Vienna Test System Research Articles

The effect of juggling on the proprioceptive and attentional abilities among older women.

Age-related changes in attentional abilities can lead to a decline in body segment awareness in space. However, studies have reported that physical activity can improve proprioception among older adults, although proven activities with this potential are limited. Juggling is a promising activity for enhancing proprioception, as it requires high levels of attention and sensory precision. The first hypothesis posited that a juggling intervention would positively impact ipsilateral and contralateral elbow joint position matching without visual input. The second hypothesis suggested a correlation between cognitive abilities and joint position sense efficiency. A total of 20 older women (mean age: 69.95 ± 4.58) participated in a repeated-measures study using a Latin square design. Measurements were taken at three time points (baseline, post-juggling, and control). Ipsilateral and contralateral elbow joint position matchings without visual or verbal feedback of accuracy were used to assess proprioception. Attention and reaction time variables were measured using the Vienna Test System protocols. Although significant changes were observed between baseline and subsequent time points in joint position sense accuracy, no specific effect of juggling was detected. Low and medium correlations were found between decision time and the variability of choice reaction time with contralateral accuracy. For ipsilateral accuracy, a relationship was observed only with handedness. No correlations were found between attention test scores and joint position sense accuracy. The study did not demonstrate a significant effect of juggling on position-matching ability. However, cognitive abilities such as decision speed and the stability of choice reaction time may play a role in enhancing position-matching in older women. ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier NCT06108713.

The Cognitive Function and Taekwondo-Specific Kick Performance of Taekwondo Athletes at Different Hydration Statuses.

Successful participation in taekwondo (TKD) requires athletes to possess quick decision-making abilities and demonstrate technical proficiency during competition. Dehydration, occurring during both training and competition, is widely recognized to have various negative effects. This study investigated the impact of different levels of dehydration on cognitive function, as measured by the Vienna Test System, and the specific performance of kicking techniques among TKD athletes. Using a randomized crossover design, 12 participants were involved in the study. Before and after 1 hour of training at 80% of maximal heart rate, participants were weighed and provided urine samples. All participants were randomly assigned to 3 different hydration conditions: the euhydrated (EUH) group had unrestricted access to fluid consumption, while the hypohydrated (HYP) and severelyHYP (S-HYP) groups experienced reductions of 2.0% and 4.0% of their initial body weight, respectively. The EUH group exhibited better reaction speed in reaction-time test-form S1 than the HYP and S-HYP groups. Notably, the EUH group demonstrated a significantly higher success rate in the front-side kick (EUH 98%, HYP 90%, S-HYP 88%; P < .05). However, the success rates of back roundhouse kick and free head kick were similar among the 3 statuses. Furthermore, postexercise heart rates were found to be significantly higher in the HYP and S-HYP groups compared with the EUH group. This study provides insight into the negative effects of dehydration on cognitive function and TKD-specific performance. It is recommended that TKD athletes maintain optimal hydration levels during training and competition to ensure optimal performance.

Effect of a juggling-based physical activity on postural stability, reaction time, and attention focus in older adults: a randomized crossover study

BackgroundIn the aging society, more attention is paid to the promotion of forms of physical activity that can improve postural stability and cognitive functioning. In this context, the importance of combined exercises, requiring simultaneous physical and cognitive involvement, is emphasized. Juggling seems to be a form of activity that is both cognitively and physically demanding. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of additional juggling exercise on postural stability and cognitive abilities in healthy, physically active older adults.MethodsTwenty-six healthy and physically active older adults (70.08±4.40 years old) were included in a randomized crossover study. The addition of juggling three times a week during four weeks was the main intervention (one period), while the control phase included four weeks with no addition of juggling (second period). Measurements of postural stability and cognitive abilities were performed before and after each period. For the purpose of postural stability assessment, a velocity of center of pressure with root mean square, area 95 percentile, medio-lateral and anterior-posterior range of motion were measured. Center of pressure signals were obtained using an AccuGait™ System force plate in three conditions: free standing, dual-task and limits of stability. The Vienna Test System was used for the assessment of selected cognitive abilities. A battery of reaction time tests and Cognitrone test were used for this purpose.ResultsA significant interaction effect of intervention and time was observed in the postural stability dual-task condition in the root mean square of the center of pressure velocity in the advantage of the juggling period (medio-lateral: F=14.83, p<.01, ƞp2=.37; anterior-posterior: F=26.30, p<.01, ƞp2=.51). Additionally, moderate effect sizes were observed in the velocity of the center of pressure and variability of simple reaction time measurements, but without statistical significance.ConclusionsThe results of this study indicate that the implementation of juggling activity in everyday life may have positive effects on cognitive abilities and postural stability in healthy, physically active older adults, but the true effect may be low to moderate.Trial registrationThe study was registered retrospectively (30.10.2023) at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT06108713).

Lateralization of the Fine Motor Skills in Right - and Left-handed Men and Women

Introduction: Motor performance is an important feature that can be measured to observe the development of the central and peripheral nervous system. Fine motor skill assessed by Morische-Leistungs-Serie (MLS) was studied in normal male and female right-handers and left-handers considering familial sinistrality and writing hand. Evaluations were conducted by measuring fine motor performance through the use of a modern computerized model. Materials and Methods: Hand preference was assessed by the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory Geschwind score (GS). Fine motor skills were measured by the MLS in the computerized Vienna Test System. Results: Left-handed volunteers had a significantly higher fine motor skills in both dominant and nondominant hands compared to right-handed volunteers. Conclusions: These results suggest that the contributions of the right and left cerebral hemispheres to the motor output of the brain depend on sex and more importantly, hand preference. It was determined that left handed subjects were more skillfull than right-handed subjects when dominant hands or weak hands were compared.

Assesment of Cognitive Skills in Billiards Players

In this study, it is aimed to reveal differences between the cognitive skills of the brain such as reaction time, speed distance estimation, nonverbal intelligence between different grade billiards players with numerical data. Research population consisted of professional and amateur male billiards players between the ages of 18-35. Cognitive abilities such as reaction time, speed-distance estimation, and judgment were measured with Vienna Test System (Schuhfried GmbH Moedling, Austria). The data was analyzed by Mann-Whitney U Test and Pearson correlation test. All statistical analysis were calculated using SPSS version 15.0 (SPSS Inc, USA). Reaction time and Speed-Distance Estimates of professional billiards players were statistically significantly higher than amateur billiards players (p=0.034, p=0.012). It was observed that the ability to make decisions under stress was higher in amateur players than in professional billiards players (p=0.155). Furthermore, a positive correlation was found between billiards scores and speed-distance estimation skills in professional billiards players (r=0.102, p=0.766). The test results indicate a positive correlation between players' cognitive skills and billiards scores, while concurrently revealing that stress negatively impacts test scores. It was observed that sport of billiards had a positive effect on cognitive skills, which are upper functions of the brain. It has been determined that billiards may be beneficial for brain development. As a result, it was concluded that it would be beneficial to expand the billiards in educational institutions and throughout country by cooperating with non-governmental organizations such as billiard federation.

Influence of Beta and Theta waves as predictors of simple and complex reaction times in examined groups of judo athletes during the Vienna test

Introduction: This research aimed to investigate which waves, Theta or Beta, are significant predictors of visual simple and complex reaction times during the Vienna test, using regression modeling. The research material comprised the test results of male judo athletes (n = 24), selected through mixed sampling (purposive and random). The study was conducted in two cycles, differentiated by frequency but with the same duration of EEG biofeedback sessions, in both the control and experimental groups. The first cycle of the study consisted of 15 sessions held every other day. Each training session lasted for 4 minutes. The second series of studies, which took place after a six-week break, was characterized by a higher frequency of meetings (daily), with the duration of one training session remaining the same as in the previous cycle, i.e., 4 minutes. The impact of neurofeedback training on the visual reaction speed of judo athletes was verified using selected samples from the Vienna Test System (VTS). The study revealed that athletes from the experimental group, as a result of implementing the beta1/theta protocol, statistically significantly improved their simple and complex reaction times after each training cycle. Similar changes were not observed in the control group. The results suggest that neurofeedback training may significantly improve reaction skills in a sports context. However, for a fuller understanding and confirmation of these effects, further well-controlled studies are necessary.

Examining stress Tolerance and Self-Efficacy in Soldiers

This research aims to investigate the relationship between soldiers' physical self-efficacy, general self-efficacy, and stress tolerance. The study examined 34 male soldiers from the Latvian National Armed Forces, utilizing the Self-Efficacy to Regulate Exercise Scale, The General Self-Efficacy Scale, and the Determination test (DT) from the Vienna Test System. The testing was conducted individually face-to-face in a laboratory setting, utilizing a computer-based valid measuring instrument to assess the stress tolerance of the participants. This assessment was complemented by physical self-efficacy and general self-efficacy questionnaires. Our findings highlighted the significance of soldiers' physical self-efficacy, as it exhibits positive and substantial relationships with stress tolerance. The regression model for physical self-efficacy was statistical significance. Specifically, general self-efficacy and stress tolerance demonstrated a positive predictive effect on physical self-efficacy. This implies that higher general self-efficacy and stress tolerance correspond to greater physical self-efficacy. The implications of these findings are crucial because they highlight the role of self-efficacy and stress tolerance in determining soldiers' physical self-efficacy levels. Understanding these relationships can have implications for military training programs and interventions aimed at improving the performance of soldiers, their stress tolerance, mental resilience, and well-being. This study holds both theoretical and empirical value. Furthermore, these findings may be extended beyond military context, offering valuable implications for other high stress professions.

Relevance of neurocognition in chronic pain syndrome: a systematic and methodical approach

ABSTRACT Introduction Subjective and objective deficits in neurocognitive domains are well-documented in patients with chronic pain. However, neurocognitive deficits have not been investigated consistently. The main objective of this study was to conduct a comprehensive assessment of self-rated and objectively assessed cognitive differences between patients with chronic pain (CP) and healthy controls (HC). Method The cognitive functioning of 40 CP and 41 HC was assessed using a standardized computer-based test battery, enabling a comparison of subjective and objective neurocognitive factors. To achieve this, the Vienna Test System (VTS) was utilized, incorporating standardized tests from the Cognitive Basic Assessment Battery (COGBAT) with the advantage of objectivity, reliability, validity, efficiency, utility, and standardization. This approach enables the evaluation of cognitive functioning across all pertinent domains. Results CP reported cognitive deficits in overall performance as well as specific functions, such as attention, memory, and executive functions. Across all neurocognitive domains, CP showed a poorer performance. Affected subdomains of attention were intensity and selectivity of attention. Lower performance was found also in concentration performance, obtaining and overview, visual orientation performance and reactive stress tolerance. Regarding memory, CP performed worse in figural episodic memory and recognition tasks. In addition, CP exhibited poorer performance in mental flexibility, working memory, planning ability, and inhibition as components of executive functioning, when compared to HC. Conclusions CP expressed subjective cognitive deficits and demonstrated impaired neurocognitive performance.

The Effects of EEG Biofeedback Training on Visual Reaction Time in Judo Athletes.

The aim of the study was to expand the current knowledge on the effects of EEG biofeedback training on the reaction time of judo athletes, as well as to develop an optimal EEG training protocol in terms of the number of sessions and their duration that would significantly improve the reaction time of athletes. The study included 24 male athletes from the national team of the Polish Judo Association. The selected group was randomly divided into two subgroups: experimental and control. The study was conducted in four cycles varying in terms of frequency and duration of neurofeedback (NFB) sessions, both in the control and experimental groups. In the experimental group, each training cycle consisted of 15 sessions, followed by a four-week break. The effects of NFB training on the visual reaction time of judo athletes were evaluated using computerized simple and complex reaction time tests along with selected trials of the Vienna Test System (VTS). Following NFB training according to the theta/beta1 protocol, while maintaining appropriate duration and frequency of individual training sessions, statistically significant improvements in reaction times to visual stimuli of athletes, both in simple and complex tasks, were observed in the experimental group. No such changes were found in the control group. The greatest improvement in reaction times was observed in complex tasks, indicating the high effectiveness of EEG biofeedback training in enhancing this ability.

Relationship Between Cognitive Functions and Agility Performance in Elite Young Male Soccer Players

Abstract Matlák, J, Fridvalszki, M, Kóródi, V, Szamosszegi, G, Pólyán, E, Kovács, B, Kolozs, B, Langmár, G, and Rácz, L. Relationship between cognitive functions and agility performance in elite, young, male soccer players. J Strength Cond Res 38(1): 116–122, 2024—The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between agility performance and cognitive functions measured under laboratory conditions among elite young soccer players. Twenty-five, elite, young, male soccer players (12.3 ± 0.4 years, 155.4 ± 7.6 cm, 42.6 ± 6.9 kg) completed a battery of field tests, including 5-, 10-, 20-m sprints, change of direction speed (CODS), standing long jump, and an agility test based on a human stimulus. Subjects also completed choice reaction (RT, S3) and reactive stress tolerance (DT, S1) tests on the Vienna Test System. There was a moderate significant relationship (p &lt; 0.05) found between mean reaction time and mean motor time during the choice reaction task and decision time in the agility test. Decision time also showed a large significant correlation (p &lt; 0.05) with total time in the agility test. No significant correlation was found between total time in the agility test and variables measured during RT and DT tests. No significant correlations were found between agility test results and results from straight line sprints, CODS, and standing long jump tests. The results of this study suggest that choice reaction time is related to decision-making speed during the agility task used in this study and can have an indirect effect on agility performance in elite young soccer players. Further studies assessing the relationship between different cognitive functions and agility performance in different sports and age categories could help in the identification of determinant cognitive functions in perceptual and decision-making factors of agility.

Cognitive Underperformance in a Mixed Neuropsychiatric Sample at Diagnostic Evaluation of Adult ADHD.

(1) Background: The clinical assessment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adulthood is known to show non-trivial base rates of noncredible performance and requires thorough validity assessment. (2) Objectives: The present study estimated base rates of noncredible performance in clinical evaluations of adult ADHD on one or more of 17 embedded validity indicators (EVIs). This study further examines the effect of the order of test administration on EVI failure rates, the association between cognitive underperformance and symptom overreporting, and the prediction of cognitive underperformance by clinical information. (3) Methods: A mixed neuropsychiatric sample (N = 464, ADHD = 227) completed a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment battery on the Vienna Test System (VTS; CFADHD). Test performance allows the computation of 17 embedded performance validity indicators (PVTs) derived from eight different neuropsychological tests. Further, all participants completed several self- and other-report symptom rating scales assessing depressive symptoms and cognitive functioning. The Conners' Adult ADHD Rating Scale and the Beck Depression Inventory-II were administered to derive embedded symptom validity measures (SVTs). (4) Results and conclusion: Noncredible performance occurs in a sizeable proportion of about 10% up to 30% of individuals throughout the entire battery. Tests for attention and concentration appear to be the most adequate and sensitive for detecting underperformance. Cognitive underperformance represents a coherent construct and seems dissociable from symptom overreporting. These results emphasize the importance of performing multiple PVTs, at different time points, and promote more accurate calculation of the positive and negative predictive values of a given validity measure for noncredible performance during clinical assessments. Future studies should further examine whether and how the present results stand in other clinical populations, by implementing rigorous reference standards of noncredible performance, characterizing those failing PVT assessments, and differentiating between underlying motivations.

Feasibility of a novel neurofeedback system: a parallel randomized single-blinded pilot study

Neurocognitive assessment tools have been proposed to optimize, maintain, and improve perceptual-cognitive performance. Here, we investigated the feasibility and efficacy of a novel neurofeedback system, neuroMoon (nM), on cognitive abilities compared with one of the most popular perceptual-cognitive training (PCT) tools both in sports and rehabilitation called NeuroTracker (NT). Thirty-one young athletes performed a comprehensive battery of cognitive tests from the Vienna Test System before and after a 12-session computer-based cognitive training program using nM (n = 11, age 22.6 ± 3.8 years), nM sham (CON, n = 10, age 20.3 ± 1.2 years) or NT (n = 10, age 20.5 ± 1.7 years) device. A series of repeated-measures ANOVA was performed to detect changes in cognitive abilities in response to the training. Participants had faster median reaction time in both the color-naming and word-reading conditions of the Stroop test (all p < 0.005), regardless of group. Regarding the task switching test, statistical analysis indicated faster working time and mean reaction time of the incongruent stimuli, repetition task, and shifting task (all p < 0.005), nevertheless, these changes were also regardless of group. In addition, we found fewer omitted (pre: 17.5 ± 8.3, post: 6.4 ± 1.5, d = 1.311) and more correct (pre: 261.6 ± 36.1, post: 278.6 ± 38.7, d = − 1.020) post-intervention answers in the determination test, regardless of group. Finally, participants in each group performed the digit span backward test with larger post (6.42 ± 1.54) vs. pre (5.55 ± 1.43) scores following the PCT (d = − 0.801). Overall, PCT with nM as compared with NT induced similar results in cognitive abilities suggesting its potential to be used to achieve and maintain better mental performance. However, considering that the sham stimulation also induced similar improvements in cognitive abilities, future studies should clearly determine the cognitive measures that could benefit from NF training.

P01.08.B MENTAL FATIGUE IN PATIENTS WITH LOW-GRADE GLIOMA: ASSOCIATIONS WITH NEUROCOGNITIVE FUNCTIONING AND TUMOR CHARACTERISTICS

Abstract BACKGROUND Fatigue is a frequent consequence of low-grade glioma (LGG), but the causes are still barely understood. Specifically mental fatigue might be related to cognitive impairment such as mental slowness and decreased attention. Also, patients with greater tumor volumes or tumors in certain locations (such as the frontal cortex) might have more cognitive impairments and experience more fatigue. The aim of the present study was twofold: (1) to examine the relationship between mental fatigue and information processing speed and complex attention and (2) to investigate the associations between mental fatigue and tumor volume and location in patients with LGG. MATERIAL AND METHODS 124 patients with LGG (IDH mutated astrocytoma and oligodendroglioma grade 2 and 3) were included before the start of proton therapy. Different facets of fatigue, including mental fatigue, were measured after surgery, with a multidimensional fatigue scale, the Dutch Multifactor Fatigue Scale (DMFS). The Vienna Test System was used to examine simple information processing speed, response inhibition, and divided attention. Tumor location and tumor volume (radiation target volume) were scored on the pre-radiotherapy MRI scan. Descriptive statistics, Spearman’s correlations, and between group comparisons were performed. RESULTS 41% of patients with LGG reported severe mental fatigue. No significant differences were found in mean performance on simple information processing speed, response inhibition and divided attention between severely mental fatigued patients and non-severely mental fatigued patients. However, the percentage of patients with impaired divided attention was significantly higher in the severely mental fatigued group (39%) compared to the non-severely mental fatigued group (16.2%), χ2 = 7.6, p &amp;lt; 0.05. No significant relationships were found between mental fatigue and tumor volume and location. Also, tumor location was not related to neurocognitive functioning, but larger tumor volume was significantly associated with poorer performance on divided attention (r = -0.19, p &amp;lt; 0.05). CONCLUSION A high rate of mental fatigue was found in patients with LGG. Furthermore, a relationship between impaired divided attention and severe mental fatigue was found. This implies that patients may develop mental fatigue due to increased cognitive efforts to compensate for attentional deficits. This might be especially important in patients with larger tumors, considering the relationship between tumor volume and divided attention. The results stress the importance of neuropsychological assessment in this patient group before the start of adjuvant treatment, to timely offer individual rehabilitation.

A RESEARCH ON PSYCHOTECHNICAL TESTS USED IN HUMAN RESOURCES PRACTICES

Psychotechnical tests are used in many areas such as the recruitment of employees, their placement in the appropriate job, and the evaluation of their performance in human resources practices. And with the use of these tests, it helps organizations to employ the right people for the job and to increase the performance of their employees and therefore organizations. One of the most used methods in psychotechnical evaluation is the Vienna Test System (VTS). Determination Test (DT) and Cognitrone Test (COG), two of the most used tests in VTS, were used as measurement tools in this study. While the COG test fundamentally measures attention, DT measures the speed and quality of response to stimuli. The aim of this study is to determine the success of the employees in the COG and DT, according to their educational status and age, and to determine whether there is a difference between them. For this purpose, tests were applied to 3222 blue-collar employees working in Kocaeli and Istanbul in Türkiye. According to the results obtained, as the education level of the employees increases, their success in these tests increases, and as their age increases, their success decreases. In line with these results, some suggestions were presented to managers and researchers.

Peripheral Vision in Basketball Players at Different Level of Experience

Abstract Introduction. This study focuses on the sensory information delivered by the visual system, particularly in the peripheral visual field (PVF). Visual abilities, especially the ability to detect peripheral information, have been identified as important factors for successful performance in team sports. Athletes often need to divide their visual focus between central and peripheral fields to achieve optimal performance. However, research on visual perception in athletes with varying levels of experience is still limited. The aim of the study was to compare peripheral perception of basketball players at different level of experience. Material and Methods. In study 165 basketball players took part at different level of experience. An analysis compare abilities general visual functions (i.e. field of vision) and reaction time to visual stimuli. Peripheral perception was examined using the peripheral test included in Vienna Test System (VTS, Schuhfried, Austria). During the test variables were recorded: total field of vision, viewing angle of the left and right eye., tracking deviation, number of correct reactions, the number of omitted responses and median reaction time – left and right stimuli. Results. The results indicate that the E and U19 groups had significantly shorter response time to stimuli appearing in the peripheral field of vision compared to U15 group. Two more experienced groups had bigger field of vision than U15. No statistically significant differences were observed between E and U19 group. Conclusions. The study highlights the importance of perceptual skills, particularly in anticipation and decision-making processes, for basketball players due to the high number of stimuli involved in the sport. Understanding these differences can inform training strategies and help identify areas that may require additional attention for optimal performance. The accumulation of high volume of sport specific exercises may facilitate the development of perceptual expertise in basketball players.

Differences in Peripheral Vision Between Contemporary Dancers, Folk Dancers and Non-Dancers

Abstract Introduction. In stage performances, dancing requires synchronous connections, choosing paths in space, forming, balancing shapes, adjusting tempo and energy, as well as partnering. Therefore, in addition to proprioceptive abilities and central vision, peripheral vision is used to a large extent. Will the role of peripheral vision be relevant in selected dance styles and techniques? The aim of this study was to compare peripheral perception between contemporary dancers, folk dancers and non-dancers. Material and Methods. The study included 126 individuals. This group consisted of 48 contemporary dancers, 19 folk dancers and 58 non-dancers (the control group – students who did sports other than dance). The Vienna Test System was used to assess peripheral perception. Statistical analysis of the results was performed using a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results. Interpretation and analysis of the test results indicate that the dancers’ visual range is relatively large, averaging 175.3° for contemporary dancers and 175.58° for folk dancers. As for the control group, the visual range was 172.64°. In the case of peripheral vision, statistically significant differences were noted between the control group and the contemporary dance group (p &lt; 0.01) as well as between the control group and the folk dance group (p &lt; 0.05). Conclusions. Contemporary and folk dancers did not show variation in peripheral vision. However, differences occurred between dancers and non-dancers. It was noted that the studied groups of contemporary and folk dancers had a better range of visual functions related to the peripheral visual field than the control group.

Cognitive correlates of maritime pilots’ human errors

Human factors are one of the most important factors affecting safety performance in the changing maritime environment, yet maritime pilots’ human errors have not been sufficiently investigated from a psycho-cognitive perspective although they are central to the safe passage of vessels in challenging waterways. Since human error is associated with cognitive functioning, this study aimed to explore cognitive correlates of maritime pilots’ human error history through a causal-comparative design using ex post facto human error data. Thus, based on a sample size calculation, 72 Iranian male maritime pilots were recruited and their performance was assessed by six Vienna Test System tests (working memory [CORSI], focused attention [WAFF], divided attention [WAFG], situational awareness [MR], planning [TOL-F], and time and movement anticipation [ZBA]). Finally, pilots with and without a history of human error were compared based on their performance in cognitive tests using independent samples t-test or Mann-Whitney U test. Findings showed that pilots without a history of human error scored significantly higher on working memory, situational awareness, and divided attention (sig = 0.003, 0.002, and 0.028 respectively; P ≤ 0.05). Therefore, as maritime pilots are required to retain and process different arrays of information from different sources, working memory and divided attention deficiency would negatively impact their performance. Situational awareness deficiency was also observed to be associated with pilots’ unsafe behaviors. Overall, these findings demonstrate the cognitive relevance of human error in pilotage and can be consulted for enhancing maritime safety and strategic decision-making on personnel recruitment and development.

Bateria testów abilitest – własności psychometryczne narzędzi: badania wstępne

Cognitive efficiency is crucial for many areas of human activity. It affects the employees' efficiency and safety at the workplace. An important element of the prevention of accidents at work is the appropriate professional selection, which consists in checking the characteristics of candidates needed for a given position, and for this purpose, a psychological diagnosis is carried out. The aim of the study was to develop tools for cognitive diagnosis that are characterized by good psychometric properties. Tools for the diagnosis of simple reaction time (Abili-time), choice reaction time (Abili-select), prolonged attention (Abili-space, Abili-digit), and working memory (Abili-langmem, Abili-mathmem) were developed. Validation studies were conducted with 221 individuals aged 20-60 to assess relevance and reliability (internal consistency and temporal stability), and with the participation of 61 in a retest 3 months after the first measurement. Paper tests (CTT, TUS, Digit Span from WAIS-R(PL)) and tests from the Vienna test system (RT, SIGNAL, CORSI, ALS) were used to assess validity. The analysis showed that the Abili-time and Abili-select tests have satisfactory internal consistency. Analysis of temporal stability showed significant test-retest correlations for Abili-select, Abili-space, Abili-digit and Abili-langmem. Abili-time had slightly lower temporal stability. The temporal stability of Abili-mathmem was not confirmed. Significant correlations were obtained between the results of the developed tools with measures measuring similar constructs. The conducted research confirms the validity and reliability of Abili-time, Abili-select and Abili-space. Further work is needed on working memory tests, which are noteworthy due to the lack of other tools available on the market to test these functions. Further research should involve more people as well as carrying out standardization work. Med Pr. 2023;74(2):103-18.

Adolescents’ Cognitive Abilities, Reaction Time, and Working Memory Performance by Vienna Test Systems

Abstract - Mental and physical health components are critical in child’s development. However, adolescents are especially vulnerable group presenting multiple health risks of chronic disease, sleeping and eating problems. Moreover, the long time spent at screens increases possibility to develop addictions. There is a lack of comprehensive interdisciplinary assessment tools for adolescents, to assess their mental health components, and provide preventive activities. It is very important to develop a methodology that can accurately assess the minor cognitive and health deviations that can be caused by an unhealthy lifestyle and excessive time spent on screens. This research explores the possibilities to record and compare parameters of cognitive abilities, reaction time, and working memory using Vienna test systems for different groups of adolescents by their physical activity and health levels. The results of this study demonstrated that the reaction time in adolescents was shorter using the leading hand in comparison with using the non-leading hand, 272.842±44.001ms vs 306.631±57.081ms on Vienna test for low physical activity (LPA) adolescents group. In the STROOP test color evaluation results were faster than word reading test results. The median of reaction time of LPA adolescents for color evaluation was 0.897±0.221ms and 0.968±0.15ms for reading. Vienna test system has specific tests that can be used to determine memory parameters, providing different assessment approaches to compare the obtained results. Group of adolescents with mild chronic health conditions performs statistically significantly lower parameter in particular tests in comparison with adolescents with low and high physical activity.

Effective motor learning and coordination abilities of girls and boys aged 9-10

Introduction&#x0D; Learning is a complex and multi-dimensional process that depends on cognitive and emotional processes and the development of functional systems of the human body. One type of learning is motor learning. Its course and effects depend on many factors. One of the factors may be coordination abilities.&#x0D; Purpose&#x0D; The cognitive aim of the study is to assessment of the effectiveness (speed, efficiency) of learning complex motor activity in relation to the selected aspect of physical development (coordination abilities) of a selected group of girls and boys.&#x0D; Materials and methods&#x0D; The study was conducted among 73 children (44 boys and 29 girls) aged 9 - 10 years. Authors used the pedagogical experiment method and the research tool was the program for learning how to juggle three tennis balls. To assess the selected aspects of physical development we chose the direct categorized observation method. As research tools Authors used the Vienna Test System (VTS) and 2hand test.&#x0D; Results&#x0D; Boys achieved a higher average level of eye-hand coordination (2-hand test), but the differences between them and girls were not statistically significant. Girls achieved, on average, higher results than boys in terms of precise hand movements (MLS test). Statistically significant differences in their favor occurred in most of the tests performed.&#x0D; Conclusion&#x0D; There are functions between the speed and efficiency of learning a complex motor activity and coordination abilities. They are more pronounced than boys. It is important to develop coordination abilities in the didactic process to support motor learning.&#x0D; &#x0D;