Objective and bias-free measures of candidate motivation during job applications
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Kappen M
PROVIDER: S-EPMC8578383 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:BackgroundAnhedonia - a diminished interest or pleasure in activities - is a core self-reported symptom of depression which is poorly understood and often resistant to conventional antidepressants. This symptom may occur due to dysfunction in one or more sub-components of reward processing: motivation, consummatory experience and/or learning. However, the precise impairments remain elusive. Dissociating these components (ideally, using cross-species measures) and relating them to the subjective experience of anhedonia is critical as it may benefit fundamental biology research and novel drug development.MethodsUsing a battery of behavioural tasks based on rodent assays, we examined reward motivation (Joystick-Operated Runway Task, JORT; and Effort-Expenditure for Rewards Task, EEfRT) and reward sensitivity (Sweet Taste Test) in a non-clinical population who scored high (N = 32) or low (N = 34) on an anhedonia questionnaire (Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale).ResultsCompared to the low anhedonia group, the high anhedonia group displayed marginal impairments in effort-based decision-making (EEfRT) and reduced reward sensitivity (Sweet Taste Test). However, we found no evidence of a difference between groups in physical effort exerted for reward (JORT). Interestingly, whilst the EEfRT and Sweet Taste Test correlated with anhedonia measures, they did not correlate with each other. This poses the question of whether there are subgroups within anhedonia; however, further work is required to directly test this hypothesis.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that anhedonia is a heterogeneous symptom associated with impairments in reward sensitivity and effort-based decision-making.
| S-EPMC10388304 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The compositional asymmetry of complementary bases in nucleotide sequences implies the existence of a mutational or selectional bias in the two strands of the DNA duplex, which is commonly shaped by strand-specific mechanisms in transcription or replication. Such strand bias in genomes, frequently visualized by GC skew graphs, is used for the computational prediction of transcription start sites and replication origins, as well as for comparative evolutionary genomics studies. The use of measures of compositional strand bias in order to quantify the degree of strand asymmetry is crucial, as it is the basis for determining the applicability of compositional analysis and comparing the strength of the mutational bias in different biological machineries in various species. Here, we review the measures of strand bias that have been proposed to date, including the ∆GC skew, the B(1) index, the predictability score of linear discriminant analysis for gene orientation, the signal-to-noise ratio of the oligonucleotide bias, and the GC skew index. These measures have been predominantly designed for and applied to the analysis of replication-related mutational processes in prokaryotes, but we also give research examples in eukaryotes.
| S-EPMC3269016 | biostudies-literature
Project description:There is growing policy interest in identifying contexts that cultivate self-regulation. Doing so often entails comparing groups of individuals (e.g., from different schools). We show that self-report questionnaires-the most prevalent modality for assessing self-regulation-are prone to reference bias, defined as systematic error arising from differences in the implicit standards by which individuals evaluate behavior. In three studies, adolescents (N = 229,685) whose peers performed better academically rated themselves lower in self-regulation and held higher standards for self-regulation. This effect was not observed for task measures of self-regulation and led to paradoxical predictions of college persistence 6 years later. These findings suggest that standards for self-regulation vary by social group, limiting the policy applications of self-report questionnaires.
| S-EPMC9649615 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Discrepancies between self-reported and actual adherence to biomedical HIV interventions is common and in clinical trials can compromise the integrity of findings. One solution is to monitor adherence biomarkers, but it is not well understood how to navigate biomarker feedback with participants. We surveyed 42 counselors and interviewed a subset of 22 to characterize their perspectives about communicating with participants about residual drug levels, an objective marker of adherence, within MTN-025/HOPE, a Phase 3b clinical trial of a vaginal ring to prevent HIV. When biomarkers indicated low drug levels that mismatched high adherence by self-report, counselors encountered barriers to acceptance and comprehension among participants. However, discrepancies between low self-report and higher drug levels generally stimulated candor. Women recollected times they had not used the product and disclosed problems that counselors thought might otherwise have remained forgotten or concealed. Navigating conversations toward HIV prevention was easier at mid-range drug levels and when women indicated motivation to prevent HIV. Ratings of residual drug level offered a somewhat objective measure of adherence and protection that counselors perceived as meaningful to participants and as a valuable catalyst for broaching conversation about HIV prevention. However, communication about drug levels required that counselors navigate emotional barriers, respond skillfully to questions about accuracy, and pivot conversations non-judgmentally away from numerical results and toward the priority of HIV prevention. Findings suggest a role for biomarker feedback in future clinical trials as well as other clinical contexts where biomarkers may be monitored, to motivate disclosure of actual adherence and movement toward HIV prevention.Clinical Trial Number NCT02858037.
| S-EPMC7887002 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ObjectiveThis narrative review aims to (1) identify neuropsychological tests for assessing cognitive function impairment in patients with cancer, specifically in the domains of attention and memory, (2) summarize the characteristics of these tests, including cognitive function domains, test content, readability, and psychometric quality, and (3) evaluate the feasibility of each test in cancer care.MethodsData sources include published test manuals, documents from official web pages, and published journal articles.ResultsOur study identified eight neuropsychological tests that are most frequently used to assess the attention and memory domains of objective cognitive function in patients with breast cancer. These tests include the California Verbal Learning Test, Hopkins Verbal Learning Test, Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test, Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure, CNS Vital Signs, Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Wechsler Memory Scale, and Trail Making Test. They demonstrate acceptable evidence of psychometric quality and varying degrees of feasibility. Test feasibility is influenced by factors such as short testing time, brevity and comprehensiveness, clear cognitive domain distinctions, availability of normative data, minimal practice effects, ease of administration, and limited attention-span requirements. These attributes determine a test's feasibility for use in cancer care. Among the evaluated measures, the California Verbal Learning Test for memory, the Trail Making Test for attention, and the CNS Vital Signs for comprehensive assessment emerge as the most practical choices for cancer care.ConclusionsThe assessment and management of cognitive function impairment are crucial for enhancing the quality of life in cancer survivors. Nurses should possess knowledge of assessment tools for early detection and the ongoing monitoring of this symptom's progression.
| S-EPMC10622612 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Walking aids are widely used by older adults, however, alarmingly, their use has been linked to increased falls-risk, yet clinicians have no objective way of assessing user stability. This work aims to demonstrate the application of a novel methodology to investigate how the type of walking task, the amount of body weight supported by the device (i.e., device loading), and task performance strategy affect stability of rollator users. In this context, ten users performed six walking tasks with an instrumented rollator. The combined stability margin "SM" was calculated, which considers user and rollator as a combined system. A Friedman Test was used to investigate the effects of task on SM and a least-squares regression model was applied to investigate the relationship between device loading and SM. In addition, the effects of task performance strategy on SM were explored. As a result, it was found that: the minimum SM for straight line walking was higher than for more complex tasks (p<0.05); an increase in device loading was associated with an increase in SM (p<0.05); stepping up a kerb with at least 1 rollator wheel in ground contact at all times resulted in higher SM than lifting all four wheels simultaneously. Hence, we conclude that training should not be limited to straight line walking but should include various everyday tasks. Within person, SM informs on which tasks need practicing, and which strategy facilitates stability, thereby enabling person-specific guidance/training. The relevance of this work lies in an increase in walking aid users, and the costs arising from fall-related injuries.
| S-EPMC6353162 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Subjective and objective measures of sleep structure or quality could help to characterize the chronic sleep disturbances, with relation to patients' risk factor profiles and co-morbidities. Studies have shown that discrepancies can occur between subjective data regarding sleep disturbances and the impact of insomnia and objective assays, and surrogate markers of sleep and sleep disturbances. Both objective and subjective measures should be incorporated into clinic studies. It seems likely that sleep quality is represented by a combination of more than one subjective sleep parameter. Objective and subjective assessments of sleep quality may relate to different parameters. Future studies incorporated both subjective and objective measures could help to address the sleep disorders.
| S-EPMC5550587 | biostudies-other
Project description:OBJECTIVE:Patients with fibromyalgia syndrome (FM) complain of inadequate sleep, which could contribute to common symptoms including sleepiness, fatigue, or pain. However, measures that consistently and objectively distinguish FM patients remain elusive. METHODS:Fifteen women with FM and 15 age- and gender-matched controls underwent 3 nights of polysomnography; Multiple Sleep Latency Tests to assess sleepiness; testing of auditory arousal thresholds during non-REM stage 2 and stage 4 sleep; overnight assessment of urinary free cortisol; and analysis of 24-hour heart rate variability. RESULTS:On the second night of polysomnography, women with FM in comparison to controls showed more stage shifts (p = 0.04) but did not differ significantly on any other standard polysomnographic measure or on the Multiple Sleep Latency Tests. Alpha EEG power during deep non-REM sleep, alone or as a proportion of alpha power during remaining sleep stages, also failed to distinguish the groups, as did auditory arousal thresholds. Urinary free cortisol did not differ between FM and control subjects in a consistent manner. However, decreased short-term heart rate variability (HRV) and especially ratio-based HRV among FM subjects suggested diminished parasympathetic and increased sympathetic activity, respectively. Other HRV measures suggested decreased complexity of HRV among the FM subjects. CONCLUSION:Standard measures of sleep, a gold-standard measure of sleepiness, quantified alpha-delta EEG power, auditory arousal thresholds, and urinary free cortisol largely failed to distinguish FM and control subjects. However, HRV analyses showed more promise, as they suggested both increased sympathetic activity and decreased complexity of autonomic nervous system function in FM.
| S-EPMC2909463 | biostudies-other
Project description:Research exploring weight bias and weight bias internalisation (WBI) is grounded upon several core measures. This study aimed to evaluate whether operationalisations of these measures matched their conceptualisations in the literature. Using a 'closed card-sorting' methodology, participants sorted items from the most used measures into pre-defined categories, reflecting weight bias and non-weight bias. Findings indicated a high degree of congruence between WBI conceptualisations and operationalisations, however found less congruence between weight bias conceptualisations and operationalisations, with scale-items largely sorted into non-weight bias domains. Recommendations for scale modifications and developments are presented alongside a new amalgamated weight bias scale (AWBS).
| S-EPMC8323429 | biostudies-literature
Project description:This data article presents a description of a benchmark dataset for the multi-objective flexible job shop scheduling problem in a cellular manufacturing environment. This problem considers intercellular moves, exceptional parts, sequence-dependent family setup and intercellular transportation times, and recirculation requiring minimization of makespan and total tardiness simultaneously. It is called a flexible job shop cell scheduling problem with sequence-dependent family setup times and intercellular transportation times (FJCS-SDFSTs-ITTs) problem. The dataset has been developed to evaluate the multi-objective evolutionary algorithms of the FJCS-SDFSTs-ITTs problems that are presented in 'Evolutionary algorithms for multi-objective flexible job shop cell scheduling'. The dataset contains forty- three benchmark instances from 'small' to 'large', including a large real-world problem instance. Researchers can use the dataset to evaluate the future algorithms for the FJCS-SDFSTs- ITTs problems and compare the performance with the existing algorithms.
| S-EPMC10751839 | biostudies-literature