Biomedical subjects

Edna R Fiedler

Publications and source records attributed to Edna R Fiedler.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

The interrater reliability of the Structured Interview for DSM-IV Personality.

We examined the joint interview interrater reliability of the Structured Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Personality Disorders (SIDP-IV) in 433 non-treatment-seeking military recruits. Reliability was computed for the diagnosis of a specific personality disorder (PD) and for the number of PD criteria present, and computed using a dimensional score. Reliability increased when PDs were computed using dimensional scores rather than categorical scores. Avoidant and dependent PDs demonstrated the highest interrater reliability, whereas schizoid and schizotypal showed the lowest. This large sample allowed us to perform item-level analyses of the SIDP-IV. Interrater reliability for each of the PD criteria was generally more than 0.70, with the notable exception of criteria scored through observation only. Overall, the SIDP-IV demonstrated good reliability in a non-treatment-seeking population.

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disord↗

PubMed2005

Evolution of the Behavioral Sciences Branch of the Space Medicine and Health Care Systems Office at the Johnson Space Center.

This paper presents a brief history of psychology and psychiatry roles in psychological selection and how these roles have evolved into the Behavioral Sciences Branch at the Johnson Space Center USC), Houston, TX. Since the initial selection of the Mercury Seven, the first United States astronauts, psychologists and psychiatrists have been involved in astronaut selection activities. Initially very involved in psychological selection of astronauts, the role of behavioral health specialists waned during the Gemini and Apollo years. With the onset of the NASA/Mir/International Space Station Program, the introduction of payload and mission specialists, and international collaboration, the evolving need for behavioral health expertise became apparent. Medical and psychological selection processes were revisited and the Johnson Space Center developed a separate operational unit focused on behavioral health and performance. This work unit eventually became the Behavioral Sciences branch of the Space Medicine and Health Care Systems Office. Research was allocated across groups at JSC, other NASA space centers, and the National Space Biomedical Research Institute, and was funded by NASA Headquarters. The current NASA focus on human space exploration to the Moon and beyond re-emphasizes the importance of the human-centered approach.

Aerospace Medicine↗

PubMed2005

Operational processes and cognitive mapping.

Military operations involve human cognition at every level, from the front line soldier making life and death decisions on the battlefield, to the rear echelon making logistical and tactical decisions affecting divisions and armies. This section focuses on the performance of individuals and teams in the midst of extreme, hazardous environments--times and places when cognitive processes are most likely to be highly challenged and compromised. While active military operations do not lend themselves to the rigor of science, surrogate environments can simulate actual operational environments and allow mapping of military battle-relevant operational processes to research laboratory and analogue paradigms. Several current laboratory, analogue, and modeling endeavors are mentioned. Sleep-related fatigue and cognitive decrements have been studied extensively and countermeasures are showing promise in preventing and restoring cognitive declines. Future deliverables should include a prediction of an individual's overall cognitive performance state based on that person's individual baseline, the use of operationally robust metrics that can accompany the individual into extreme environments without adding an extra burden, and the provision of feedback to the operator as well as to decision-makers who make battlefield decisions. The area of intra- and inter-team cognition has direct relevance to military units working in complex, hazardous environments, and future research must include this larger, more complex concept of cognition in the development of risk mitigation aids. Papers in this section present the effects of combat-like stress on cognitive performance and mood of special operations personnel during rigorous training exercises, and the extent of psychiatric casualties as the reason for medical evacuations during recent combat operations.

Cognition↗

PubMed2004

Traits associated with personality disorders and adjustment to military life: predictive validity of self and peer reports.

This study demonstrated that traits and features associated with several types of personality disorders are related to work performance and the ability to conform to requirements of military life. The Schedule for Nonadaptive and Adaptive Personality and a peer nomination procedure were used to assess traits associated with 10 types of personality disorders in a sample of 1,080 Air Force recruits (57% male) at the end of basic military training. Correlations between self-report and peer nomination scores for each set of traits ranged from 0.24 to 0.13, indicating only modest convergence. Follow-up data, collected 2 years later, indicated that several scores from the Schedule for Nonadaptive and Adaptive Personality and the peer nomination procedure were significantly related to early discharge from the military. Peers provide useful information that is not redundant with that provided by the individual. When possible, assessment of personality problems should be considered from information obtained from peers or other informants.

Adaptation, Psychological↗