Combining relevance information in a synchronous collaborative information retrieval environment

Traditionally information retrieval (IR) research has focussed on a single user interaction modality, where a user searches to satisfy an information need. Recent advances in both web technologies, such as the sociable web of Web 2.0, and computer hardware, such as tabletop interface devices, have enabled multiple users to collaborate on many computer-related tasks. Due to these advances there is an increasing need to support two or more users searching together at the same time, in order to satisfy a shared information need, which we refer to as Synchronous Collaborative Information Retrieval. Synchronous Collaborative Information Retrieval (SCIR) represents a significant paradigmatic shift from traditional IR systems. In order to support an effective SCIR search, new techniques are required to coordinate users' activities. In this chapter we explore the effectiveness of a sharing of knowledge policy on a collaborating group. Sharing of knowledge refers to the process of passing relevance information across users, if one user finds items of relevance to the search task then the group should benefit in the form of improved ranked lists returned to each searcher. In order to evaluate the proposed techniques we simulate two users searching together through an incremental feedback system. The simulation assumes that users decide on an initial query with which to begin the collaborative search and proceed through the search by providing relevance judgments to the system and receiving a new ranked list. In order to populate these simulations we extract data from the interaction logs of various experimental IR systems from previous Text REtrieval Conference (TREC) workshops

Washington University Record, November 17, 1994

https://digitalcommons.wustl.edu/record/1671/thumbnail.jp

Washington University Record, December 1, 1994

https://digitalcommons.wustl.edu/record/1672/thumbnail.jp

PSYCHOLINGUISTIC INDICATORS OF MOTIVATION FOR SUBSTANCE USE BEHAVIOR CHANGE AMONG INDIVIDUALS WITH SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS

The co-occurrence of mental illness and substance use disorders (termed "dual diagnosis") represents a significant public health issue and is associated with significant impairment and negative health consequences, particularly among individuals with serious mental illness. Given the negative consequences associated with dual diagnosis, researchers have sought to identify treatment components that would improve outcomes among individuals with serious mental illness. Therefore, significant efforts have been made to increase motivation for change within severe mental illness populations using Motivational Interviewing, a client-centered therapy. The primary mechanism underlying the effect of Motivational Interviewing on behavior change is hypothesized to be the selective reinforcement of change talk by the therapist with the aim of reducing ambivalence. Change language has been found to predict substance use treatment outcomes; however, it is not clear if change language has similar predictive utility in individuals with serious mental illness. Therefore, the current study sought to validate change language as an indicator of motivation among 45 individuals with serious mental illness and co-occurring substance use disorders. Overall, we found that change language could be reliably coded in this sample. Evidence supported the predictive utility of Ability language (i.e., statements regarding self-efficacy) in prospectively predicting long term substance use treatment outcomes (i.e., six months after the Motivational Interview session) above and beyond negative symptoms, depressive symptoms, and substance use severity. These findings suggest that the investigation of client language during MI represents a promising avenue for understanding motivational processes underlying substance use treatment outcomes among individuals with serious mental illness. Specifically, elicitation of client statements regarding self-efficacy to reduce or stop substance use is particularly important in predicting favorable outcomes in this population. Future studies should evaluate the utility of incorporating treatment components aimed at cultivating self-efficacy for substance use behavior change among individuals with serious mental illness