Last year, a handful of students formed a research group in a subject they are all interested in: neuroscience. After much time, effort, and energy, BYU–Hawaii students were able to see the fruit of their labor as their research was published in Applied Neuropsychology: Adult, a Routledge publication.
The group was mentored by Ron Miller, professor of psychology at BYU–Hawaii. “[This] study is interesting because it is comparing a person’s subjective experience to an objective measure to determine how best to assist that person.”
The title of the study is “Are Self-Ratings of Functional Difficulties Objective or Subjective?” Their research compares “objective neuropsychological data using the Meyers Neuropsychological Battery and self-report measures of emotional distress using the Symptom Checklist 90-Revised with self-ratings of functional difficulties as measured by the Patient Competency Rating Scale.”
Lisa Thompson, a senior studying psychology, joined the research group later in the process and was able to contribute with statistical analyses and writing the results section. Throughout their study, Thompson found if they gave people a self-rating measure about their ability to perform daily tasks, they would rate themselves according to how they were feeling that day. The study “was basically a mood ring,” she said. “However, if [they] told their friends/family to use the same checklist to rate their patient’s ability to perform those tasks, then [they] suddenly had an acceptable alternative to an objective measure given by a doctor.” This knowledge could be of great help to future clinicians because it allows them to understand the utility of self-report measures, as the data has shown that self-rating is noticeably affected by the “mood” or current emotional status of participants at the time they are assessed.
Thompson decided to become more involved in her education a couple of years ago. “At first, It was really intimidating because everyone else seemed so knowledgeable about the projects we were working on, but eventually I caught on and things [became] much easier,” she said.
When asked how participating in the study would benefit the students involved, Miller commented, “The students will benefit because, in applying for a job or graduate school, the experience of performing the research as well as the quality of work they can accomplish, implicit in the fact that their work passed through peer review, speaks to their abilities and work ethic.”
To view “Are Self-Ratings of Functional Difficulties Objective or Subjective?” click here.