Psychophysiological Reactivity to Abuse-Related Stimuli in Sexually Revictimized Women

Prior research shows discrepant findings in relation to psychophysiological reactivity to threat in women with histories of sexual victimization. Women ages 18 to 22 (N?=?123) with histories of sexual abuse were categorized into child sexual abuse (CSA), adult sexual victimization, revictimization, or nonvictimization groups. Low- and high-frequency heart rate variability were measured at baseline and during an Emotional Stroop task of abuse-related words. Revictimized women showed a significant decrease from baseline to task in both parasympathetic and sympathetic measures when compared to the CSA group. The CSA group demonstrated chronic sympathetic activation at both baseline and task, relative to the revictimization group. Groups did not differ on performance (i.e., reaction time) on the Emotional Stroop task (i.e., more threatening stimuli, slower performance). Cardiovascular responses reported might point to biological reactivity patterns needed for women with a history of sexual abuse to cope with abuse-related stimuli.     

Responses to false physiological feedback in individuals with panic attacks and elevated anxiety sensitivity

Participants with elevated anxiety sensitivity and a history of panic attacks were compared to a low anxiety comparison group with respect to physiological and subjective reactivity to false heart-rate feedback and reactivity to a priming procedure. Whereas accurate heart-rate feedback elicited minimal responses, participants across groups showed significant physiological and subjective responses to false feedback. High risk and low risk participants did not differ in heart-rate responses to false feedback, though panic attack frequency did predict physiological and subjective reactions to false feedback in the high risk group. Self-reported nonspecific anxiety was significantly higher in high risk female participants than in low risk female participants, while males did not different in general subjective anxiety. However, high risk participants reported more panic-specific symptoms during the false feedback task than low risk participants, regardless of the sex of the participant. Therefore, although the experimental paradigm appeared to trigger nonspecific anxiety in high risk female participants, panic attack symptoms in reaction to the task were specific to risk group, not sex, and consistent with hypotheses. Surprisingly, the priming procedure did not influence physiological or subjective responses to false feedback in either group. These results raise additional questions regarding the process and impact of interoception in individuals with panic attacks, and suggest that false perception of internal changes may contribute to risk for panic disorder when exposed to believable cues.     

结合a分层的兼具项目曝光和广义测验重叠率控制的选题策略

测验安全和题库使用率在计算机化自适应测验中十分重要, 特别是高风险测验。传统的SHGT法兼具同时控制项目曝光率和广义测验重叠率的功能, 但题库使用率较差。a分层法能够提高题库使用率, 但对过度曝光的项目控制不足。本研究将a分层法的思想与SHGT法相结合, 各取所长, 提出了3种新的选题方法：SHGT_a法, SHGT_b法和SHGT_c法。研究结果表明：(1)与SHGT法相比, 新方法均可以在有效地控制项目曝光率和广义测验重叠率同时, 极大地提高题库使用率; (2)随着预设项目曝光率(rmax)和广义测验重叠率( )取值的增大以及共享人数a的减小, 新方法对被试能力估计的精度呈上升趋势。比起SHGT法, 新方法仍能保持很高的题库使用率; (3)当区分度和难度的相关(rab)较大时, SHGT_b和SHGT_c法在能力估计精度方面优于SHGT_a法; (4)在不同的测验考察内容比例下, 3种新方法对被试能力估计的精度均较好; (5)与SHGT法相比, 新方法能够有效地控制项目曝光率过度控制的问题。     

Oral Motor Abilities Are Task Dependent: A Factor Analytic Approach to Performance Rate

Measures of performance rates in speech-like or volitional nonspeech oral motor tasks are frequently used to draw inferences about articulation rate abnormalities in patients with neurologic movement disorders. The study objective was to investigate the structural relationship between rate measures of speech and of oral motor behaviors different from speech. A total of 130 patients with neurologic movement disorders and 130 healthy subjects participated in the study. Rate data was collected for oral reading (speech), rapid syllable repetition (speech-like), and rapid single articulator movements (nonspeech). The authors used factor analysis to determine whether the different rate variables reflect the same or distinct constructs. The behavioral data were most appropriately captured by a measurement model in which the different task types loaded onto separate latent variables. The data on oral motor performance rates show that speech tasks and oral motor tasks such as rapid syllable repetition or repetitive single articulator movements measure separate traits.     

An emotional processing writing intervention and heart rate variability: the role of emotional approach

Expressing and understanding one's own emotional responses to negative events, particularly those that challenge the attainment of important life goals, is thought to confer physiological benefit. Individual preferences and/or abilities in approaching emotions might condition the efficacy of interventions designed to encourage written emotional processing (EP). This study examines the physiological impact (as indexed by heart rate variability (HRV)) of an emotional processing writing (EPW) task as well as the moderating influence of a dispositional preference for coping through emotional approach (EP and emotional expression (EE)), in response to a laboratory stress task designed to challenge an important life goal. Participants (n?=?98) were randomly assigned to either EPW or fact control writing (FCW) following the stress task. Regression analyses revealed a significant dispositional EP by condition interaction, such that high EP participants in the EPW condition demonstrated higher HRV after writing compared to low EP participants. No significant main effects of condition or EE coping were observed. These findings suggest that EPW interventions may be best suited for those with preference or ability to process emotions related to a stressor or might require adaptation for those who less often cope through emotional approach.     

计算机自适应测验中测验安全控制方法评述

计算机自适应测验在实际应用中曾经受到了测验安全问题质疑。国内外学者主要从两种研究思路提出了测验安全控制的方法：一是控制项目的最大曝光率, 沿着这个思路发展出来的方法有SH法、项目合格方法、多重最大曝光率法等; 二是改进选题策略, 沿着这个思路发展的方法主要是 分层法及其变式。此外, 近年来出现了测验安全控制方法之间相结合的研究思路。本文从均方误差、项目曝光率、题库利用率等指标论述了测验安全控制方法的优缺点, 并概述了这些测验安全控制方法的研究发展历程与发展思路, 展望了今后的研究趋势。     

冠状动脉病变范围与心率变异性的相关性研究

本研究通过对69例CHD患者（完成冠状动脉造影）进行Gensini评分、分组,同时设正常对照组56例。全部进行24h动态心电图监测,并做时域指标和频域指标的HRV分析。结果显示CHD组HRV各项指标均低于对照组（P〈0．05）,不同冠状动脉病变范围和程度其时域指标及频域指标降低程度不同,各组对照具有显著性差异（P〈0．...     

PETS计算机自适应序列测试设计与模拟研究

根据PETS考试的特点,结合计算机自适应序列测试（CAST）的优势,该研究提出并设计了PETS—CAST测试。为了检验PETS—CAST测试系统的性能,该研究利用PETS试题的真实难度参数和模拟的考生能力参数生成相应的原始得分矩阵,并根据路径规则实现适应性的模块选择。研究结果表明,PETS—CAST所设计的路径能够满足不同能力水平考生的要求,且各条路径的测量精度均能够达到CAST考试的要求。曝光率方面的研究则说明,PETS—CAST应该在设计题池时充分考虑试题模块在数量方面的配置。该模拟研究为PETS—CAST的具体实施在理论和实践层面做了一些有益的尝试。     

Physiological aspects of flow experiences: Skills-demand-compatibility effects on heart rate variability and salivary cortisol

This research addresses flow theory according to which the compatibility of skills and task demands involved in an activity elicits flow experiences that render the activity intrinsically rewarding. Departing from correlational research, we applied experimental paradigms designed to test the impact of a skills-demands-compatibility on the emergence of flow in computerized tasks. On the one hand, the results from self-reports support the balance hypothesis and indicate that skills-demands-compatibility results in a pleasurable flow experience. On the other hand, the results also indicate that skills-demands-compatibility resulted in (a) reduced heart rate variability indicating enhanced mental workload, and (b) stress as indicated by relatively high levels of salivary cortisol. These results indicate that flow experiences combine subjectively positive elements with physiological elements reflecting strainful tension and mental load.     

Comparing the Effects of Unknown-Known Ratios on Word Reading Learning Versus Learning Rates

An extension of G. L. Cates et al. (2003) investigation was conducted to determine if students’ cumulative learning rates would be superior for words read under a traditional drill and practice condition (as they were for spelling in the previous study) than under interspersal conditions of varying ratios of unknown to known words. Participants consisted of three intermediate grade students who were delayed readers. They received a less challenging ratio of unknown to known word (High-P sequencing) interspersal procedure, a more challenging ratio of unknown to known word interspersal training procedure, and a traditional drill and practice procedure in an alternating fashion across several tutoring sessions. Cumulative words read with mastery and cumulative rates of words read with mastery were measured across sessions for each participant under each instructional condition. Findings were consistent with the Cates et al., study revealing that children learn more words per minute of instructional time under the traditional drill and practice condition. These results further support examining instructional efficiency as well as effectiveness when making decisions about selecting and implementing interventions.