Adaptability measures as predictors of performance ratings.

How well do measures of temperamental and motivational characteristics in training predict success of performance of officers as indicated by Officer Effectiveness Ratings? S were selected from 666 cadets at one base and 69 at another. Variables used were 3 global indicies of adaptability and 10 variables representing the common factors. "(a) measures of adaptability to training and Air Force Life are more highly related to later officer performance than are measures of aptitude or ability; (b) assessments of a man's functioning involving personal judgments of peers, superiors, and experts are predictive of later performance as an Air Force officer." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Interpersonal relationship and prisoner of war concerns of rated military male and female aircrew

BACKGROUND: The issue of women flying military aircraft in a combat role has been very controversial. HYPOTHESIS: To succeed, female military aircrew are very similar to their male peers. METHODS: We conducted a comprehensive anonymous questionnaire survey of all U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force rated female aircrew, with an equal number of age and duty matched male aircrew. We are reporting on the interpersonal relationship and prisoner of war (P.O.W.) responses here. RESULTS: Male and female aircrew respond in a similar manner to posed questions, although differences do exist. Women reported: unequal treatment by opposite gender peers; problems relating to peers, superiors and subordinates; their gender influences assignments; the need to perform to higher standards and the need to work harder to be accepted as equals; ability to bond equally to their own and opposite gender peers; improved squadron cohesiveness in mixed gender squadrons; problems with peers' spouses; and, in a P.O.W. situation, fear of rape and sexual abuse. Men reported: women get inappropriate privileges and get special "breaks"; a gender difference in how flight duties are performed; worsened squadron cohesiveness in mixed gender squadrons; less likeliness to recommend their career path to their daughters; and a higher concern for welfare of families in a P.O.W. situation. CONCLUSIONS: Although responding in a similar manner to most questions, male and female military aircrew differ in the perception of their ability to function in mixed squadrons because of their gender. Some of these perceptions can be modified through training, others may need to be resolved through high level orders/policy; while in others, the military may have to accept women are different from men in some aspects.     

Prevalence of spatial disorientation in Indian Air Force aircrew

The 1 Aero Medical Training Centre has surveyed aircrew of the Indian Air Force to determine the prevalence of Spatial Disorientation (SD), as related to aircraft stream, age, flying experience, geographical location and other operationally significant variables. The reported prevalence of SD is 75% among fighter aircrew, 64% in transport aircrew, and 55% in helicopter aircrew. Whereas the prevalence of SD does not appear to vary significantly with age and flying experience, it is higher in fully operational pilots and in pilots returning to flight duties after a ground tenure, as compared to ab-initio and type-converting pilots.     

Relationship between measured interest patterns and satisfactory vocational adjustment for Air Force officers in the comptroller and personnel fields.

Comparison of personnel data sheet responses and Strong VIB scores for 243 comptroller officers and 1155 personnel officers led to the conclusion that the SVIB reflects the degree of satisfactory adjustment for Air Force officers in each field. For both groups, a significantly larger proportion of those Ss with SVIB patterns most similar to the SVIB patterns of their civilian counterparts express a preference for the Air Force specialty in which they are and a preference to engage in the activity in civilian life. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Canadian psychologists and the aerodrome of democracy.

Describes the role of Canadian psychologists in the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP) and suggests possible effects on postwar Canadian psychology. Some of Canada's most prominent psychologists were deeply involved in the field of aircrew selection and training between 1939 and 1945. E. A. Bott (1941), S. N. Chant (1943), and C. R. Myers (1972) all worked on human resource aspects of the BCATP for the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). Some of their most significant work was the development of selection procedures that culled over 150,000 aircrew candidates of which 131,553 graduated as qualified aviators. By introducing scientific methods (based on the behavioral sciences) to the RCAF, Canadian psychologists had a profound effect on the Commonwealth's aircrew production system. (French abstract) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relationship between stated and measured interests of two groups of United States Air Force officers.

Strong VIB scores and interests recorded on personal history forms were compared for Air Force officers in the personnel and accountant-comptroller areas. 3 judges interpreted the SVIB's and 3 classified the stated interests into occupational groups on the SVIB. There was good agreement among the judges on both tasks. Air Force officers tended to select civilian occupations (stated interests) similar to their military occupations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Ethical dilemmas and U.S. Air Force clinical psychologists: A survey.

Although psychologists work in widely varying settings, all encounter ethical dilemmas. Those who are also officers in the U.S. Air Force have the double burden of upholding the ethics code of psychologists while also supporting the mission of the Air Force. Does this create unique ethical dilemmas? To address this issue, the authors sent active-duty Air Force psychologists a questionnaire asking them to describe recent ethical conflicts. These conflicts are discussed as they relate to the "Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct" (American Psychological Association, 1992) and in comparison with civilian practice. Results suggest a broad range of concerns but center on those related to perceived conflicts between the Air Force mission and the ethical demands of psychologists. Recommendations for dealing with ethical conflicts at the organizational level are offered. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Stress in Air Force aviators facing the combat environment

BACKGROUND: This paper evaluates the effect of stress on four squadrons of United States Air Force aviators in tactical high performance aircraft deployed for combat operations compared with U.S. based aircrew using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) as the evaluating instrument. METHODS: This is a retrospective cross-sectional study consisting of 42 aviators in deployed squadrons stationed overseas and involved in a contingency mission, and 15 subjects stationed in the U.S. and not exposed to combat conditions. Each subject was administered the test instrument, which was completed in privacy and with complete anonymity. RESULTS: The hypotheses of interest were: a) the proportion of individuals in the population of fighter aircrew who would report excessive stress is 0; and b) no significant differences would exist in the proportion of individuals with excessive stress in the various squadrons. Using statistical methodology, these hypotheses were rejected. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that more studies in each given circumstance are necessary.     

The frame of reference of flying instructors.

The failure rates in Air Force and Naval trainees trained side by side are examined. "The method of selection of Air Force trainees was altered at a given point of time, but… [for] the Naval trainees remained unaltered. Although no significant change was noted in the failure rate in the Air Force trainees, the failure rate in Naval trainees rose steeply. It was argued that this change in the failure rate of the Naval trainees could be explained in terms of a change in the frame of reference of flying instructors." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Evaluating potential officer effectiveness in a training situation.

A situational performance test was developed for evaluating potential Air Force officer effectiveness during the officer training program. For the 480 members of an AF Candidate School graduating class reliability of scoring (examiner-observer agreements on a behavior check list) was .75. Correlations between the total test score and Officer Candidate School evaluation measures were in the range .21—.25. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Arm pain among Swedish fighter pilots during +Gz flight and centrifuge exposures

BACKGROUND: The purpose was to survey the occurrence of arm pain among Swedish fighter or test pilots in connection with exposures to high +Gz load when flying or performing centrifuge tests. HYPOTHESIS: +Gz induced arm pain occurs in connection with high +Gz loads in flight as well as in centrifuge tests of high performance fighter pilots. METHODS: A questionnaire was used for data collection regarding +Gz induced arm pain. Respondents were 35 Swedish Air Force Viggen and Gripen fighter pilots who had previously participated as subjects in centrifuge tests between 1990 and 1995 at Brooks Air Force Base, TX, either with the standard anti-G suit or with extended coverage anti-G suit with pressure breathing during +Gz. RESULTS: Of the respondents, 55% reported that they had experienced arm pain during flight at least once and 42% experienced it more than three times. However, arm pain was more common in the centrifuge tests (82% once; and 42% more than 3 times). CONCLUSIONS: Presence of arm pain during high performance fighter aircraft flights is a phenomenon that should be taken into consideration when designing high performance aircraft or +Gz protective equipment.     

Role of ability and prior knowledge in complex training performance.

A causal model of the role of general cognitive ability and prior job knowledge in subsequent job-knowledge acquisition and work-sample performance during training was developed. Participants were 3,428 US Air Force officers in pilot training. The measures of ability and prior job knowledge came from the Air Force Officer Qualifying Test. The measures of job knowledge acquired during training were derived from classroom grades. Work-sample measures came from check flight ratings. The causal model showed that ability directly influenced the acquisition of job knowledge. General cognitive ability influenced work samples through job knowledge. Prior job knowledge had almost no influence on subsequent job knowledge but directly influenced the early work sample. Early training job knowledge influenced subsequent job knowledge and work-sample performance. Finally, early work-sample performance strongly influenced subsequent work-sample performance. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The effects of medical evidence and pain intensity on medical student judgments of chronic pain patients

This study examined symptom judgments made by medical students of hypothetical chronic low back pain patients. Eight vignettes were varied as to the pain intensity reported by the hypothetical patient (low vs. moderate vs. high vs. very high) and the availability of medical evidence supportive of the pain report (present vs. absent). Ninety-five subjects read vignettes and made judgments of patient emotional distress, pain intensity, and pain-related disability. Subjects significantly discounted pain level when intensity was high but slightly augmented pain level when intensity was low. Judgments of pain and disability were higher for patients for whom medical evidence was present compared to those for whom it was absent. The results support and extend previous research on the effects of situational and patient variables on observer pain judgments. Future research should examine the influence of these biasing variables on the assessment and treatment of chronic pain patients.     

The need for accurate target and dose specifications in conventional and conformal radiation therapy--an introduction

Back pain in children has long been considered a serious condition with an organic cause. The staff of the Shriner's Hospital had been informally noting that diagnoses among children with back pain had been changing. We conducted a retrospective study of 648 patients with spinal disorders treated at the Shriner's Hospital for Crippled Children, Spokane Unit, between January 1991 and June 1993. The patients were divided into two groups: those with pain and those without pain. It was found that back pain with no organic cause was the primary diagnosis in 57% of the group having pain. Only one child had a diagnosis of malignancy, and there were no cases of active infection. In the group with pain, three interesting associations were found concerning psychosocial problems, disability, and litigation. It was found that the diagnoses in children with back pain treated at this referral center during the study period parallel those in the adult population with back pain.     

Level of nitric oxide-dependent cGMP in patients with migraine

The United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) is one of the nation's military universities, with the mission to educate and motivate cadets to be career Air Force officers. This diverse population arrives at the USAFA with varying immunization records and disease histories. A review of USAFA cadet medical records identified an alarming cost of treating a simple, preventable, generally childhood disease: chickenpox. In July 1995, a cost-benefit analysis was performed on the use of varicella vaccine among cadets and preparatory school students at the USAFA. Based on this analysis, the USAFA implemented a strategy of serologic screening and vaccination. Although this study does not establish causation, follow-up data showed a dramatic decrease in cases, associated hospitalizations, and therefore costs during the first year after implementation. Fiscal projections indicate that these costs savings should increase through year 4 of the program and continue thereafter. At year 4, the total cadet population will have been serologically screened and/or vaccinated against chickenpox.     

Personality differences among men in selected Air Force specialties.

Notes that job placement based on aptitude has provided the human resources necessary to perform the U.S. Air Force mission but has not produced a work force that is satisfied with the duty assignments. A consideration of enlistee personality and interests might refine this job placement system. To determine if personality differences exist among 108 male career officers in selected Air Force specialties, Ss were given the Vocational Preference Inventory (VPI). The specialties were compared further by means of the Environmental Assessment Technique (EAT). Significant differences among the specialties of electronics technician, administrative specialist, inflight refueling operator specialist, and security policeman were found on VPI Realistic, Intellectual, Self-Control, and Status scales. In general, the EAT did not differentiate among the specialties. Implications for counselors of prospective and enlisted airmen are drawn. Further research of this type is recommended to provide the data necessary for more refined and effective job placement in the Air Force. (16 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of galanin on 8-OH-DPAT induced decrease in body temperature and brain 5-hydroxytryptamine metabolism in the mouse

The objective of this study was to describe the health care utilization and prospective predictors of high-cost primary-care back pain patients. In the primary-care clinics of a large, staff model health maintenance organization in western Washington State, 1059 subjects were selected from consecutive patients presenting for back pain. The design was a 1-year prospective cohort study. Patients' were interviewed 1 month after an index primary-care back pain visit. Costs (back pain and total) and utilization (back pain primary-care follow-up visits, back pain specialty visits, back pain hospitalizations, back pain radiologic procedures, and pain medicine fills) were tracked over the next 11 months. Predictors assessed at 1 month were back pain diagnosis (disc disorder/sciatica, arthritis, vs. other), chronic pain grade (measure of pain intensity and related dysfunction), pain persistence (days with pain in prior 6 months), depressive symptomatology, and back pain-related disability compensation (ever/never). For the sample, 21% of patients with back pain costs > or = $600 (high back pain costs) accounted for 66% of back pain costs, 42% of total costs, 55% of primary-care follow-up visits for back pain, 91% of back pain specialty visits, 100% of back pain hospitalizations, 51% of back pain radiologic procedures, and 52% of pain medicine fills. The 21% with total costs > or = $2700 (high total costs) accounted for 67.7% of total costs, 52% of back pain costs, 29% of primary-care follow-up visits for back pain, 66% of back pain specialty visits, 100% of back pain hospitalizations, 39% of back pain radiologic procedures, and 42% of pain medicine fills. Multivariable logistic regression analyses indicated that increasing chronic pain grade, more persistent pain, and disc disorder/sciatica were strong independent predictors of high total and high back pain costs. Increasing depressive symptoms significantly predicted high total but not high back pain costs. Back pain disability compensation predicted high back pain but not high total costs. A minority of primary-care back pain patients accounted for a majority of health-care costs. Patients with high back pain costs accounted for more back pain-related health-care utilization than did patients with high total costs. Factors predicting subsequent high costs suggest behavioral interventions targeting dysfunction, pain persistence, and depression may reduce health-care utilization and prevent accumulation of high health-care costs among primary-care back pain patients.     

Subscore patterns on ACE Psychological Examination related to educational and occupational differences.

For a sample of 446 Air Force officers who had taken the ACE Psychological Exam, Q-L difference scores were related to rating (flying or ground), assignment (regular or reserve corps), career field, and college major. It was found that pilots tended to have higher Q scores, non-pilots higher L scores; arts and science college majors higher L scores, applied science college majors (engineering and business) higher Q scores. No difference was found in the Q-L patterns of reservists and regular officers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Kappa Delta Award. Low back pain and whole body vibration

The investigators describe their multifaceted approach to the study of the relationship between whole body vibration and low back pain. The epidemiologic study was a two center study of drivers and sedentary workers in the United States and Sweden. The vibration exposure was measured in the vehicles. It was found that the career vibration exposure was related to low back, neck, and shoulder pain. However, disability was related to job satisfaction. In vivo experiments, using percutaneous pin mounted accelerometers have shown that the natural frequency is at 4.5 Hz. The frequency response is affected by posture, seating, and seat back inclination. The response appears to be determined largely by the rocking of the pelvis. Electromyographic studies have shown that muscle fatigue occurs under whole body vibration. After whole body vibration exposure the muscle response to a sudden load has greater latency. Vehicle driving may be a reason for low back pain or herniated nucleus pulposus. Prolonged seating exposure, coupled with the whole body vibration, should be reduced for those recovering from these problems. Vibration attenuating seats and correct ergonomic layout of the cabs may reduce the risks of recurrence.