Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less. Marie Curie Debates about how best to test people from different contexts and backgrounds continue to hold the spotlight of testing and assessment. In an effort to contribute to the debates, the purpose of the study was to develop and evaluate the viability and utility of nonverbal figural reasoning ability items that were developed based on inspirations from African cultural artefacts such as African material prints, art, decorations, beadwork, paintings, et cetera. The research was conducted in two phases, with phase 1 focused on the development of the new items, while phase 2 was used to evaluate the new items. The aims of the study were to develop items inspired by African art and cultural artefacts in order to measure general nonverbal figural reasoning ability; to evaluate the viability of the items in terms of their appropriateness in representing the African art and cultural artefacts, specifically to determine the face and content validity of the items from a cultural perspective; and to evaluate the utility of the items in terms of their psychometric properties. These elements were investigated using the exploratory sequential mixed method research design with quantitative embedded in phase 2. For sampling purposes, the sequential mixed method sampling design and non-probability sampling strategies were used, specifically the purposive and convenience sampling methods. The data collection methods that were used included interviews with a cultural expert and colour-blind person, open-ended questionnaires completed by school learners and test administration to a group of 946 participants undergoing a sponsored basic career-related training and guidance programme. Content analysis was used for the qualitative data while statistical analysis mainly based on the Rasch model was utilised for quantitative data. The results of phase 1 were positive and provided support for further development of the new items, and based on this feedback, 200 new items were developed. This final pool of items was then used for phase 2 – the evaluation of the new items. The v statistical analysis of the new items indicated acceptable psychometric properties of the general reasoning (“g” or fluid ability) construct. The item difficulty values (pvalues) for the new items were determined using classical test theory (CTT) analysis and ranged from 0.06 (most difficult item) to 0.91 (easiest item). Rasch analysis showed that the new items were unidimensional and that they were adequately targeted to the level of ability of the participants, although there were elements that would need to be improved. The reliability of the new items was determined using the Cronbach alpha reliability coefficient (α) and the person separation index (PSI), and both methods indicated similar indices of internal consistency (α = 0.97; PSI = 0.96). Gender-related differential item functioning (DIF) was investigated, and the majority of the new items did not indicate any significant differences between the gender groups. Construct validity was determined from the relationship between the new items and the Learning Potential Computerised Adaptive Test (LPCAT), which uses traditional item formats to measure fluid ability. The correlation results for the total score of the new items and the pre- and post-tests were 0.616 and 0.712 respectively. The new items were thus confirmed to be measuring fluid ability using nonverbal figural reasoning ability items. Overall, the results were satisfactory in indicating the viability and utility of the new items. The main limitation of the research was that because the sample was not representative of the South African population, there were limited for generalisation. This led to a further limitation, namely that it was not possible to conduct important analysis on DIF for various other subgroups. Further research has been recommended to build on this initiative. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology

Dans le contexte du diagnostic précoce de la maladie d’Alzheimer, une direction de la recherche émerge autour de l’informatisation de tests cognitifs. Nous avons conçu un test de barrage informatisé sur tablette (test e-CT), développé à partir d’un test de barrage papier-crayon. Nous avons étudié les variables influençant les performances au test e-CT et ses propriétés psychométriques. Nous avons observé que chez les sujets âgés sains, la seule variable influençant était l’âge. Les performances au test e-CT n’étaient pas influencées par l’expérience avec un appareil informatique. Cependant, chez les patients présentant des troubles cognitifs, ceux qui utilisaient quotidiennement un appareil informatique avaient une meilleure performance que ceux qui n’avaient pas un usage quotidien. En effet, les patients utilisant quotidiennement un appareil informatique présentaient de meilleures capacités cognitives. Le test e-CT était corrélé avec plusieurs tests des fonctions exécutives (validité convergente), mais pas avec le test de la mémoire épisodique (validité divergente). Il présente aussi une bonne fidélité test-retest. Le test e-CT présente des bonnes performances diagnostiques, permettant de différencier les personnes âgées saines des patients présentant des troubles cognitifs. En conclusion, le test e-CT présente des propriétés psychométriques satisfaisantes et peut être utilisé pour l’évaluation cognitive chez le sujet âgé. / In the context of early detection of cognitive impairment associated with dementia, an area of research focus concerns development and validation of computerized tests. We have developed a tablet-based cancellation test (e-CT), based on an existing paper-and-pencil cancellation test (K-T test). We studied the variables influencing performance on the e-CT and its psychometric properties. Among healthy older adults, only age was found to be an influencing variable. The performance on the e-CT was not influenced by experience with a computer-based device. However, for patients suffering from cognitive impairment, those using a computer-based device daily outperformed those who were not daily users. Further analyses showed that daily users conserved better cognitive capacities than non-daily users. The e-CT showed significant correlations with several measures of executive functions (convergent validity), but there was no relationship between the e-CT and the episodic memory test (divergent validity). It showed good test-retest reliability. The e-CT had good diagnostic accuracy in differentiating between healthy elderly subjects and patients with cognitive impairment. In conclusion, the e-CT test shows satisfying psychometric properties and is a promising tool for neuropsychological assessment in older adults

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(医学) / 甲第21669号 / 医博第4475号 / 新制||医||1035(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院医学研究科医学専攻 / (主査)教授 村井 俊哉, 教授 古川 壽亮, 教授 宮本 享 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Medical Science / Kyoto University / DFAM

Thèse de doctorat présenté en vue de l'obtention du doctorat en psychologie - recherche intervention, option neuropsychologie clinique (Ph.D) / Les jeux vidéo d’actions sont exigeants d’un point de vue cognitif, c’est notamment pourquoi ils sont considérés comme les plus susceptibles d’influencer la cognition (Spence & Feng, 2010). Plusieurs études indiquent que les joueurs de jeux vidéo d’action performent mieux que les non-joueurs sur plusieurs fonctions cognitives, telles que l’attention, la vitesse de traitement, mémoire à court terme et la mémoire de travail (Bediou et al., 2018; Dye et al., 2009; Green & Bavelier, 2006; Powers & Brooks, 2014). Néanmoins, notre compréhension du lien entre la pratique de jeux vidéo d’action et la cognition demeure incomplète. La caractérisation cognitive de l’expertise en jeu vidéo d’action est une avenue intéressante et peu explorée afin de contribuer à l’avancement des connaissances sur le lien entre la pratique de jeux vidéo et la cognition. Les joueurs professionnels de jeux vidéo sont des individus pouvant performer selon les plus hauts standards dans leur domaine, ce qui renvoie à la définition d’experts-élites (Reimann & Markauskaite, 2018). L’étude de l’expertise s’est illustrée comme étant un angle complémentaire permettant l’approfondissement des connaissances empiriques et théoriques. La présente thèse s’intéresse donc à la cognition des joueurs professionnels de jeux vidéo d’action en comparant leur profil neuropsychologique à celui d’un groupe de joueurs amateur. Dans le premier article, les groupes sont comparés sur plusieurs mesures neuropsychologiques. Les joueurs professionnels se sont distingués sur les mesures du fonctionnement attentionnel, de la mémoire à court terme visuelle, de la mémoire de travail, de la vitesse de traitement et sur le plan des capacités perceptivo-cognitives. Le second article approfondit la caractérisation attentionnelle des joueurs en évaluant la résolution temporelle de l’attention et l’attention divisée via une tâche attentionnelle impliquant la poursuite d’une ou trois cibles dans une trajectoire circulaire. Les joueurs professionnels se sont démarqués des amateurs pour chacune des tâches et le coût de l’augmentation de la difficulté sur la performance est significativement moindre pour les professionnels en comparaison aux amateurs, suggérant un avantage significatif sur le plan de l’attention divisée. Les résultats présentés dans le cadre de cette thèse mettent en lumière le profil cognitif distinctif des joueurs professionnels en jeux vidéo d’action qui semble s’articuler à l’entour d’un contrôle attentionnel supérieur. Ainsi, l’identification de différences entre les joueurs professionnels et amateurs démontre l’hétérogénéité parmi l’ensemble des joueurs de jeux vidéo, ce qui a des implications méthodologiques dans la constitution des groupes pour les recherches futures. D’autre part, l’identification du contrôle attentionnel comme étant un marqueur de l’expertise en jeux vidéo est susceptible d’orienter les recherches futures et de contribuer à l’approfondissement théorique et empirique du lien entre la pratique de jeux vidéo et la cognition. / Several studies indicate that action video game players perform better than non-gamers on a variety of cognitive functions, such as attention, processing speed, short-term memory, and working memory (Bediou et al., 2018; Dye et al., 2009; Green & Bavelier, 2006; Powers & Brooks, 2014). Nevertheless, our understanding of the link between action video gaming and cognition remains incomplete. The characterization of expertise and elite performance is an interesting yet understudied avenue that could help deepen the understanding of the relationship between video game experience and cognition. Professional video game players can be considered as experts-elites in their discipline as they can perform at the highest standards (Reimann & Markauskaite, 2018). In many other fields, the study of expertise has been shown to be a complementary angle to advance empirical and theoretical knowledge. The present thesis investigates the cognition of professional action video game players by comparing their neuropsychological profile to a group of amateur players. In the first paper, several neuropsychological measures are used to compare the two groups of players. Professional gamers had greater performances on measures of attentional function, visual short-term memory, working memory, processing speed, and perceptual-cognitive abilities when compared to amateurs. The second article further characterizes the players' attentional function by assessing temporal resolution of attention and divided attention via an attentional tracking task that requires them to follow one or three targets at various speeds. Professional players outperformed amateurs on both tasks and the impact of increasing difficulty on performance was significantly lower for professionals than for amateurs, suggesting a significant advantage in divided attention. Results presented in this thesis highlight the distinctive cognitive profile of professional action video game players, which appears to be articulated around superior attentional control. Thus, the identification of differences between professional and amateur gamers demonstrates the heterogeneity among video game players, which has methodological implications for groups formation for future research. Furthermore, the identification of attentional control as a marker of video game expertise is likely to guide future research and contribute to the theoretical and empirical investigation of the link between video gaming and cognition.

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Revue systématique / La maladie d'Alzheimer (MA) est fréquente chez les personnes avec un syndrome de Down (SD). Cependant, détecter les premiers signes de la maladie est difficile en raison de la déficience intellectuelle (DI), du vieillissement cognitif précoce et de la prévalence élevée de problèmes de santé pouvant affecter la cognition. La MA est souvent diagnostiquée seulement au stade de la démence. L'un des défis est de déterminer si les troubles cognitifs sont liés à la DI ou à un déclin par rapport à un état antérieur. Pour surmonter ce problème, différents instruments d'évaluation sont utilisés, mais ils manquent de sensibilité et de spécificité et les premiers stades de cette maladie posent un défi. L'objectif de cette étude était de passer en revue de manière systématique les instruments permettant de détecter les premiers symptômes de la maladie d’Alzheimer chez les personnes avec un SD. Nous avons utilisé la méthodologie PRISMA pour identifier les articles publiés en anglais avant décembre 2022 dans quatre bases des données: PsycInfo, MEDLINE, Health and Psychosocial Instruments et Embase. Au total, 1 325 articles ont été identifiés, dont 75 pertinents après une sélection minutieuse. Ils portaient sur 40 instruments d'évaluation, tels que des questionnaires, des tests cognitifs et des batteries. Les données provenaient de 17 pays, principalement d'Europe et d'Amérique du Nord, avec 10 021 participants avec une déficience intellectuelle. Parmi eux, 6 708 avaient un syndrome de Down, et les études étaient principalement en anglais. Certains questionnaires/échelles, comme le Dementia Screening Questionnaire for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities, l’Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly et le Dementia Questionnaire for People with Learning Disabilities, des tests cognitifs tels que le Cued Recall Test, Picture Memory Impairment Screen for People with Intellectual Disability et le Down Syndrome Mental Status Examination, et la batterie National Task Group-Early Detection Screen for Dementia , sont recommandés pour la détection des premiers symptômes de la maladie d’Alzheimer chez les personnes avec un syndrome de Down. Pour une évaluation plus complète, le Cambridge Examination for Mental Disorders of Older People with Down's Syndrome and Others with Intellectual Disabilities est recommandé. / Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is prevalent in individuals with Down Syndrome (DS). However, detecting early signs of the disease is challenging due to intellectual disability (ID), early cognitive aging, and a high prevalence of health issues that can impact cognition. AD is often diagnosed only at the dementia stage. One challenge is determining whether cognitive impairments are linked to ID or a decline from a previous state. To address this issue, various assessment tools are utilized, but their lack of sensitivity and specificity for early stages of AD presents a challenge. The objective of this study was to systematically review instruments for detecting early symptoms of AD in individuals with DS. We employed the PRISMA methodology to identify articles published in English before December 2022 in four databases: PsycInfo, MEDLINE, Health and Psychosocial Instruments, and Embase. A total of 1,325 articles were identified, with 75 deemed relevant after careful selection. They covered 40 assessment instruments, including questionnaires, cognitive tests, and test batteries. Data were sourced from 17 countries, primarily in Europe and North America, involving 10,021 participants with intellectual disabilities. Among them, 6,708 had DS, and the studies were predominantly in English. Some questionnaires/scales such as Screening Questionnaire for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities, Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly, and Dementia Questionnaire for People with Learning Disabilities, cognitive tests like Cued Recall Test, Picture Memory Impairment Screen for People with Intellectual Disability, and Down Syndrome Mental Status Examination, as well as the National Task Group-Early Detection Screen for Dementia battery, are recommended for detecting early symptoms of AD in individuals with DS. For a more comprehensive assessment, Cambridge Examination for Mental Disorders of Older People with Down's Syndrome and Others with Intellectual Disabilities are recommended.

The difficulties experienced by children in their middle school age resemble problems with emotional intelligence. It is increased by cultural differences between the child, therapist and social environment. This research problem led to a culturally sensitive Gestalt play therapy intervention programme, to enhance primary school children's emotional intelligence. An intervention was developed, applied and the outcomes thereof studied. The outcomes relate to play therapy techniques, emotional intelligence and cultural sensitivity. The researcher made use of applied research, and thus focused on solving the social problem as stated above, and making a contribution to real life issues. A literature study, related to the concepts of the unit of analysis showed the following: The primary school child has high energy levels and presents concrete reasoning abilities. His self-esteem is based on good interpersonal relationships and achieving tasks. Emotions and other physical and cognitive systems are interdependent. Emotional intelligence is the awareness, management and control of emotions, relate to the functions of the frontal lobes and also to the requirements of a healthy individual according to Gestalt therapy. Culture is connected to the field in Gestalt theory. Cultural sensitivity in this research study meant an attitude of acceptance of cultural differences. Gestalt therapy is based on holism, which includes the environment or field. Gestalt play therapy in a group context was found to be an effective way to teach emotional intelligence skills in a culturally sensitive way to primary school children. The intervention programme was applied to pilot- and research groups, compiled from children who were assessed with the Das-Naglieri Cognitive Assessment System (Naglieri and Das, 1997a) and who presented weaker frontal lobe processes in relation to their other cognitive skills. The outcomes of the research study identified the most effective Gestalt play therapy techniques, which are: The healing therapeutic relationship The use of experiential learning The Gestalt principle of "biding one's time" The study also delivered some unsuspected outcomes namely a relation between right-hemisphere processes and emotional intelligence. This study is still open for further research relating to the concepts discussed above, the intervention programme as well as the unsuspected outcomes. / Social Work / D.Diac.

The changing nature of work and its competitive characteristics are global phenomena and are mainly fuelled by ongoing technological advancement. This creates unique challenges for talent attraction and the retention of high performing individuals. In addition, the global workforce is becoming more diverse due to demographic, societal and cultural changes and companies are placing greater demands on employee competency and performance. Managing the human factor as a strategic asset in organisations remains a primary challenge in securing a competitive advantage. The road construction industry in South Africa is no different. There is growing competition between civil engineering contractors to secure tenders and to maximise profitability. This is only possible with a sufficient and sustainable labour force. Valid selection processes are therefore required to ensure that the most productive individuals are selected for the most suitable jobs. Reliable and valid performance predictors will assist employers in making appropriate selection decisions. Selecting high performing individuals will support and enhance overall organisational performance. ix In this study the investigation focused on whether psychomotor ability and learning potential are statistically significant predictors of work performance - with specific reference to drivers and machine operators in a road construction company. A quantitative approach was followed to investigate the relationships between variables, or then the prediction of one dependent variable (driver and machine operator performance) by means of two independent variables (psychomotor ability and learning potential). Results from the study did not indicate any statistically significant relationships between the variables. Only scientifically validated assessment instruments were used in the study - which means the findings led to a renewed focus on the importance of performance measurement and the psychometric quality (reliability and validity) of performance data. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.A. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

Lors d'une évaluation neuropsychologique, il est attendu du patient une mobilisation optimale de ses capacités cognitives, afin d’objectiver de la façon la plus précise possible son tableau clinique. Sa collaboration et son implication au cours de l'examen sont en effet fondamentales puisqu’elles participent fortement à la validité de ses résultats, et de ce fait à la solidité des conclusions diagnostiques. Le biais de réponse se définit aujourd’hui comme l’ensemble des comportements visant à intentionnellement modifier ses performances cognitives. Malgré une abondante littérature sur ce concept au cours des deux dernières décennies, plusieurs questions perdurent, particulièrement en regard de ses aspects qualitatifs et des mécanismes associés. A travers quatre études, ce projet de thèse a tenté de répondre à ces problématiques, en apportant des connaissances complémentaires sur le biais de réponse. Une première expérimentation s’est ainsi intéressée à préciser la nature des comportements liés au biais de réponse, en l’explorant de façon originale dans plusieurs domaines cognitifs et au sein d’un échantillon mixte, incluant notamment des patients présentant une altération cognitive. Elle a permis de mettre en lumière un large répertoire de ses manifestations, et a apporté des arguments en faveur d’une participation de facteurs cognitifs dans la production du biais de réponse. Les deux études suivantes se sont vouées à adapter et valider trois outils psychométriques spécifiques à l’évaluation du biais de réponse (Performance Validity Tests), en testant leur pertinence et leur efficacité dans une large population francophone clinique et générale. Enfin, le dernier volet a cherché à comprendre le rôle joué par les facteurs associés au biais de réponse, en analysant son lien avec les processus exécutifs et métacognitifs. L’analyse des observations a alors confirmé l’existence d’une influence du fonctionnement exécutif dans le biais de réponse. L’ensemble des résultats recueillis à l’issue de ce travail souligne la complexité et la richesse du biais de réponse et permet de suggérer une nouvelle modélisation de ce concept, tenant compte de son caractère multidimensionnel et possiblement multifactoriel. / During a neuropsychological evaluation, optimal mobilization of the patient’s cognitive capacities is required in order to accurately objectify their clinical picture. The collaboration and involvement of the patient during the examination are fundamental to the validity of the results and hence the strength of the diagnostic. The current definition of response bias is the set of behaviours intended to intentionally modify one's cognitive performances. Despite an extensive literature on this concept over the last two decades, several questions remain, particularly regarding the qualitative aspects and the associated mechanisms. Through four studies, this dissertation has tried to answer these issues by providing complementary knowledge on response bias. The first experiment aimed to clarify the nature of behaviours related to response bias, in several cognitive domains and in a mixed sample including patients with cognitive impairment. This has shed light on a broad repertoire of its manifestations and has provided arguments for the participation of cognitive factors in the production of response bias. The following two studies have adapted and validated three specific psychometric tools known as Performance Validity Tests, by testing their relevance and effectiveness in large French-speaking samples including neurological patients and the general population. Finally, the last part sought to understand the role played by the factors associated with response bias, by analysing its link with the executive and metacognitive processes. The observations analysis has confirmed the existence of an impact of the executive functioning in response bias. All the results gathered underline the complexity and richness of response bias and suggest a new modelling of this concept, considering its multidimensional and possibly multifactorial nature.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-04T18:27:38Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Marcelo Gulini Chiodi.pdf: 363388 bytes, checksum: 0578a0c625e8841b1da092c135b88eb8 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007-12-14 / Pontif?cia Universidade Cat?lica de Campinas / The study of intellectual evaluation has shown great diversity through out the time. Currently, the theory recognized as the most extensive to explain the mental functioning is the C-H-C (Cattell-Horn-Carroll). Among the tests internationally availables, the only one that meets this proposal is the theoretical battery Woodcock Johnson III (WJ - IIII). Accordingly, the objective of this study was to verify the convergence validity battery of Cognitives Abilities Woodcock-Johnson III, comparing it with the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children - WISC-III, already validated for our reality. The sample was composed of 30 students from public school of Primary and Secondary Education, being 15 men and 15 women aged between 13 and 15 years. It was applied to the participants, with parents permission, the two sets of Cognitive Abilities WJ-III and WISC-III. The results were analyzed according to the Pearson correlation and it was performed the Analysis of Variance between gender and age for each instrument. The results pointed to a significant correlation between the total score of Woodcock and the total score in the WISC of 0,865, between Woodcock and the scale implementation 0,766 and the scale verbal 0,843. As for the Analysis of Variance, in the instrument WISC-III there was no significant difference in age and in subtestes Complete Figures and Cubes Sex x Age to the subtest vocabulary. In addition, for the instrument WJ-III there were differences of Sex X Age only for subtest Verbal Understanding. The Battery Woodcock Johnson III is considered the most complete in order to allow the evaluation of different differents cognitive abilities of the model C-HC, and therefore, according to the presents results, the battery WJ-III can be used in Brazil to replace the WISC - III. / O estudo da avalia??o intelectual tem apresentado grande diversidade atrav?s dos tempos. Atualmente, a teoria reconhecida como sendo a mais ampla para explicar o funcionamento mental ? a C-H-C (Cattell-Horn-Carroll) . Dentre os testes dispon?veis internacionalmente, o ?nico que atende a esta proposta te?rica ? a Bateria Woodcock-Johnson III (WJ-IIII). Neste sentido, o objetivo deste trabalho foi verificar a validade convergente da Bateria de Habilidades Cognitivas Woodcock Johnson-III, comparando-a com a Escala Wechsler de Intelig?ncia para Crian?as WISC- III, que j? apresenta evidencias de validada para a nossa realidade. A amostra foi composta por 30 estudantes de escola p?blica do Ensino Fundamental e M?dio, sendo 15 homens e 15 mulheres com idades entre 13 e 15 anos. Foram aplicadas nos participantes, com a autoriza??o dos pais, as duas baterias de Habilidades Cognitivas WJ-III e WISC-III. Os resultados obtidos foram analisadas segundo a correla??o de Pearson e foi realizada a An?lise de Vari?ncia entre sexo e idade para cada instrumento. Os resultados apontaram para uma correla??o significativa entre a pontua??o total do Woodcock e a pontua??o total no WISC de 0,865, entre o Woodcock e a escala execu??o 0,766 e com a escala verbal 0,843. Com rela??o a An?lise de Vari?ncia, no instrumento WISC-III houve diferen?a significativa da Idade nos subtestes Completar Figuras e Cubos e de Sexo X Idade para o subteste Vocabul?rio. J? com o instrumento WJ-III houve diferen?as de Sexo X Idade somente para o subteste Compreens?o Verbal. Tais dados nos indicam que a Bateria de Habilidades Cognitivas Woodcock-Johnson- III- WJ-III permite uma avalia??o e um diagn?stico mais detalhado das v?rias habilidades cognitivas, podendo enriquecer ainda mais as possibilidades de instrumentos para avalia??o intelectual.