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Objectives The objective of this systematic review was (1) to give an overview of the available short screening instruments for the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and (2) to review the psychometric properties of these instruments. Methods First, a systematic search of titles and abstracts of PubMed and Web of Science was conducted between February and July 2015 and updated in April 2016 and May 2018. Only papers written in English or Dutch were considered. All full-text papers about cognitive screening instruments for the early detection of AD were included, resulting in the identification of 38 pencil and paper tests and 12 computer tests. In a second step, the psychometric quality of these instruments was evaluated. Therefore, the same databases were searched again to identify papers that described the psychometric properties of the instruments meanwhile applying diagnostic criteria for the diagnostic groups included. Results Out of 1454 papers, 96 clearly discussed the psychometric properties of the instruments. Eighty-nine papers discussed pencil and paper tests of which 80 were validated in a memory clinic setting. Based on the number of studies (31 articles) and the sensitivity (84%) and specificity (74%) values, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) seems to be a promising (pencil and paper) screening test for memory clinic testing as well as for population screening. Regarding computer tests, validation studies were only available for 7 out of 12 tests. Conclusions A large number of screening tests for AD are available. However, most tests are only validated in a memory clinic setting and description of the psychometric properties of the instruments is limited. Especially, computer tests require further research. The MoCA is a promising instrument, but the specificity to detect early AD is rather low.

Background Cognitive screening is limited by clinician time and variability in administration and scoring. We therefore developed Self‐Administered Tasks Uncovering Risk of Neurodegeneration (SATURN), a free, public‐domain, self‐administered, and automatically scored cognitive screening test, and validated it on inexpensive (<$100) computer tablets. Methods SATURN is a 30‐point test including orientation, word recall, and math items adapted from the Saint Louis University Mental Status test, modified versions of the Stroop and Trails tasks, and other assessments of visuospatial function and memory. English‐speaking neurology clinic patients and their partners 50 to 89 years of age were given SATURN, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and a brief survey about test preferences. For patients recruited from dementia clinics (n = 23), clinical status was quantified with the Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) scale. Care partners (n = 37) were assigned CDR = 0. Results SATURN and MoCA scores were highly correlated (P < .00001; r = 0.90). CDR sum‐of‐boxes scores were well‐correlated with both tests (P < .00001) (r = −0.83 and −0.86, respectively). Statistically, neither test was superior. Most participants (83%) reported that SATURN was easy to use, and most either preferred SATURN over the MoCA (47%) or had no preference (32%). Discussion Performance on SATURN—a fully self‐administered and freely available (https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.02v6wwpzr) cognitive screening test—is well‐correlated with MoCA and CDR scores.

Due to demographic changes, the number of people suffering not only from dementia illness but also from hearing impairment with the need for hearing rehabilitation have increased noticeably. Even with the association between hearing, age, and cognitive decline being well known, this issue has so far not played an important role in daily clinical Ear Nose Throat settings. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the use of a computer-based battery of tests of neurocognitive abilities in older patients with and without hearing loss. A total of 120 patients aged 50 years and older were enrolled in this prospective clinical study: 40 patients suffered from severe bilateral hearing loss and were tested before cochlear implantation and 80 patients showed normal hearing thresholds between 500 and 4,000 Hz bilaterally. The test battery covered a wide range of cognitive abilities such as long- and short-term memory, working memory (WM), attention, inhibition, and other executive functions. Individuals with severe depression or cognitive impairment were excluded. Hearing status was a significant predictor of performance on delayed recall ( =0.0082) and verbal fluency after adjusting for age ( =0.0016). Age predominantly impacted on inhibition ( =0.0039) and processing speed ( <0.0001), whereas WM measured by the Operation Span task (OSPAN) and the attention were influenced by both age and hearing. The battery of tests was feasible and practical for testing older patients without prior computer skills. A computerized neurocognitive assessment battery may be a suitable tool for the elderly in clinical practice. While it cannot replace a thorough neuropsychological examination, it may help to draw the line between cognitive and hearing impairment in the elderly and enable the development of individual strategies for hearing rehabilitation.

Aim The purpose of this study was to explore the perceived benefits and challenges of online distance education and computer‐based testing (CBT) among registered nurses and midwives in a sample of government‐owned health facilities and health training institutions in Ghana. Design Exploratory descriptive qualitative design. Methods Individual semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 45 participants (i.e. 25 nurses and 20 midwives). The data were manually processed and analysed using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis approach (November 2019‐February 2020). Results Nurses and midwives prefer online distance education for three reasons: convenience, cost‐effectiveness and learning centre proximity to the workplace. The course schedule’s flexibility allowed participants to work and study simultaneously. Others acknowledged online distance education as a viable option for overcoming the challenges of obtaining study leave. However, the lack of recognition of certificates by some employers, poor Internet connectivity and perceived excessive course load were noted as deterrents. Regarding the CBT, many of the participants said that it was useful. Among the advantages of CBT are: (1) a decrease in examination malpractices, (2) a decrease in examination costs and (3) a rise in students’ interest in information, communication and technology (ICT). This finding emphasizes the necessity of integrating ICT into nursing and midwifery education and examinations, as well as maximizing its benefits.

The \"Race To The Top\" program strongly advocates the use of computer technology in assessments. It dramatically promotes computer-based testing, linear or adaptive, in K-12 state assessment programs. Moreover, assessment requirements driven by this federal initiative exponentially increase the complexity in assessment design and test development. This book provides readers with a review of the history and basics of computer-based tests. It also offers a macro perspective for designing such assessment systems in the K-12 setting as well as a micro perspective on new challenges such as innovative items, scoring of such items, cognitive diagnosis, and vertical scaling for growth modeling and value added approaches to assessment. The editors' goal is to provide readers with necessary information to create a smarter computer-based testing system by following the advice and experience of experts from education as well as other industries. This book is based on a conference (http://marces.org/workshop.htm) held by the Maryland Assessment Research Center for Education Success. It presents multiple perspectives including test vendors and state departments of education, in designing and implementing a computer-based test in the K-12 setting. The design and implementation of such a system requires deliberate planning and thorough considerations. The advice and experiences presented in this book serve as a guide to practitioners and as a good source of information for quality control. The technical issues discussed in this book are relatively new and unique to K-12 large-scale computer-based testing programs, especially due to the recent federal policy. Several chapters provide possible solutions to psychometricians dealing with the technical challenges related to innovative items, cognitive diagnosis, and growth modeling in computer-based linear or adaptive tests in the K-12 setting. (DIPF/Verlag).

The present study aimed to investigate the impact of practicing sports activities on manual skills, focused on reaction time depending on manual laterality. The objectives of the study were to identify the differences in improving simple, optional, and cognitive reaction times in the manual executions of student athletes who practice team sports involving the manual handling of the ball (volleyball, basketball, handball) in comparison with student athletes who practice individual sports and with non-athletic students; to identify the differences regarding the reaction time of the right- and left-handed executions depending on the manual lateralization of the subjects (right- and left-handedness) between the three experimental samples: team sports group (TSG), individual sports group (ISG), and the group of non-athletes (NAG) through the use of computer tests. The study included 335 subjects who were divided into three groups: TSG with 102 subjects, ISG with 112 subjects, and NAG with 121 subjects. The subjects of the study were given five computer tests to evaluate three types of reaction time: simple reaction time (Start/Stop Test), choice reaction time (Check Boxes Test, Hit-the-dot Test), and time of cognitive reaction (Trail making Test part A and B). The results were analyzed regarding right- and left-handedness, as well as the execution hand (right hand or left hand) in solving the tests. The results of the study highlighted significant statistical differences between the three groups: TSG, ISG, and NAG. The best results were recorded by TSG in all tests, and the lowest by NAG. Statistically significant differences were also recorded between the executions with the dominant hand compared to the executions with the non-dominant hand in relation to right- and left-handedness. The study highlighted that the smallest differences in all the study groups were recorded in the simple reaction time test, where the differences between the right-handed and left-handed executions were the lowest, reflecting the best level of symmetrization of the motor executions.

The main purpose of the paper was to evaluate selected psychomotor abilities of handball players depending on the competition class (league), position on the court, training seniority and the dominant hand. The study covered a group of 40 handball players (age: 24.02 ± 3.99), while 50 non-training men (age: 22.90 ± 1.13) formed the control group. Studies were performed using Test2Drive computer tests. The following four tests were used for measuring psychomotor fitness: simple reaction time test, choice reaction time test, hand-eye coordination test and spatial anticipation test. An analysis revealed that handball players had better reaction times and movement times than the control group. The league, position on the court, training seniority and the dominant upper limb were analysed for their impact on the reaction time and movement time in handball players. An analysis of psychomotor abilities of handball players with regard to the league revealed that in the majority of tests the Superliga players had a shorter reaction time than players in lower leagues.

In this book, leading scholars from multiple disciplines present their latest research on how to best measure complex knowledge, skills, and abilities using technology-based assessments. All authors discuss theoretical and practical implications from their research and outline their visions for the future of technology-based assessments. Chapters Two through Seven discuss game-based or simulation-based assessments developed using the ECD [Evidence Centered Design] framework. In Chapter 8, the authors present 'Good Assessment for Twentyfirstcentury Education' (GATE) and outline a framework for using games as assessments. In Chapter 9, the authors present an architecture for game-based assessment and describe relationships of learning goals, cognitive demands, and domain and task features. Chapters 10 and 11 focus specifically on using technology to assess inquiry learning. In Chapters 12, 13, and 14, the authors use cognitive load theory as a framework for designing technology-based assessments. The volume concludes with two Chapters, which explore technology-based assessments at a meta-level. (DIPF/Orig./pr).

Background: Three computerized tests were designed to evaluate visual function, alertness, and visuocognitive integration under three different lighting conditions (white, red, and blue lighting). Methods: Three computerized tests were designed and programmed using the experimental design software PsychoPy version 2023.2.2. Test 1 evaluated visual acuity (VA), Test 2 assessed contrast sensitivity, and Test 3 measured alertness. This study was conducted on 53 young subjects who performed three computerized tests after adapting to each of the three different lighting conditions. A baseline aberrometric measurement was taken before and after the tests for each lighting condition. Measurements of accuracy and reaction time were taken for each test, along with total, high-, and low-order aberration values for each situation. Results: Statistically significant differences (p ≤ 0.05) were found among the different lighting conditions across the three tests, with white lighting yielding better performance in Test 1 and Test 3. Additionally, the aberrometric analysis revealed significant differences (p ≤ 0.05), with the baseline measurement being more myopic. Conclusions: White lighting produced the best VA results and faster reaction times, whereas red lighting had poorer VA effects. These findings suggest that different lighting conditions induce changes in vision and alertness, although further research is needed to understand the underlying causes.

Background One of the most popular varieties of rugby is Rugby Union, in which a team consists of 15 players. Rugby Union is a full-contact sport, and players must demonstrate strength, endurance, speed and agility. During the match, players participate in multiple physical collisions and tackles, short-duration and high-intensity sprinting efforts. In addition, one of the elements affecting the effectiveness of the player’s game can be the reaction time of the rugby player to the visual stimulus and the ability to read the game and react to the situations on the pitch. The level of psychomotor abilities of a person or a player practising sports can be influenced by various factors, including age, body height, body weight, type of sport practised or level of training. The study aimed to analyse the psychomotor abilities of professional rugby union players, investigate the relationship between the selected anthropometric characteristics and psychomotor abilities, and compare obtained results with the control group. Methods The study covered 22 players of the Polish National Team (age: 29.3 ± 5.4) and 27 students in the control group (age: 24.3 ± 3.9). The tests were carried out using the Test2Drive computer system of tests. For psychomotor abilities analysis, four tests were used: Simple Reaction Test, Choice Reaction Time Test, Hand-Eye Coordination Test and Spatial Orientation Test. The statistical analysis compares groups using basic statistical measures, and statistically significant differences between groups were checked. In addition, multiple linear regression was used. Results The analysis showed statistically significant differences between the groups in the simple reaction time test and the movement time for the test assessing reaction time with choice and eye-hand coordination. Multiple regression analysis conducted for both groups showed a statistically significant influence of some anthropometric parameters on the examined psychomotor abilities. The calculated multiple regression models had a high fit. Conclusions The analysis showed that professional Rugby Union players have shorter movement time than the control group. For reaction time, statistically significant differences were observed only for simple reaction time. Moreover, linear regression analysis showed that body height and weight affect the selected psychomotor abilities.