of physiological synchrony metrics and pattern recognition algorithms to automatically classify four different dyadic conversation scenarios: two-sided positive conversation, two-sided negative conversation, and two one-sided scenarios. Heart rate, skin conductance, respiration and peripheral skin temperature were measured from 16 dyads in all four scenarios, and individual as well as synchrony features were extracted from them. A two-stage classifier based on stepwise feature selection and linear discriminant analysis achieved a four-class classification accuracy of 75.0% in leave-dyad-out crossvalidation. Removing synchrony features reduced accuracy to 65.6%, indicating that synchrony is informative. In the future, such classification algorithms may be used to, e.g., provide real-time feedback about conversation mood to participants, with applications in areas such as mental health counseling and education. The approach may also generalize to group scenarios and adjacent areas such as cooperation and competition.

Translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the Brazilian Portuguese version of the Driving Behavior Survey (DBS) / Tradução e adaptação transcultural da versão brasileira do Driving Behavior Survey (DBS)

BACKGROUND: Fear of driving has been recognized as a complex diagnostic entity. For this reason, the use of psychometric instruments is fundamental to advancing research in this area. Psychometric instruments are also necessary for clinical care, as they can help conceptualize the disorder and plan adequate treatment. OBJECTIVE: To describe the cross-cultural adaptation of a Brazilian version of the Driving Behavior Survey (DBS). Methods: The process consisted of: 1) two translations and back-translations carried out by independent evaluators; 2) development of a brief version by four bilingual experts in mental health; 3) experimental application; and 4) investigation of operational equivalence. RESULTS: The adaptation process is described and a final Brazilian version of the DBS is presented. CONCLUSION: A new instrument is now available to assess the driving behaviors of the Brazilian population, facilitating research in this field (AU)

CONTEXTO: O medo de dirigir tem sido reconhecido como uma condição de difícil diagnóstico. Por isso, o uso de instrumentos psicométricos é fundamental para avançar a pesquisa nessa área. Instrumentos psicométricos também são úteis na área clínica, pois podem auxiliar na conceituação do transtorno e no planejamento de tratamentos adequados. OBJETIVO: Descrever a adaptação transcultural do Driving Behavior Survey (DBS) para português brasileiro. MÉTODO: O processo consistiu em: 1) duas traduções e retrotraduções elaboradas por avaliadores independentes; 2) elaboração de uma versão sintética por quatro especialistas em saúde mental bilíngues; 3) aplicação experimental; e 4) investigação da equivalência operacional. RESULTADOS: O processo de adaptação é descrito, e a versão brasileira final do DBS é apresentada. CONCLUSÃO: Um novo instrumento está agora disponível para a avaliação de comportamentos na direção da população brasileira, facilitando a pesquisa na área (AU)