Mf. Mannion et al., PRECISION OF MEASURES OF SACCADIC EYE-MOVEMENTS AND CONVENTIONAL PSYCHOMOTOR FUNCTION-TESTS, Human psychopharmacology, 9(1), 1994, pp. 37-41
Measures of variability are rarely quoted in drug studies of psychomot
or function. Five recent studies were therefore analysed to calculate
the coefficients of variation for different tests of psychomotor funct
ion, both during and between study days. Saccadic eye movement analysi
s and critical flicker fusion threshold were found to have low coeffic
ients of variation (ranging from 2.7 to7.5 per cent) while visual anal
ogue rating scales and the digit symbol substitution test were found t
o have much higher coefficients of variation (ranging from 7.9 to 17.6
per cent). It is suggested that measures of test variability be routi
nely assessed in psychomotor studies as a check on test methodology.