The effectiveness of five types of cognitive preparation on strength performance was examined in a 2 X 5 (Pre- and Posttest × Mental Preparation Condition) design, with repeated measures on pre-posttest. The mental preparation conditions were: arousal, attention, imagery, self-efficacy, and a control read condition. Immediately following the posttest trials, subjects completed a questionnaire measuring various cognitive states. The results showed that preparatory arousal and self-efficacy techniques produced significantly greater posttest strength performance than the control group. Analysis of the postexperimental questionnaire data suggested that a general effect of the preparation strategies used was to focus attention on the task to be performed. It was concluded that the effectiveness of a particular cognitive strategy may depend on the nature of the task to be performed and the particular aspects of the task to which attention is directed.

We report a controlled laboratory validation experiment to provide an empirical sequel to the general background of the development of the Automated Performance Test System (APTS) that was presented in Turnage et al. (1992). The purpose of this study was to index performance deficit against various Blood Alcohol Concentrations (BACs) of small (0.05% BAC), medium (0.10% BAC), and large (0.15% BAC) dosages as well as a placebo (0.00 BAC) condition. Blood alcohol concentrations, measured in four different ways, were highly reliable and the method with the highest intercorrelation was whole blood. When taken singly, eight of the nine tests produced significant (p < 0.001) relationships with the disparate blood alcohol levels, which were essentially monotonic. A multiple regression analysis suggested that most of the tests were behaving similarly and that two or three tests accounted for 52 to 54% of the variance attributable to alcohol that was explained by the longer battery. While all tests appear valid, some of them appeared more sensitive than others (viz., code substitution, manikin, and choice reaction time). From the standpoint of these tests, greater changes occurred in cognitive function between the placebo and 0.05 level than between the 0.05 and 0.10 levels. However, the greatest reduction in performance occurred between 0.10 and 0.15, and the relatively abrupt nature of this change implies that sharp decrements in cognitive performance occur at that point. There were individual differences in resistance to alcohol, and there is strong inference that these differences would be reliable if they were tested again. We believe that further development and study of such techniques is warranted for use in fitness-for-duty testing and development of a dose equivalency index.

This study examined the feasibility of repeated self-administration of a newly developed battery of mental acuity tests which may have application in screening for fitness-for-duty or for persons who may be exposed to environmental stress, toxic agents, or disease. 16 subjects self-administered 18 microcomputer-based tests (13 new, 5 "core"), without proctors, over 10 sessions. The hardware performed well throughout the study and the tests appeared to be easily self-administered. Stabilities and reliabilities of the tests from the "core" battery were comparable to those obtained previously under more controlled experimental conditions. Eight of the new tests exceeded minimum criteria for metric and practical requirements and can be recommended as additions to the menu. Although the average retest reliability was high, cross-correlations between tests were low, implying factorial diversity. The menu can be used to form batteries with flexible total testing time which are likely to tap different mental processes and functions.

In developing a menu of computerized performance tests for repeated-measures applications the metric properties of selected tests have been examined. Factors of chief concern have been stability and reliability, as well as the practical issue of the length of time it takes to achieve high levels of both. In this study, these factors, as well as predictive validity, are examined. 25 subjects were tested repeatedly (10 sessions) with 11 tests previously identified as "good" candidates for repeated-measures research in paper-and-pencil (marker test) versions. The 11 tests were administered concurrently in their traditional paper-and-pencil modes and newly implemented microcomputer-based versions, along with the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS). Nine of the 11 microcomputer-based tests achieved stability. Reliabilities were generally high, with r greater than or equal to .77 for 3 min. of testing. Cross-correlations of microbased tests with traditional paper-and-pencil versions suggest equivalency between the test constructs in the different media. Correlations between six of the microbased subtests and the WAIS identified common variance, and these might comprise an efficient short (6 min.) battery of tests.

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