Validation of the Virtual Reality Everyday Assessment Lab (VR-EAL):An immersive virtual reality neuropsychological battery with enhanced ecological validity

International audienceObjective: The assessment of cognitive functions such as prospective memory, episodic memory, attention, and executive functions benefits from an ecologically valid approach to better understand how performance outcomes generalize to everyday life. Immersive virtual reality (VR) is considered capable of simulating real-life situations to enhance ecological validity. The present study attempted to validate the Virtual Reality Everyday Assessment Lab (VR-EAL), an immersive VR neuropsychological battery, against an extensive paper-andpencil neuropsychological battery. Methods: Forty-one participants (21 females) were recruited: 18 gamers and 23 non-gamers who attended both an immersive VR and a paper-and-pencil testing session. Bayesian Pearson correlation analyses were conducted to assess construct and convergent validity of the VR-EAL. Bayesian t-tests were performed to compare VR and paper-and-pencil testing in terms of administration time, similarity to real life tasks (i.e., ecological validity), and pleasantness. Results: VR-EAL scores were significantly correlated with their equivalent scores on the paper-and-pencil tests. The participants' reports indicated that the VR-EAL tasks were significantly more ecologically valid and pleasant than the paper-and-pencil neuropsychological battery. The VR-EAL battery also had a shorter administration time. Conclusion: The VR-EAL appears as an effective neuropsychological tool for the assessment of everyday cognitive functions, which has enhanced ecological validity, a highly pleasant testing experience, and does not induce cybersickness

Análise do perfil de liderança dos treinadores das categorias de base do futebol brasileiro

Este estudo tem o objetivo de analisar o perfil de liderança dos treinadores das categorias de base do futebol brasileiro. Para a coleta de dados, utilizou-se um questionário de identificação da amostra e a Escala de Liderança Revisada para o Esporte (ELRE), versão auto-percepção. Participaram deste estudo 109 treinadores com média de idade de 38,64 anos (± 10,33) e uma média de tempo de envolvimento na função de treinador igual a 7,05 anos (± 6,01). Os treinadores entrevistados advinham de quatro categorias: sub-20 (33 treinadores), sub-17 (28 treinadores), sub-15 (25 treinadores) e sub-13 (23 treinadores). A análise estatística foi realizada no SPSS versão 11.0. Os resultados mostraram que os treinadores se auto-percebem como sendo mais autocráticos e voltados para os aspectos de treino-instrução de suas equipes. Constatou-se que não houve diferença entre as percepções dos treinadores que trabalham nas quatro categorias de base coletadas. Em relação à forma de trabalho desses treinadores em suas equipes conclui-se que eles são autocráticos e mostram uma preocupação com a conduta educativa e de instrução, denotando preocupação com a melhoria do desempenho técnico, tático e motivacional das equipes. Conclui-se também, que os profissionais entrevistados mostram perfis de liderança semelhantes independentemente da categoria na qual eles estão trabalhando no momento.This study aimed to identify the factors derived from the real leadership style of soccer coaches. This study used a questionnaire to characterize the sample and the Revised Leadership Scale for Sport, real profile version, as instruments for data collection. One hundred and nine soccer coaches of youth teams participated of this research. They presented an average age of 38.64 years (± 10.33) and a direct involvement with coaching of 7.05 years (± 6.01). The interviewees were coaches of four age groups: under 20's (33 coaches), under 17's (28 coaches), under 15's (25 coaches) and under 13's (23 coaches). The results showed that the coaches interviewed perceive themselves as autocratic and orientated to training-instruction aspects as the main components of their leadership profile. The study also found that there were no statistical differences between coaches of the four age groups studied. Therefore, it is possible to conclude that, the real profile of leadership for soccer coaches in youth teams combines autocratic decision style and the technical, tactical and motivational performance of the team; and that the interviewed coaches have the same leadership profile independently of the age group they work with

Neuropsychological Assessment Using Virtual Environments: Enhanced Assessment Technology for Improved Ecological Validity

Abstract. Although today’s neuropsychological assessment procedures are widely used, neuropsychologists have been slow to embrace technological advancements. Two essential limitations have resulted from this refusal of techno-logical adaptation: First, current neuropsychological assessment procedures repre-sent a technology that has barely changed since the first scales were developed in the early 1900s. Second, while the historical purpose of clinical neuropsychology was differential diagnosis of brain pathology, technological advances in other clinical neurosciences have changed the neuropsychologist’s role to that of mak-ing ecologically valid predictions about the impact of a given patient’s neurocog-nitive abilities and disabilities on everyday functioning. After a brief discussion of current applications of computer-based neuropsychological assessment, there is a discussion of an increasingly important topic in recent decades—the design of ecologically valid neuropsychological instruments to address real world out-comes. Finally, there is an exploration of virtual reality environments for ecologi-cally valid neuropsychological assessments that make use of current technological advances. It is concluded that a future possible virtual reality-based neuropsy-chological assessment battery will combine the control and rigor of technologi-cally advanced computerized laboratory measures, the psychometric rigor (i.e., veridicality) of traditional paper-and-pencil assessments, and verisimilitude ap-proximating real life situations.