Cross validation of brief vestibular disorientation test during pilot training administered by variety of personne

Ambler, R. K.

Grudy, F. E., Jr.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

NAMI- 1009 
CROSS-VALIDATION OF A BRIEF VESTIBULAR DISORIENTATION 
TEST ADMINISTERED BY A VARIETY OF PERSONNEL 
Rosalie K. Ambler and Fred E. Guedry, Jr. 
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3 (NASA CR OR TMX OR AD NUMBER) (CATEGORY) 
ARMY - NAVY 
Joint Repor t  
U. S .  ARMY AEROMEDICAL RESEARCH UNIT 
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CROSS-VALIDATION OF A BRIEF VESTIBULAR DISORIENTATION 
TEST ADMINISTERED BY A VARIETY OF PERSONNEL* 
' Rosalie K. Ambler and Fred E. Guedry, Jr. 
Bureau of Medicine and Surgery 
MR005.04-0086.2 
U. S. Army Aeromedical Research Unit 
NASA Order R-93 
Approved 
Ashton Graybiel , M. D. 
Director of Research 
Released by 
Captain J. W. Weaver, MC, USN 
Commanding Officer 
24 May 1967 
*This research was conducted under the sponsorship of the Office of Advanced Research 
and Technology, National Aeronautics and Space Administration. 
NAVAL AEROSPACE MEDICAL INSTITUTE 
NAVAL AEROSPACE MEDICAL CENTER 
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA 32512 
SUMMARY PAGE 
THE PROBLEM 
A Brief Vestibular Disorientation Test (BVDT) has been developed that involves 
observer assessment of subiects' reactions produced by head movements in a rotating 
chair. Promising validity coefficients have been reported for a criterion of pass versus 
separation from pilot training, The purpose of this study was to cross-validate the 
BVDT under observer conditions approximating field use. 
FINDINGS 
Cross-val idat ion was considered successful because significant relationships were 
found between sensitivity scores on the BVDT and four dichotomous criteria: 
1 .  Students separated from flight training for a l l  causes versus completed. 
2. 
3. 
4. 
Tension separations versus al l  other students. 
Airsick separations versus al l  other students. 
Tension and/or airsick separations versus al l  other students. 
High sensitivity scores on the BVDT were related to membership in al l  four separation 
groups. The addition of the BVDT significantly augmented the magnitude of the multiple 
correlations of the existing selection variables with the criterion. 
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 
The investigators would l ike to acknowledge with gratitude the following individ- 
uals who served as raters: Lt. Patrick M. Curran, MSC, USNR, Mrs. Linda M. Crush, 
Dr. Alfred R. Fregly, Ens. John H i l l ,  MC, USNR, Lt. Charles W. Hutchins, MSC, 
USN, Lt. Norman E. Lane, MSC, USN, Mrs. Barbara Martin, Mrs. Judy L. Miller, 
Mr. Joel W. Norman, Lt. Richard S. Pomarolli, MSC, USNR, HM2 James L. Roberts, 
USNR, and Mr. Theron L. Trimble. 
.. 
I I  
INTRODUCTION 
' 
simple whole-body rotation, has been of interest to aviation examiners since the time of 
World War I .  Early attention centered mainly around identifying and describing the 
phenomenon. More recently, efforts have been made to assess the total behavior associ- 
ated with the Coriolis vestibular reaction and to correlate these assessments with some 
external criterion (1 -6). Evaluations of individuals experiencing this Coriolis vesti- 
bular reaction have been compared with their subsequent performance in flight training 
in the Netherlands (5) and Canadian (6) Air Training Commands. Results were encour- 
aging in that the evaluations appeared to predict success and also occurrence of motion 
sickness in flight training. Performance in  a rotating environment also has been found 
to be predictive of susceptibility to airsickness and seasickness (4). 
The Coriolis vestibular reaction, which can be elicited by ti l t ing the head during 
At Pensacola a Brief Vestibular Disorientation Test (BVDT) has been developed that 
involves an assessment of subjects' reactions produced by head movements in a rotating 
chair. A structured rating procedure was introduced to permit brief and objective ad- 
ministration of the test by personnel who have only a modicum of training for the task. 
Re1 iabil ity of measurement has been demonstrated by substantial agreement among sever- 
al types of observers using the BVDT technique for the same subjects and by substantial 
agreement of the observers' BVDT ratings with the subiects' self-ratings of sensitivity. 
These data have been reported previously (3). Promising validity coefficients also have 
been reported for an over-all criterion of pass versus separation from naval pilot training 
and for a specific criterion of separation for airsickness (1). The purpose of this Study 
was to cross-validate the BVDT under observer conditions approximating field use. 
P ROCE DU RE 
The test was administered to 239 naval pilot trainees during the twelfth week of the 
16-week predflight syllabus. With the rotatory Stille-Werner chair stationary, each 
subject was asked to practice slow head movements of 45 degrees with his eyes closed 
and without mechanical aids. After instructions, the chair was accelerated at 15 deg/ 
sec' to a constant velocity of 90 deg/sec (15 rpm). After 30 seconds the following 
posit ions were assumed: head right, upright, left, upright, right, upright, left, up- 
right, forward, upright. Each position was maintained for 30 seconds. .The chair was 
stopped by a 15-deg/sec2 deceleration upon completion of this sequence. The subject 
was instructed to open his eyes after the sensation of movement stopped. Observers 
made independent ratings of each subject during the sequence. Rater estimates of 
pallor, sweating, facial expression, unsteadiness, speed of recovery, and over-all 
performance were recorded on a ten-point scale. The low point on the scale represent- 
ed low sensitivity, or no effect. An individual rater's score was obtained simply by 
summing his judgments on the six factors. The BVDT score for a given subject was the 
mean of these individual ratings. Raters were told not to make relative judgments of 
subjects but to judge each man separately. For example, a rating of 10 on sweating 
would mean that the man was sweating as profusely as possible. The number of observers 
per subject varied from two to four, wi th  a mode of three. A total of 13 observers with 
1 
The means and standard deviations for the various criterion categories are presented 
in Table II to demonstrate the magnitude of the differences among these criterion groups. 
Table II 
BVDT Score Descriptive Statistics for Various Criteria 
Criterion Groups First Study Cross-val idat ion 
Complet ions 
Separations 
(all causes) 
Tense separations 
Airsick separations 
Tense and/or 
airsick separations 
Total 
- 
X 
cb 
N 
- 
X 
w 
N 
- 
X 
OL 
N 
- 
X 
(% 
N 
- 
X 
& 
N 
- 
X 
m 
N 
12.09 
4.67 
168 
14.09 
7.92 
58 
14.12 
5.40 
22 
23.11 
13.68 
10 
16.81 
10.14 
27 
12.64 
5.76 
226 
13.66 
5.68 
1 70 
15.91 
8.00 
69 
19.22 
8.48 
25 
20.12 
7.21 
9 
18.91 
8.47 
26 
14.23 
6.46 
239 
The significant coefficients for two successive samples suggest that the BVDT i s  a 
useful selection instrument. I t  was necessary, however, to determine whether it aug- 
mented existing selection procedures. Research at the Naval Aerospace Medical Insti- 
tute has developed multiple regression equations for predicting subsequent separation 
from flight training (7). Separate equations are available for various critical points in 
training; the predictor variables entering into these equations are drawn from the aviation 
selection tests and a l l  performance data available up to that given point in training. 
3 
. study samples there were no students with FAR scores of 3 and only eight with scores of 4. 
The data for both samples are combined in Table IV. Although the number of cases 
involved i s  small, the data in Table IV  support the inference that extreme reactors on 
the BVDT (42 or above) cannot complete flight training. Furthermore, there appears to 
be a significant interaction between the BVDT score and the FAR score in the upper 
score ranges of the BVDT (15 to 42.9). Students who had BVDT scores in this range and 
who scored 4 or 5 on the FAR had an attrition rate of 50 per cent while those with a 
FAR of 6 or above had a somewhat lower separation rate of 32.5 per cent. 
Table I V  
Separation Rates for Various BVDT Score Levels and Flight Aptitude Ratings 
BVDT 
Scores 
FAR 4 or 5 FAR 6 to 9 
Input % Separating Input % Separating 
6.0 - 8.9 17 17.6 
9.0 - 14.9 69 24.6 
15.0 - 42.9 36 50.0 
43.0 - or above 1 100.00 
Total 1 23 31.7 
51 19.6. 
208 22.1 
80 32.5 
3 100.0 
342 24.9 
RECOMMENDATIONS 
It has been demonstrated that this relatively simple method of assessing the Coriolis 
vestibular reaction in human subjects has significant imp1 ications for aviation personnel 
selection. The evidence supports the recommendation that the BVDT procedure be in- 
corporated into flight student selection. consideration should be given to the exclusion 
of a l l  applicants who score 5 or below on the FAR and who also have BVDT scores in the 
upper ranges. This recommendation i s  not meant to imply that this avenue of research 
has ended. Increased reliability, validity, and objectivity in assessing the Coriolis 
vestibular reaction are the next goals. 
5 
O n  I G I N  A T I  N G 4 C TI  V I  T Y (c'orpLlr.'le .7arll lor) 
Naval Aerospace Medical Institute 
Pensacola, Florida 3251 2 
D E S C R I P T I V E  N O T E S  (ripe O f  repor1 and i n c l u a r v e  d a l e s )  
243. R E P O R T  S E C U R I T Y  C L I S S I F I C A T I O N  
Unclassif ied 
N /A 
2 h .  G R O U P  
A U T H O R t S l  ( F i r a l  name.  middle  ~ n r l i a l ,  l a s f  name)  
7a. T O T A L  NO O F  P A G E S  
7 
Rosalie K .  Ambler and Fred E. Guedry, Jr. 
24 May 1967 
R E P O R T  D A T E  
1 C O N T H A C -  O R  G R A N T  N O  
NASA R-93 
>. P R O J E C T  N O  
MR005.04-0086.2 
i, 
3 D I S T R I B U T I O N  S T A T E M E N T  
7h. N O  O F  R E F S  
7 
1 S U P P L E M E N T A R Y  N O T E S  
Joint report with U. S. Army Aeromedical 
Research Unit, Fort Rucker, Alaboma 
N AMI- 1009 
1 2 .  S P O N S O R I N G  M I L I T A R Y  A C T I V I T Y  
9b .  O T H E R  R E P O R T  N O I S )  ( A n y  other  numbers t h a t  m a y  be assigned 
l h i s  repor t )  
U SA A RU - J R-67-4 
~ ~~ 
3 D B S T R A C  T 
A Brief Vestibular Disorientation Test (BVDT) was developed that involves observer assessment 
of subiects' reactions produced by head movements in a rotating chair. Promising validity co- 
efficients have been reported for a criterion of pass versus separation from pilot training. This 
study cross-validated the BVDT under observer conditions approximating field use. The test was 
administered to 239 aviation trainees during pre-flight training. The number of observers per 
subject varied from two to four. Thirteen observers with a variety of backgrounds participated. 
BVDT scores were correlated with four criteria: 1) students separated from training for a l l  causes 
versus completions, 2) tension separations versus all others, 3) airsick separations versus a l l  others 
4) tension and/or airsick separations versus all others. Significant relationships existed between 
high sensitivity scores on the BVDT and membership in a l l  four separation groups. The addition of 
the BVDT significantly augmented the magnitude of the multiple correlations of the existing 
aviation selection variables with the criteria. 
I D  IFNodtM651473 ( P A G E  ' )  Unclassified 
S/N 010 I -  8 0 7 -  6 8 0  1 Security Classification 


Cross-validation of a brief vestibular disorientation test administered by a variety of personnel

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