Previous Normative Studies Research Articles

Standardizing norms for 180 coloured Snodgrass and Vanderwart pictures in Kannada language.

This study presents normative data in Kannada for 180 coloured Snodgrass & Vanderwart pictures. Data are presented for naming latency, image agreement, picture-name agreement, familiarity, visual complexity, and age of acquisition (AoA). Sixty-eight native Kannada speaking adults completed all tasks. The effects of the rated variables on naming latency were examined and compared with data on the same variables in other languages. A regression analysis revealed that image agreement, name agreement, familiarity, and age of acquisition all had a significant impact on naming latency, while visual complexity and frequency did not. Although, the correlations among rated variables in Kannada were equivalent to previous normative studies, the cross-linguistic comparison revealed that only AoA was strongly correlated with other studies. The findings point to the importance of understanding the interplay of psycholinguistic variables on naming latency in different languages.

Dissociated Effects of Age and Recent Troubling Experiences on Nightmares, Threats and Negative Emotions in Dreams.

Several studies have highlighted associations between adverse life events and the dysphoric character of dream experiences. This degree of continuity between waking-life and dream content seems partly attributed to the emotional and personal attachment linked to the incorporated waking experiences. Numerous changes in the processing of emotion-related stimuli are also reported across different human developmental stages. Therefore, we were interested in testing whether age would modulate the impact of recent troubling experiences on dream characteristics. Two hundred sixty participants, evenly distributed in five developmental stages, matched for gender and their exposure to a troubling experience, were selected from a large sample collected for a previous normative study of dreams of Canadians. Participants completed a dream questionnaire from which independent judges subsequently scored the dreams. We observed no interactions between the experience of troubling events and age. However, individuals who experienced a recent troubling event reported a higher frequency of nightmares and their dreams were more emotionally negative. Participants who experienced a moderately severe troubling event were also more likely to experience a dream whose maximal threat severity was of moderate intensity. Adolescents and young adults had dreams with a higher level of oneiric threats compared to older adults (>40 years old). Young adults also reported a higher frequency of nightmares compared to older adults. Our findings have implications for modern dream theories. They also suggest that dysphoric dreams might serve as potential proxies of mental health status and developmental stages. Future studies are now needed to explore the implications of these findings for psychological adaptation.

Screening methods of traditional Chinese medicine for coronary heart disease and angina pectoris: an exploration based on core outcome set and fuzzy comprehensive evaluation

It was pointed out in Opinions on Promoting the Inheritance, Innovation and Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine issued by the State Council in 2019 that 100 varieties of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) with unique curative effects should be screened out within about three years. Due to the multi-component and multi-target mechanisms of TCM varieties, it is difficult to directly and simply evaluate their multi-dimensional clinical value using methods applicable to chemical or biological agents. The heterogeneity of outcomes for similar TCM makes it difficult to determine the advantages of similar products. The fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method that is developed on the basis of core outcome set and fuzzy mathematics for clinical efficacy evaluation of TCM may solve these problems. This study developed a fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model for the clinical efficacy evaluation of Chinese patent me-dicines for coronary heart disease and angina pectoris, and selected the previous normative studies with complete or incomplete data for verifying the model application. The results showed that original studies with complete data failed to evaluate and compare the comprehensive efficacy of different interventions. The original research only mentioned the advantages and disadvantages of different interventions in different aspects. The comprehensive clinical efficacy of three different interventions obtained through fuzzy comprehensive evaluation was all graded as level Ⅱ. The original research with incomplete data drew the same conclusions as the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation, and the results of fuzzy comprehensive evaluation can provide more comprehensive information. Therefore, the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation shows the products with overall advantages of clinical efficacy, which may become a feasible method for the screening of TCM.

Undergraduate students\u2019 norms for the Chinese version of the symptom check-List-90-R (SCL-90-R)

BackgroundDespite widespread application of the Symptom Check-List-90-R (SCL-90-R) for Chinese undergraduate students, there are no appropriate norms for them. The aim of this study is to provide norms for the Chinese version of the tool for undergraduate students using a large and representative sample.MethodsFour thousand eight hundred sixty students completed the scale of SCL-90. The mean scores obtained in the present study were compared with mean scores from previous normative samples.ResultsThe mean scores for nine subscales of the SCL-90-R ranged from (1.36 ± 0.46) ~ (1.77 ± 0.63) and the mean (standard deviation) Global Severity Index (GSI) was 1.50 (0.49). Relative to previous normative studies, the findings suggested that Chinese undergraduate students’ self-reported mental health symptoms decreased in interpersonal sensitivity, depression, hostility, and paranoid ideation subscales.ConclusionIt is necessary to revise the norms of the Chinese version of the SCL-90-R for undergraduate students.

Affective Norms for 4900 Polish Words Reload (ANPW_R): Assessments for Valence, Arousal, Dominance, Origin, Significance, Concreteness, Imageability and, Age of Acquisition

In studies that combine understanding of emotions and language, there is growing demand for good-quality experimental materials. To meet this expectation, a large number of 4905 Polish words was assessed by 400 participants in order to provide a well-established research method for everyone interested in emotional word processing. The Affective Norms for Polish Words Reloaded (ANPW_R) is designed as an extension to the previously introduced the ANPW dataset and provides assessments for eight different affective and psycholinguistic measures of Valence, Arousal, Dominance, Origin, Significance, Concreteness, Imageability, and subjective Age of Acquisition. The ANPW_R is now the largest available dataset of affective words for Polish, including affective scores that have not been measured in any other dataset (concreteness and age of acquisition scales). Additionally, the ANPW_R allows for testing hypotheses concerning dual-mind models of emotion and activation (origin and subjective significance scales). Participants in the current study assessed all 4905 words in the list within 1 week, at their own pace in home sessions, using eight different Self-assessment Manikin (SAM) scales. Each measured dimension was evaluated by 25 women and 25 men. The ANPW_R norms appeared to be reliable in split-half estimation and congruent with previous normative studies in Polish. The quadratic relation between valence and arousal was found to be in line with previous findings. In addition, nine other relations appeared to be better described by quadratic instead of linear function. The ANPW_R provides well-established research materials for use in psycholinguistic and affective studies in Polish-speaking samples.

Normative anatomy of the anal sphincter detected with 3D-endoanal ultrasonography

Background: Understanding anal sphincter anatomy is crucial in management of anorectal disorders, including anorectal sepsis and fecal incontinence. Three-dimensional endoanal ultrasound (EAUS) provides better resolution of the tissue layers. Previous normative studies were obtained in Western populations. Objective: We demonstrated the anal sphincter anatomy in normal East Asian subjects. Methods: Forty-six healthy subjects without anorectal symptoms (M:F = 15:31, mean age ± SD = 47 ± 13 years) were enrolled. High-frequency (16 MHz) EAUS was performed with a mechanically rotated probe. Thickness and length of anal sphincter components were measured. Differences between sexes were assessed using a Student t test. Results: We demonstrated 4 differentiable components: the anal sphincter; internal anal sphincter (IAS), subcutaneous external anal sphincter (Sc EAS), superficial external anal sphincter (Sp EAS), and puborectalis muscle (PRm). The mean length of anal sphincter components were obtained in mm (men vs. women), IAS (28.5vs. 25.3, p = 0.03), Sc EAS (13.2 vs. 11.2, p = 0.005), Sp EAS (24.1 vs. 19.6, p = 0.0001), and PRm (12.4 vs. 12.2, p = 0.84). The anal canal was significantly longer in men (38.6 vs. 34.0, p = 0.007). The mean thickness for IAS (1.7 vs. 1.8, p = 0.095), Sc EAS (7.5 vs. 7.6, p = 0.587), Sp EAS (8.1 vs. 6.9, p = 0.001), and PRm (8.7 vs. 9.0,p = 0.605) were measured. The PRm was the thickest and the Sp EAS was the longest voluntary sphincter. Conclusion: Normative details of anal sphincter components in an East Asian population are described. This data can be used for future consideration of diseased states. Keywords: Anal sphincter anatomy, anal ultrasound, endoanal ultrasonography, normal anal sphincter anatomy,normative data, transanal ultrasound

Normative wideband reflectance measures in healthy neonates

ObjectivePresently, normative wideband reflectance data are available for neonates who have passed a distortion product otoacoustic emission test. However, passing the distortion product otoacoustic emission test alone does not ensure normal middle ear function. The objective of this study was to establish normative wideband reflectance data in healthy neonates with normal middle ear function, as justified by passing a battery of tests. MethodWideband reflectance was measured in 66 infants (mean age=46.0h, SD=21.0, range=13.3–116.5h) who passed a test battery that included high frequency (1000Hz) tympanometry, acoustic stapedial reflex, transient evoked otoacoustic emissions and distortion product otoacoustic emissions. ResultsThe analysis of variance (ANOVA) results showed significant variations of reflectance across the frequencies. There was no significant difference between ears and genders. The median reflectance reached a minimum of 0.21–0.24 at 1–2kHz, but increased to 0.45–0.59 below 1kHz and 0.24–0.52 above 2kHz. ConclusionsThe normative reflectance data established in the present study were in agreement with, but marginally smaller than, those of previous normative studies, except for the Keefe et al. (2000) study. While the use of a test battery approach to ensure normal middle ear function in neonates has resulted in slightly reduced reflectance across most frequencies when compared to studies that have used only otoacoustic emissions, further research is needed to accurately determine the middle ear status of neonates using test performance measures.

Abnormal Waveform of the Human Pattern VEP: Contribution from Gamma Oscillatory Components

Stimulus-related oscillatory activity above approximately 20 Hz (gamma band) is observed in the firing rate and membrane or field potentials of neurons in the visual cortex of cat and monkey. Cortical mass responses in the same frequency range are evoked in humans by contrast stimulation and proved (partly) independent of conventional VEPs. Visual evoked responses (pattern VEPs) with abnormal waveform (quasi-sinusoidal or with bifid wave P100) are reportedly common in diseases affecting the visual pathways (e.g., multiple sclerosis). Contributions of gamma activity to the distorted VEP waveform are possible if the mechanisms of generation are differentially affected by brain disorders. This hypothesis was investigated in patients with documented impairment of the visual system. VEPs and oscillatory responses to contrast stimulation (central 9 degrees of visual field; 1.3 to 5.0 cyc/deg; 80% contrast; reversal at 2.13 Hz) were recorded in 765 patients referred for standard visual testing and frequency analyzed. Controls were 40 healthy volunteers. The stimulus conditions and recording procedures replicated previous normative studies on the human oscillatory response. Conventional VEPs were replaced by oscillatory responses comparable to those of controls in the unfiltered recordings of 9.8% of examined patients (with postchiasmatic disorders in 59.9% of cases). Signal amplitude in the frequency interval of the VEPs (below approximately 19 Hz) was significantly lower in the frequency spectra of patients than of controls but did not differ in the frequency range above 20 Hz, reflecting the oscillatory response. The human gamma oscillatory response mediating in cortical visual information processing further proved independent of the VEPs. It can contribute to VEP waveform distortion, and its observation in substitution of VEPs should be regarded as an indication of impaired visual pathway function.

Normative Data on the Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory and Sutter-Eyberg Student Behavior Inventory: Parent and Teacher Rating Scales of Disruptive Behavior Problems in Children and Adolescents

ABSTRACT The Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory (ECBI) and the Sutter-Eyberg Student Behavior Inventory (SESBI) are widely used to measure disruptive behavior problems in children and adolescents (e.g., oppositional defiant disorder symptoms, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms, and conduct disorder symptoms). Previous normative studies on the ECBI and SESBI, however, suffer from a variety of limitations. This article addresses these limitations by providing more useful normative information on the ECBI (parent) and SESBI (teacher) rating scales. Study one provides normative information on the ECBI for 2,527 2-to 17-year-old children and adolescents. Study two provides normative information on the SESBI for 1,286 kindergarten through sixth grade children. Clinicians and researchers should find this new normative information on the ECBI and SESBI useful for screening purposes. This new normative information will also help to determine the clinical significance of treatments for disruptive behavior problems where the ECBI and SESBI are used as outcome measures.

IQ and Scores on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)

The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised (PPVT-R) were administered to 217 Veterans Affairs (VA) Nursing Home patients, 104 of whom did not carry a diagnosis associated with brain impairment, and 113 who had a diagnosis associated with degenerative or cerebrovascular conditions. MMSE and IQ scores were significantly correlated in both groups, even controlling for the effects of education. It is suggested that although previous normative studies of the MMSE may provide good general clinical guidance, interpretation of “impaired” performance on the MMSE for those with IQ scores below 90 should be approached with caution. Average MMSE scores for Wechsler IQ classifications are provided.

Variability and sequential order of consonant normalization in children with speech delay.

A source of discrepancy among attempts to establish a rank order in the development of English consonants has been the inability to cope concurrently with principled generalization and individual variability. This problem may be surmounted by survival analytic techniques. From the conversational speech of 24 children with speech delay (SD) recorded over 2 years, a Kaplan-Meier (KM) survival analysis provided a rank order of acquisition for all probabilities above .75. The rank ordering by chronological age uncovered an alignment by place and manner of articulation comparable to, but not identical with, the predictions of Jakobson (1941, 1968). When the derived normalization probabilities for the speech delayed children were lagged according to the strong delay hypothesis (Shriberg, Gruber, & Kwiatkowski, 1994), they were shown to converge with previous normative studies and the age of speech-sound determinations (Prather, Hedrick, & Kern, 1975; Sander, 1972). The convergence of results is interpreted both as an argument for generalizability and as support for the strong delay hypothesis.

The Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task (PASAT): norms for age, education, and ethnicity.

The Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task (PASAT) is often used to measure attention, concentration, working memory, and speed of information processing. Using a modified 200-item version of the PASAT with presentation rates of 3.0, 2.4, 2.0, and 1.6 items per second, we analyzed demographic influences on test performance in a large sample (N = 566) of healthy North American adults. We found that age, education, and ethnicity were significant predictors, accounting for nearly 23% of the variance in test performance. We discuss these results in comparison to previous normative studies, and present a formula and tables for computing age, education, and ethnicity-adjusted T scores for performance on the PASAT 200.

Male and female normative data for ultrasound measurement of the calcaneus within the UK adult population.

The establishment of accurate normative data for specific populations is required before ultrasound bone densitometry may be considered for routine clinical application. A single general practice was utilized, representing both rural and urban populations, to recruit 169 male and 210 female subjects in the age range 20-80 years. Measurements of broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA) and velocity (VOS) of the left calcaneus were undertaken using the McCue CUBAClinical II system. Two descriptive statistical models were used, mean and 95th percentile, and regression analysis. The female data for both BUA and VOS illustrated peak values in the 30-39 years age group, falling steadily thereafter. For male BUA and VOS data there was less evidence of an age related dependence. Upon analysis of previous normative studies and current data it is evident that there is considerable variability. In addition to different commercial systems being utilized, there is a lack of consistency in study design and method of subject recruitment. The need for accurate calibration and cross-calibration methods for commercial ultrasound bone densitometers is therefore of paramount importance to enable clinical interpretation of ultrasound measurements to be performed.

The Performance and Experience of Normal Elderly People on the Chessington Occupational Therapy Neurological Assessment Battery (COTNAB)

COTNAB was initially developed for a 16–65 year old population of patients with head injury and stroke. A large proportion of neurological patients referred to occupational therapy are over 65. Without age-appropriate normative data, COTNAB cannot be used to assess these older patients in a valid and reliable manner. The purpose of this study was to collect initial normative data on elderly subjects and consider the appropriateness of the assessment for older patients. Forty-seven elderly subjects aged 65–87 were assessed on the COTNAB, and completed a questionnaire evaluating their experience of being tested and their perceptions regarding the relevance of the COTNAB subtests for their age and sex. The performance of the elderly subjects was found to vary from that of younger subjects assessed during previous normative studies. Scoring tables for ability, time and overall performance were constructed for an over-65 population.

Verbal fluency characteristics of normal and aphasic speakers.

Fourteen mildly aphasic and 14 normal speakers responded to an oral verbal fluency task for five different semantic categories. Retrieved words were scored within each 15-s time interval of a 60-s task as highly representative (i.e., having a high frequency of occurrence in a previous normative study), moderately representative (i.e., having a moderate frequency of occurrence), or highly unrepresentative (i.e., having a low frequency of occurrence). Both speaker groups were affected similarly by category type, and both retrieved words according to prior data-based notions of semantic categorical organization. The two groups differed with respect to the interaction between time intervals and representativeness levels. The different verbal fluency performance of the aphasic subjects was related to both the temporal occurrence of a word within a 60-s response interval and to its representativeness level (prototypicality) within a particular semantic category.

Normative data on selected neuropsychological measures from a nonclinical sample

Normative neuropsychological data are provided from a sample of 365, recruited from a nonclinical population. The sample was divided evenly between males and females, although males were somewhat overly represented in the youngest group, and females were somewhat overly represented in the oldest group. The measures included the Trail Making Test, Seashore Rhythm Test, Finger Tapping, Grooved Pegboard, and Dynamometer. The limited number of measures was a result of the time available to study each subject. Normative data were stratified by sex, age, and educational level. The present data were discussed in relationship to previous normative studies and also in the context of the need for additional normative studies.

Normative data and reliability estimates for eight dimensions of reading attitude, part IV—private school learning disabled students

The Survey of Reading Attitudes was administered to 167 intermediate and high school students who were enrolled in three private schools for LD children in the Southeast. Statistical analysis consisted of computing means, standard deviations, standard errors of measurement, and coefficient alpha reliability estimates for the eight dimensions of reading attitude included in the Survey. The reliability estimates for the respective dimensions were as follows: Expressed Reading Difficulty, alpha = .82; Reading as Direct Reinforcement, alpha = .72; Reading as Enjoyment, alpha = .87; Alternative Learning Modes, alpha = .72; Reading Group, alpha = .74; Reading Anxiety, alpha = .71; Silent vs. Oral Reading, alpha = .78; and Comics, alpha = .75. The current results viewed in conjunction with the results of the three previous normative studies seem to support the psychometric soundness of The Survey of Reading Attitudes across differing samples.

An exploratory study of word associations of Negro college students.

Two word-association lists of 50 words were each administered to 50 Negro college students. 41 words were taken from the Kent-Rosanoff list, 29 from the Palermo-Jenkins list, and 30 were words used in analogy items of the Scholastic Aptitude Test. Comparisons with previous normative studies showed generally similar results. The present study did result in slightly smaller proportions of matching from class primary responses to noun, pronoun, and adverb stimulus words and of opposite responses to “opposite-evoking stimuli.” A number of the responses indicated reading difficulty or misunderstanding of the word.

AN EXPLORATORY STUDY OF WORD ASSOCIATIONS OF NEGRO COLLEGE STUDENTS1,2

ABSTRACTTwo word association lists of 50 words were each administered to 50 Negro college students. Forty‐one words were taken from the Kent‐Rosanoff list, 29 from the Palermo‐Jenkins list, and 30 were words used in analogy items of the Scholastic Aptitude Test. Comparisons with previous normative studies showed generally similar results. The present study did result in slightly smaller proportions of matching from class primary responses to noun, pronoun, and adverb stimulus words, and of opposite responses to “opposite‐evoking stimuli.” A number of the responses indicated reading difficulty or misunderstanding of the word.