Effects of modular course training on mobility in older adults aged 79-90 years.

PURPOSE: To determine the effectiveness of an intervention programme utilizing modules specifically designed to challenge mobility in older adults. METHOD: Twelve older adults aged 79-90 years (84.3+/-3.2; mean+/-SD) living in a retirement community participated in a 10-week (3 sessions per week, 50 minutes per session) training programme. Performance on a modular course, comprised of nine stations representing common environmental conditions, provided information about dynamic balance and mobility before and after the intervention programme. Stations consisted of walking across carpet and foam pathways, walking up and down ramps and stairs, walking through a slalom course of eight plastic cones, and stepping over foam props. Performance on the mobility course was videotaped to determine the time to complete each station. The training intervention consisted of performing sections of the mobility course and standing on foam pads with the eyes open or closed. RESULTS: Using the Bonferroni-adjusted level of significance for multiple comparisons (p+/-0.005), paired sample t-tests indicated significant improvement for total time to complete the course (pre=100.9+/-40.5 s, post=79.6+/-40.3 s) and for all individual stations except stepping over props. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that an intervention programme utilizing functionally-oriented modules can improve mobility in older adults.

Psychology of computer use: XXXII. Computer screen-savers as distractors.

The differences in performance of 16 male and 16 female undergraduates on three cognitive tasks were investigated in the presence of visual distractors (computer-generated dynamic graphic images). These tasks included skilled and unskilled proofreading and listening comprehension. The visually demanding task of proofreading (skilled and unskilled) showed no significant decreases in performance in the distractor conditions. Results showed significant decrements, however, in performance on listening comprehension in at least one of the distractor conditions.

Internal-external locus of control and performance on a vigilance task.

Previous studies have demonstrated there are large individual differences in subjects' ability to perform on vigilance or watch-keeping tasks. This study used Rotter's Internal-External (I-E) Locus of Control Scale to resolve some of the variance attributed to individual differences and tested the hypothesis that the internally controlled person is a better monitor on a vigilance task than an externally controlled person. There were 64 subjects who performed a visual watch-keeping task for a 1-hr. period. The results indicated that the external subjects made significantly more incorrect responses and missed significantly more signals during the entire task. The internal-external dimension was effective in differentiating performance on a vigilance task.