Validity and reliability of a light-based electronic target for testing response time in fencers

Response time is a fencing fundamental sensorimotor skill. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to examine the efficacy of a light-based electronic target in fencers, designed to measure and train this entity. Ninety-five fencers (M=53; F=42) were tested in regard to their response time, using a light-based electronic target, for three different attack types: simple attack, the lunge, and an attack following a 1.5-m thrust. All participants were divided into elite vs. novice fencers. Elite fencers had national and international rankings, and were again divided with regard to used weapon: épéeists (n=32; M=19; F=13) and foilists (n=30; M=13; F=17). Measurement was evaluated for validity/reliability, sensitivity/specificity, and correlation. Reliability was high for all attack types (ICC 0.94-0.96). Lower response times were found in males for two attack types with good sensitivity (81-93%)/specificity (50-91%) for all attack types. Elite fencers responded faster than novice fencers for all attack types (P<0.001), whereas elite males were faster than females for two attack types (P<0.01). Lower response times in females correlated with level for one attack type (r=0.797, P<0.05). In conclusion, the light-based electronic target system was found to be highly reliable and therefore could be used by fencing athletes as a further measure of performance

Actitudes de la mujer ante el embarazo

El presente trabajo fue iniciado bajo los auspicios del Instituto de Psicología de la Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias de la Educación dependiente de la Universidad Nacional de La Plata (Republica Argentina). El Dr. Mauricio Knobel, Director de ese Instituto nos ha propuesto continuar el trabajo ya iniciado en el Hospital Alvear de Buenos Aires, en torno a in administración y standarización de un nuevo test por él diseñado, presumiblemente apto para explorar las peculiaridades de in estructura psicológica de la mujer embarazada. Nuestro interés se centre en la consideración de las actitudes más frecuentes en esa etapa de in vida y en su relación con las características del parto