Psychometric properties of the Test of Everyday Attention for Children in Greek-speaking school children

The present study aimed at exploring the psychometric properties of the Test of Everyday Attention for Children (TEA-Ch) in normally developing Greek-speaking school population (6–12 years old). TEA-Ch is an assessment that captures the multidimensional nature of the developing attentional system with child-friendly test tasks. The sample consisted of 174 Greek-speaking primary school children of both genders (N = 88 girls). Children were assessed individually using the TEA-Ch and two tasks (Vocabulary and Working Memory) from the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-3rd edition (WISC-III)-Greek Version. Confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to examine the factorial validity of the TEA-Ch in the Greek-speaking population. The results verified both a two-factor (attentional control/switching and sustained attention) and a theory-driven three-factor structure of the TEA-Ch, namely selective attention, attentional control/switching and sustained attention. Moreover, the weak correlations of TEA-Ch tasks with vocabulary and working memory tasks provide evidence for its divergent validity and its usefulness as an additional measure of abilities that are not captured by well-known conventional intelligence tasks. Furthermore, TEA-Ch appears to be an age-sensitive assessment tool.     

Why Colour Primitivism?

Primitivism is the view that colors are sui generis properties of physical objects. The basic insight underlying primitivism is that colours are as we see them, i.e. they are categorical properties of physical objects—simple, monadic, constant, etc.—just like shapes. As such, they determine the content of colour experience. Accepting the premise that colours are sui generis properties of physical objects, this paper seeks to show that ascribing primitive properties to objects is, ipso facto, ascribing to objects irreducible dispositions to look coloured, and that anything that primitive redness can do, the non-reductive disposition to look red can do just as well. What makes primitivism suspect is not the commitment to sui generis properties, but instead the claim that colours are more than dispositions. Since, as I show, whatever primitivism appeals to for the purpose of arguing that colours are more than dispositions—objectivity, explanation, causation, phenomenology, constancy, etc.—can also be invoked by non-reductive dispositionalism, the feature that purportedly renders colours more than dispositions remains mysterious.     

Linguistic and emotional-valence characteristics of reading passages for clinical use and research

PurposeFluency assessment in people who stutter (PWS) includes reading aloud passages. There is little information on properties of these passages that may affect reading performance: emotional valance, arousal, word familiarity and frequency and passage-readability. Our first goal was to present an extensive examination of these factors in three commonly used (“traditional”) passages. The second goal was to compare a traditional passage to a new passage, designed to minimize the impact of these properties.MethodsContent words were rated (129 participants) on arousal, valence and familiarity. Other linguistic features were analyzed based on available datasets. This information was used to assess traditional passages, and to construct a new well-balanced passage, made of neutral, low-arousal and highly-familiar words. Readability for all passages was tested using formula-based and CLOZE tests (31 participants). Finally, 26 PWS were evaluated on fluency comparing the commonly used “Rainbow” passage with the novel one.ResultsThe three traditional passages contain a share of emotionally valenced (22-34%), high arousal (15-18%), lower familiarity (6-8%) and polysyllabic (5-9%) content words. Readability was highest for the novel passage (on formula-based scales). Average disfluencies percent for the Rainbow and our novel passage were not significantly different. Yet half of the individuals in this sample showed a large difference between the two passages.ConclusionWe provide detailed information on potential sources of variance using the traditional passages. Knowledge about these characteristics can inform clinical practice (and research). We suggest a combined procedure, using more than one passage to assess stuttering in individual cases.     

Variables latentes et propriétés mentales : pour une épistémologie affirmée pragmatiste et réaliste

The reliability of models with latent variables is questioned by different authors: what is the ontology of mental properties? How to integrate the complex of mental processes with latent variables? All these debates raise the question of the legitimacy of latent variables as methodological approach comparatively to new approaches such as Network analysis. By clearly posing the ontological nature of mental properties as emergent properties of mental processes, and by clearly posing a theory of pragmatist and realistic knowledge, our work seeks to show that latent variables are efficient approaches for inferring mental properties.     

Effect of pressure on the mechanical and dynamical stability of NaAlSi

The effects of pressure on the mechanical and dynamical stability of NaAlSi have been fully investigated by first-principles calculations within the generalised gradient approximation (GGA). The obtained results show that the optimised lattice constants, atomic positions and elastic constants at ambient pressure are in good agreement with the available experimental and theoretical data. The lattice constants decrease monotonically with increasing pressure. The elastic constant C₁₁, C₁₂, C₁₃, C₃₃ and C₆₆ increase while C₄₄ decreases with increasing pressure. It is found that NaAlSi is mechanically unstable when the pressure is above 25.97?GPa. The phonon-dispersion curves along several high symmetry lines are obtained. The phonon frequencies at the Z point decrease with increasing pressure and completely soften to zero at 27.52?GPa, further confirming the structural instability of NaAlSi.     

Reliability of measures of work engagement and psychological well-being among South African state security forces

This study reports on the psychometric properties of measures of work engagement and psychological well-being in the South African state security forces. The research sample consisted of a combined sample of 178 soldiers and 57 police officers (34% females). They completed a battery of measures of work engagement and psychological well-being. Results following exploratory and reliability analysis suggest the scores from the measures to be reliable for research use with the South African security services.     

Reliability and validity of the Finnish version of the motor observation questionnaire for teachers

ObjectivesObservational screening instruments are often used as an effective, economical first step in the identification of children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). The aim was to investigate the psychometric properties of the Finnish version of the Motor Observation Questionnaire for Teachers (MOQ-T-FI).MethodsThe psychometric properties were tested using two separate samples (S1: age range 6–12, M 9y 5mo, females 101, males 92; S2: age range 6–9, M 7y 7mo, females 404, males 446). Teachers completed the MOQ-T-FI in both samples, and in sample 2 teachers’ ratings were compared to student’s performance on the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-Second Edition (MABC-2). Internal consistency was investigated by using Cronbach’s alpha, predictive validity by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, concurrent validity by correlation analysis, and construct validity by factor analysis.ResultsThe MOQ-T-FI behaves consistently with its original Dutch version. The internal consistency was excellent (α = 0.97). The bifactor model, with one general factor and two specific factors, fit the data significantly better than the first-order model. The concurrent validity with the MABC-2 was moderate (r = 0.37 p < 0.001). Sensitivity was 82.5% and specificity 44.5%, respectively.ConclusionNotwithstanding the low specificity the MOQ-T-FI can be considered as a promising screening tool in the school environment for Finnish children at risk of motor learning problems.     

Influence of plastic strain localisation on the mechanical properties of metal matrix composites

The aim of the present study is to reveal the most critical underlying factor influencing the mechanical properties of metal matrix composites (MMCs). It is shown that the mechanical properties of MMCs are essentially governed by the degree of strain localisation during plastic deformation. In other words, the MMCs exhibit superior mechanical performance only if the strain localisation is obviously inhibited and the accumulated stresses can be effectively transferred out. The work provides a new perspective in guiding the design of next-generation high-performance MMCs by suppressing the strain localisation as far as possible.     

Quality Instances and the Structure of the Concrete Particular

In this paper, I examine a puzzle that emerges from what J. P. Moreland has called the traditional realist view of quality instances. Briefly put, the puzzle is to figure out how quality instances fit into the overall structure of a concrete particular, given that the traditional realist view of quality instances prima facie seems incompatible with what might be called the traditional realist view of concrete particulars. After having discussed the traditional realist views involved and the puzzle that emerges from their juxtaposition, I propose an alternative realist view of quality instances which resolves the puzzle. In short, the puzzle is solved by treating the distinction between a concrete particular and its quality instances as a distinction of reason, and by adopting the view that the individuating element of a concrete particular must also serve as its unifying element – a view which Moreland, one of traditional realism’s most stalwart contemporary defenders, rejects.     

The SameP-Relation as a Response to Critics of Baker's Theory of Constitution

According to the so-called “standard account” regarding the problem of material constitution, a statue and a lump of clay that makes it up are not identical. The usual objection is that this view yields many objects in the same place at the same time. Lynne Rudder Baker's theory of constitution is a recent and sophisticated version of the standard account. She argues that the aforementioned objection can be answered by defining a relation of being the same P as (sameP). In this paper I shall examine consequences of her response and show that sameP has wrong formal properties, as a result of which this solution cannot be accepted.