Context-dependent memory recall in HMD-based immersive virtual environments.

The article introduces an original VR-based experiment which explores context-dependent memory recall in humans. It specifically examines the recall of correct and falsely induced semantic memories. With the aid of VR head-mounted displays, 92 students of psychology were placed in a computer-generated indoor virtual environment and asked to memorize the presented lists of words. Afterwards, the participants were placed in the same indoor virtual environment or an alternative outdoor virtual environment and asked to recall the words. The number of correct and falsely induced words was then measured. On average, women recalled significantly more correct words from the list than men, regardless of the environmental context. Despite the assumptions, we did not observe a separate effect of exposure to different environments during learning and recall of material on memory performance. Likewise, we did not detect any effects of the learning context or biological sex in the case of the production of false memories. These results provide a novel insight into previous knowledge regarding the memory processes that occur in virtual environments. Although we failed to confirm the role of context in recalling learned material in general, we found a hint that this context might interact with specific memory processes of biological sexes. However, the design of this study only captured the effect of changing the environment during memory recall and did not address the role of specific context in remembering learning material. Further research is therefore needed to better investigate these phenomena and examine the role of biological sex in context-dependent memory processes.

Posttraumatic stress and growth in adolescent childhood cancer survivors: Links to quality of life.

Pediatric cancer can be considered an event potentially leading to posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) as well as posttraumatic growth (PTG). While clinically significant levels of PTSS are rare in childhood cancer survivors, PTG is common in this population. However, the relationship of PTG to overall adaptation and quality of life (QOL) in pediatric cancer patients is not clear. Therefore, our study aims to analyse the relationships of PTSS and PTG with QOL in childhood cancer survivors. In this study, 172 childhood cancer survivors completed measures of quality of life (Minneapolis-Manchester Quality of Life Scale; child and adolescent version), posttraumatic stress (UCLA PTSD Reaction Index for DMS-IV) and posttraumatic growth (Benefit Finding Scale for Children). Correlation analyses were carried out separately for the child (up to 13 years, N = 47) and adolescent (more than 13 years, N = 125) groups and each QOL dimension. In the adolescent group, the relationship of PTSS and PTG with QOL was further verified by regression analyses while controlling for age, gender, and time off treatment. In children, negative relationships between PTSS and QOL were found, but the relationships between QOL and PTG were not significant. In adolescents, significant relationships were found for all dimensions of QOL and PTSS and also for several dimensions of QOL and PTG. The relationships between PTSS and QOL dimensions were negative in both groups, and the relationships between PTG and QOL in the adolescent group were weakly positive. In adolescents, regression analyses controlling for age, gender and time off treatment were performed and confirmed a negative relationship of PTSS with all QOL dimensions except for social functioning. For PTG, regression analyses revealed a significant positive relationship with QOL dimensions of social functioning, outlook on life and intimate relations. While the relationship between PTSS and QOL is negative for almost all QOL dimensions in children and adolescents, the nature of the relationship between PTG and QOL appears to be more complex and changing over time. PTG in children may reflect different processes with different outcomes than PTG in adolescents.

Concordance of Child Self-Reported and Parent Proxy-Reported Posttraumatic Growth in Childhood Cancer Survivors.

This article aimed to analyze concordance of parent- and child-reported child posttraumatic growth (PTG) following pediatric cancer, the influence of the parents' own level of PTG on the level of concordance and the influence of the parents' and the child's own level of PTG on the parents' proxy reports of PTG in the child. The sample included 127 parent-child dyads. The children provided self-reports of PTG and the parents provided reports of their own as well as the child's PTG. Overall, the results showed poor parent-child agreement on the child PTG, with the parents proxy-reporting higher levels of PTG than the children. The parents' proxy reports of the child PTG were the most accurate at the lowest levels of the parents' own level of PTG. The parents' own level of PTG was a stronger predictor of the parents' proxy reports than the child self-reported PTG. The results suggest that parents are not very accurate reporters of PTG in the child; therefore, their reports should be completed with child self-reports whenever possible.

Measuring depression in adolescence: Evaluation of a hierarchical factor model of the Children's Depression Inventory and measurement invariance across boys and girls.

BACKGROUND: One of the most widely used instruments to measure depression in childhood and adolescence is Kovacs's Children's Depression Inventory (CDI). Even though this particular measure sparked massive interest among researchers, there is no clear consensus about its factorial structure. It has been suggested that inconsistencies in findings can be partly ascribed to the cultural context. The aim of this study was a) to examine and verify the factor structure of CDI in the Czech population and b) to assess gender-related psychometric differences using the mean and covariance structure (MACS) approach and differential item functioning (DIF) analysis. METHODS: The research sample consisted of 1,515 adolescents (ages 12 to 16 years, 53.7% female) from a non-clinical general population. Based on exploratory factor analysis (EFA) on a random subsample (N = 500), we proposed a model that was subsequently tested on the rest of the sample (N = 1,015) using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Following the MACS procedure, we assessed measurement invariance in boys and girls. The between-group comparison was further supplemented by a DIF analysis. RESULTS: The proposed hierarchical four-factor model (General Symptoms, Negative Self-Concept, Inefficiency, and Social Anhedonia) with a second-order factor of depression fitted the data reasonably well (χ2 = 1281.355; df = 320; RMSEA = 0.054, CFI = 0.925). Regarding gender differences, we found no substantial signs of measurement invariance using the MACS approach. Boys and girls differed in first-order latent means (girls scored higher on General Symptoms with a standardized mean difference of 0.52 and on Negative Self-Concept with a standardized mean difference of 0.31). DIF analysis identified three items with differential functioning. However, the levels of differential functioning were only marginal (in two items) or marginal/moderate and the presence of DIF does not substantially influence scoring of CDI. CONCLUSION: In the general adolescent population in the Czech Republic, the CDI can be considered a reliable instrument for screening purposes in clinical settings and for use in research practice. Instead of the originally proposed five-factor model, we recommend using the newly established four-factor structure. The measure seems to show only marginal psychometric differences with respect to gender, and overall measurement invariance in boys and girls seems to be a tenable assumption.

The role of perfectionism in predicting athlete burnout, training distress, and sports performance: A short-term and long-term longitudinal perspective.

This study examined the influence of perfectionistic strivings and perfectionistic concerns on athlete burnout and two key indicators of overtraining syndrome (training distress and subjectively perceived sports performance) using cross-sectional (N = 228), short-term (a 3-month interval, N = 93) and long-term (a 1-year interval, N = 83) longitudinal designs on a sample of adolescent athletes. In the cross-sectional analyses, sequential regressions revealed that perfectionism was a significant predictor of athlete burnout and both indicators of overtraining. In the three-month longitudinal perspective, both dimensions of perfectionism (strivings and concerns) contributed to the prediction of change in burnout and sports performance, but not training distress. When the one-year longitudinal relationships were regarded, only perfectionistic strivings significantly predicted decrease in burnout, and, for sports performance, the predictive power of both dimensions of perfectionism was even more pronounced when compared to the three-month longitudinal data.

Posttraumatic stress and growth in childhood cancer survivors: Considering the pathways for relationship.

PURPOSE: This study aims to contribute to the clarification of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and growth (PTG) in childhood cancer survivors, taking into account the possibility of a nonlinear relationship and using a clinical approach to analyzing PTSS. METHODS: Childhood cancer survivors (n = 167) aged 11-27 completed measures of posttraumatic stress (UCLA_PTSD) and posttraumatic growth (BFSC). Based on the clinical analysis of UCLA_PTSD symptoms, the sample was divided into three PTSS severity groups (no, mild, moderate). These groups were compared in the mean level of PTG. Correlation analysis was performed to analyze the relationship of PTG with overall PTSS as well as its subscales. The analysis was completed using the curve estimation procedure evaluating linear and quadratic curve fit. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the mean PTG scores between the three PTSS severity groups and no significant correlation of PTG with overall PTSS score and its clusters (re-experiencing, avoidance and increased arousal). PTG was positively associated with the fear of cancer recurrence. CONCLUSION: We did not find support for the direct relationship of PTG and PTSS but we suggest the possibility of connection between the two through the specific nature of PTSS in cancer survivors and their future-oriented intrusive thoughts overlapping with fear of cancer recurrence. These findings offer a novel perspective for future research on PTSS and PTG relationship.

Specifics of the data processing of precession electron diffraction tomography data and their implementation in the program PETS2.0.

Electron diffraction tomography (EDT) data are in many ways similar to X-ray diffraction data. However, they also present certain specifics. One of the most noteworthy is the specific rocking curve observed for EDT data collected using the precession electron diffraction method. This double-peaked curve (dubbed `the camel') may be described with an approximation based on a circular integral of a pseudo-Voigt function and used for intensity extraction by profile fitting. Another specific aspect of electron diffraction data is the high likelihood of errors in the estimation of the crystal orientation, which may arise from the inaccuracies of the goniometer reading, crystal deformations or crystal movement during the data collection. A method for the refinement of crystal orientation for each frame individually is proposed based on the least-squares optimization of simulated diffraction patterns. This method provides typical angular accuracy of the frame orientations of less than 0.05°. These features were implemented in the computer program PETS 2.0. The implementation of the complete data processing workflow in the program PETS and the incorporation of the features specific for electron diffraction data is also described.

Predictors of Posttraumatic Stress and Posttraumatic Growth in Childhood Cancer Survivors.

This longitudinal study aims to analyze predictors of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and posttraumatic growth (PTG) among gender, age, objective factors of the disease and its treatment, family environment factors and negative emotionality. The sample consisted of 97 childhood cancer survivors (50 girls and 47 boys) aged 11-25 years who were in remission 1.7 to seven years at T1 and four to 12.5 years at T2. Survivors completed a set of questionnaires including the Benefit Finding Scale for Children and the University of California at Los Angeles Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Index. Regression and correlation analyses were performed. The relation between PTSS and PTG was not proven. A higher level of PTSS (T2) was associated with higher levels of negative emotionality (T1). A higher level of PTG (T2) was connected to a higher level of warmth in parenting (T1), female gender and older age at assessment. Medical variables such as the severity of late effects and the time from treatment completion did not play a significant role in the prediction of PTSS and PTG. PTG and PTSS are more influenced by factors of parenting and emotional well-being of childhood cancer survivors than by objective medical data.

Personality predictors of successful development: toddler temperament and adolescent personality traits predict well-being and career stability in middle adulthood.

The aim of the study was to predict both adaptive psychological functioning (well-being) and adaptive social functioning (career stability) in middle adulthood based on behaviors observed in toddlerhood and personality traits measured in adolescence. 83 people participated in an ongoing longitudinal study started in 1961 (58% women). Based on children's behavior in toddlerhood, three temperamental dimensions were identified - positive affectivity, negative affectivity and disinhibition. In adolescence, extraversion and neuroticism were measured at the age of 16 years. Various aspects of well-being were used as indicators of adaptive psychological functioning in adulthood: life satisfaction, self-esteem and self-efficacy. Career stability was used as an indicator of adaptive social functioning. Job careers of respondents were characterized as stable, unstable or changeable. Extraversion measured at the age of 16 proved to be the best predictor of well-being indicators; in case of self-efficacy it was also childhood disinhibition. Extraversion in adolescence, childhood disinhibition and negative affectivity predicted career stability. Findings are discussed in the context of a theoretical framework of higher order factors of the Big Five personality constructs, stability and plasticity.

Innovative testing of spatial ability: interactive responding and the use of complex stimuli material.

Despite initial expectations, which have emerged with the advancement of computer technology over the last decade of the twentieth century, scientific literature does not contain many relevant references regarding the development and use of innovative items in psychological testing. Our study presents and evaluates two novel item types. One item type is derived from a standard schematic test item used for the assessment of the spatial perception aspect of spatial ability, enhanced by an interactive response module. The performance on this item type is correlated with the performance on its paper and pencil counterpart. The other innovative item type used complex stimuli in the form of a short video of a ride through a city presented in an on-route perspective, which is intended to measure navigation skills and the ability to keep oneself oriented in space. In this case, the scores were related to the capacity of visuo-spatial working memory and also to the overall score in the paper/pencil test of spatial ability. The second relationship was moderated by gender.

Experimental evaluation of tachistoscopic measurement: a step beyond Wundt's criticism.

This study was designed to assess the possible systematic bias in measurements obtained using tachistoscopic devices from different historical periods of psychological research. Four different tachistoscopic devices were used for brief presentations of stimuli in a letter recognition task. The research sample consisted of 24 participants (12 female, 12 male) in a within-subject experimental design with complete counterbalancing of 4 conditions defined by 4 instrument types: fall tachistoscope, tachistoscope with camera-like shutter, and computer-based tachistoscopes with cathode ray tube and liquid crystal diode display screens. The effects of experimental conditions were examined using a linear mixed model analysis. Our experiment demonstrated that even in standardized settings the type of tachistoscope used for stimulus presentation systematically influenced the participants' performance. We found that the lowest number of correctly recalled stimuli, as well as the highest number of erroneously recalled stimuli, was produced in the camera-like tachistoscope condition. Together, these findings suggest that when results from studies involving tachistoscopic experiments are reviewed, the unique characteristics of each particular instrument used must be considered carefully.