Regina Pauli

Individual differences in negative group work experiences in collaborative student learning

This paper reports the development of the Negative Group Work Experiences questionnaire (NGWE), an assessment tool for measuring negative experiences of group work. Study 1 involved two samples of undergraduate psychology students (second‐year sample n = 425; first‐year sample n = 443), who completed research modules incorporating substantial elements of assessed group work. Participants completed a 39‐item inventory designed to measure their negative experiences of group work as part of their general module evaluation. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis of the second‐year sample indicated four interpretable and reliable factors: lack of group commitment, group fractionation, task disorganisation, and storming. Confirmatory factor analysis of the first‐year data set confirmed and cross‐validated the factor structure of the second‐year sample. Study 2 (n > 254) confirmed the criterion validity of the NGWE. The NGWE is proposed as a useful tool for evaluating group processes, especially in large group teaching which involves collaborative group work.

Undergraduates' personal circumstances, expectations and reasons for attending university

Undergraduate students are likely to have a range of reasons for attending university and expectations about their education. The current study aimed to determine the most prevalent reasons and expectations among students, and how these differed based on their personal circumstances. First-year undergraduate psychology students completed a questionnaire on reasons for attending university and expectations of university regarding assessment, teaching, learning and organisational resources. Improving career prospects was found to be the most important reason for attending university. The most important aspect of assessment was receiving feedback clarifying things they did not understand. Being good at explaining things was the most important teaching quality. Reasons and expectations were also found to differ depending on students’ gender, age group, caring responsibilities, application route, fee status and whether English is their first language. Implications for educators are discussed in terms of bringing student experiences more in-line with their expectations.

Role of feedback in learning of screening mammography

The experiment reported here was designed to investigate further the role of feedback in learning complex visual discrimination tasks such as screening mammography. Previous research has not yet established how feedback affects learning in such tasks and whether it is an important contributing factor in the acquisition of target detection skills at all. In this study, observers were required to search a computer-generated display of random background noise for a probabilistically defined target under one of four feedback conditions. The experiment was designed to compare each observers baseline performance with performance when given feedback to overcome the problem of large individual differences typically observed in such tasks. It was found that feedback which is rich in target information is superior in improving accuracy of performance in this task when compared to feedback which does not give any information about target location and features or no feedback. Secondly, information-rich feedback seems to motivate observers to search the display for longer. The results are discussed in relation to designing training which specifically incorporates information-rich feedback.

Radiographers as film readers: an evaluation of performance in breast screening

Breast cancer screening in the UK has so far been a consultancy-led service. Concerns over future staffing levels and increasing evidence that dual film reading improves cancer detection have led to an investigation of the feasibility of training lay film readers. This research reports the findings of a longitudinal study of seven radiographers reading mammograms for breast cancer screening. The study was designed so that screening mammograms were read independently by two radiographers and a radiologist. Film reading performances was also assessed in terms of screening outcome measures, such as recall, assessment outcome and biopsy outcome. The effect od double reading by radiologist/radiographer pairs was also examined. It was found that radiographers yield high agreement with radiologists and with screening outcomes. Dual reading resulted in increased sensitivity in line with expectations from previous studies on radiologist double reading. It was concluded that the role of the radiographer needs to be defined more precisely in relation to the dual reading model adopted in order to assess training needs.

Ask not only 'What can problem-based learning do for psychology?' but 'What can psychology do for problem-based learning?' A review of the relevance of problem-based learning for psychology teaching and research

Problem-based learning (PBL) is an internationally recognised pedagogical approach that is implemented within a number of disciplines. The relevance and uptake of PBL in psychology has to date, however, received very limited attention. The aim of this paper is therefore to review published accounts of how PBL is being used to deliver psychology curricula in higher education and to highlight psychological research that offers practical strategies for PBL theory and practice. The paper is divided into three sections. In the first, we discuss the principles of PBL and provide examples of how it can be used within psychology curricula, alongside a consideration of its advantages and disadvantages. In the second section, we outline the results of a systematic literature review of published examples of PBL used within psychology undergraduate and postgraduate courses. Finally, in the third section, we examine some of the ways in which psychological research can provide practical guidance for PBL teaching practice. We conclude this paper with some recommendations for future research across all these areas, and call for the further development of PBL curricula in psychology higher education course provision.

Factor Structure of the Urdu Version of the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale in Pakistan

ABSTRACT Spence Childrens Anxiety Scale (SCAS) is one of the most commonly used self-report questionnaires to measure symptoms of anxiety disorders in adolescents. Despite its common use, studies that examine the psychometric properties of SCAS in Pakistan is lacking. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Urdu translated version of the SCAS among adolescents in Pakistan. A total of 1277 students (708 boys and 569 girls), aged 13 to17 years, who had been recruited from 13 schools in Rawalpindi, Pakistan participated in the study. The mean overall anxiety score was significantly higher in girls than males on all the SCAS subscales except for obsessive compulsive disorder. The internal consistency of the Urdu SCAS was good. Confirmatory factor analyses supported six separate factor structures. Results of the study are discussed with reference to the sociocultural milieu of Pakistan and culture sensitive conceptualization of anxiety and its subtypes.

Development of a therapists’ self-report measure of pluralistic thought and practice: the Therapy Pluralism Inventory

ABSTRACT This study aimed to develop a self-report measure of pluralistic thought and practice. Following pilot development, a 23-item inventory was placed on an online survey site, and 474 participants satisfactorily completed the measure. Respondents were trainee or qualified therapists, predominantly female, based in the UK, and of a humanistic or integrative/eclectic orientation. A principal components analysis resulted in two scales, Pluralistic Philosophy and Pluralistic Practice, which had good internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = .72 and .80, respectively). Confirmatory factor analysis showed good model fit for this two factor solution. The Therapy Pluralism Inventory (TPI) has potential for use in training and research, although additional validity and normative data are needed.

PLAT 15(2) 2016: Introduction to the Special Issue on Problem-Based Learning and Psychology:

PLAT 15(2) 2016: Introduction to the Special Issue on Problem-Based Learning and Psychology

Modeling two levels of radiological skill: an example from breast cancer screening

Previous models of radiological skill have been primarily concerned with either visual search or with the interpretation of abnormality. In breast cancer screening both skills are important for the efficient assessment of screening mammograms. They can be accounted for in a double two-stage model of observer performance, incorporating detection and interpretation levels. Each consists of an analysis stage and a decision stage. The model is evaluated in terms of its ability to explain results from two training studies involving lay people learning to read mammograms. In the first study, a comparison of novice error rates with those of trainees with prior experience in mammography revealed that novices make more detection errors whereas interpretation errors are more frequent in experienced trainees. The observed differences support the notion that there are two separate stages of processing in mammogram interpretation. Accurate visual processing may be a developmental precursor of full interpretation. The second study demonstrates that even specific instruction on abnormal features in mammograms leads to improved recognition of normality in complete novices. This is predicted by the present model because true positives require a more complex processing route. The advantages of a process model which takes account of decision outcome for radiological skill are discussed.