Predicting Driving Performance in Older Adults with the Useful Field of View Test: A Meta-Analysis

This investigation examines the Useful Field of View (specifically theUFOV® test), as a predictor of objective measures of driving performance.PubMed and PsycInfo databases were searched to retrieve eight independentstudies reporting bivariate relationships between the UFOV® test and drivingmeasures (driving simulator performance, state-recorded crashes, and on-roaddriving). Cumulative meta-analysis techniques were used to examine thepredictive utility of the test, to determine whether the effect size was stable acrossstudies, and to assess whether a sufficient number of studies have been conductedto conclude that the test is an effective predictor of driving competence. Resultsshowed that the study samples could have been drawn from the same population.The weighted mean effect size across all studies revealed a large effect, Cohen’sd=0.945, with poorer UFOV® test performance associated with negative drivingoutcomes. This relationship was robust across multiple indices of drivingperformance and several research laboratories. A concrete measure of sufficiencyrevealed that an additional 513 studies averaging a null result must be conductedto bring the p-value for the cumulative effect size to greater than .05. Thisconvergence of evidence across different points in time and different researchteams confirms the importance of the UFOV® assessment as a valid and reliableindex of driving performance and safety. Corroborating this finding, a recent largefield study in Maryland has further established the UFOV® test as a usefulscreening instrument to identify at-risk older drivers. Taken together, thesefindings could have far-reaching implications for public policy

Multiple List Learning in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Parallels with Frontal Lobe Damage or Further Evidence of Diminished Relational Processing?

To test the effects of providing relational cues at encoding and/or retrieval on multi-trial, multi-list free recall in adults with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder (ASD), 16 adults with ASD and 16 matched typical adults learned a first followed by a second categorised list of 24 words. Category labels were provided at encoding, retrieval, both or not at all. Both groups showed enhanced recall when labels were available during encoding or throughout the task. ASD individuals showed reduced recall of the second list and reduced clustering. Clustering and recall were correlated in both groups, which also showed similar levels of subjective organisation. The findings are discussed in relation to theories of frontal and medial temporal lobe contributions to memory in ASD

The useful field of view test: Normative data for older adults

The Useful Field of View test (UFOV11UFOV is a registered trademark of Visual Awareness Inc.) is increasingly used in clinical and rehabilitation settings. To date there have been no normative data for adjusted performance comparisons across demographically-similar, elderly peers. This study examined demographic and cognitive influences on the UFOV in a sample of 2759 participants (65-94 years of age). Performance was found to differ by age and education. Regression analyses examined the relative contributions of age, education, mental status, vision, and health to UFOV performance. All of these factors were found to significantly contribute to UFOV performance, with age accounting for the most variance and education accounting for the least. Normative tables for the UFOV by age and education are provided. These norms will allow researchers and clinicians to compare UFOV performance with similar peers and may help in identifying elderly persons who would benefit from speed of processing training