RU2741194C1 - Psychophysiological method of assessing stress resistance - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: medicine.

SUBSTANCE: invention refers to medicine, namely to psychophysiology, and can be used for assessing stress resistance. Method involves multiple presentation of a color visual stimulus on the screen and registration of the moment of stimulus appearance to test subjects. Stimulus situation includes four tasks. At moment of stimulus occurrence one of two buttons of time measuring recorder is pressed. On the first task it is required to press the first button upon presenting the green visual stimulus. In the second task, the second button is presented with a red visual stimulus. In the third and fourth tasks, green or red visual stimuli are presented, and it is required to press the first button upon presentation of a green visual stimulus. At that, in the fourth task - with the condition of faster reaction, than in the third task. In the third task, the average time T3 of the reaction is recorded on the first green visual stimulus presented after the red stimulus, and the number of responses by the first button on the red stimulus M3. In the fourth task, the time T4 of the reaction to the first green visual stimulus presented after the red stimulus, and the number of responses by the first button to the red stimulus M4. If the time T4 exceeds the time T3, the multiplicity of red stimulus presentations, the number K4 of which is calculated, is increased relative to the third task. Resistance to stress is evaluated as positive with simultaneous fulfillment of the following conditions: T4 less than 0.60 s provided that T4 is not more than T3; M3 is not more than 2; difference (M4 - M3) is not more than 2; K4 - not more than 3. Visual stimulus is a circle with diameter of 15 mm. Number of visual stimuli in the first and second tasks is 12, and in the third and fourth tasks - 46 with the total duration of examination of 20 minutes. Procedure for presentation of red stimuli is random.

EFFECT: method provides an accurate assessment of the level of stress resistance of an operator by forming an adequate stimulating situation in which the person being tested has to perform a task of tracking the appearance of signals of a different type and responding quickly to them under conditions of stress factors.

4 cl, 2 tbl, 2 ex

Description

The invention relates to psychophysiology and can be used when conducting psychophysiological research and professional psychological examination of operators in various fields of work, including transport.

In the context of transport psychology, stress resistance is defined as a professionally important psychological quality of a human operator, which characterizes his ability to accurately and timely respond to changes in the situation when operating equipment under the influence of negative stress factors.

A method for assessing the emotional state of a person is described (RU 2291720 C1, GOU VPO "NizhGMA Roszdrav", 01/20/2007), intended for clinical and psychological diagnostics. The method is carried out by presenting the subject with four groups of verbal characteristics, reflecting different degrees of satisfaction of basic personal needs: safety, independence, achievement, intimacy. The method is designed for use in clinical practice for psychological diagnostics of subjects with varying degrees of psychological maladjustment associated with the stress experienced, but is not intended for professional psychophysiological examination of operators in order to identify persons who do not meet the criteria for a positive assessment of the level of stress resistance.

A method for determining stress is described (RU 2531443 C1, NI Lobachevsky Nizhny Novgorod State University, 20.10.2014). Registration of values of R-R intervals of heart rate and processing of the obtained sequence of R-R intervals is performed. Also described is a method for assessing the psychophysiological state of a person (RU 2246251 C1, CJSC "Transas", 20.02.2005), based on the registration of a rhythmocardiogram. The stress index S is determined, calculated by the ratio of the power values of the low-frequency and high-frequency components of the spectrum of the dynamic range of R-R cardiointervals. These methods make it possible to determine the presence of a stressful state in a person, but do not allow assessing the psychophysiological indicators of the productivity of human activity (accuracy and speed of response to signals) in a state of stress.

The method and system of tests for stress resistance of the driver are described (CN 106344050 (A), UNIV SOUTHWEST JIAOTONG, 01/25/2017). The test method includes the steps of, after receiving the test start instruction, displaying an image to simulate an entrance to a vehicle station and a prompt to express the application of a load; information is entered to represent the fact that the driver believes that the vehicle is stopped by the stop sign; the distance between the vehicle image and the stop sign when the input is received and the total stopping time is calculated, and the result of the driver's load resistance test is determined according to the stopping distance and time. Automatic testing for resistance to driver loads can be performed, but there is no direct measurement of stress resistance in the test structure.

A method for determining a person's stress resistance during psychophysiological professional selection (UA59238 (U), BOHOMOLETS INST OF PHYSIOLOGY OF THE NAS OF UKRAINE, 05/10/2011) is described, in which the subject is shown stimuli in the form of graphic images to choose from two out of three, as well as additional stimuli ... The number of stimuli that are investigated when differentiating the two programs is determined, and stress is assessed on a scale. The test structure lacks provocative stressful stimuli that directly affect the assessment of stress resistance indicators.

A psychophysiological method for determining stress is described (US8847778 (B2), SPRAGUE PHILLIP R, 09/30/2014). A stress analyzer is capable of collecting information about how a person responds emotionally to a series of verbal, visual, or written stimuli when the person in response to the stimulus touches the computer's touchscreen monitor. The method is not intended for professional psychophysiological examination of operators in order to identify persons whose work is associated with timely and correct professional actions in a situation of stress factors.

The closest to the patent is a method for assessing the level of the functional state of the central nervous system of a person based on measuring the time of an indicative visual-motor reaction of a person (RU 2573340 C2, Zhukov D.M., 01.20.2016 - prototype). A visual stimulus in the form of a red circle 20 mm in diameter is presented on the monitor screen. The time from the appearance of the mark to the positioning of the cursor to the boundaries of the circle is recorded. The procedure is repeated at least 50 times. On the basis of the measured values of the time of the visual-motor reaction, a histogram of the distribution of the obtained values by discharges is built, the level of the functional state of the central nervous system is calculated using a mathematical formula. The method allows to determine the presence of a stressful state in a person, to assess the reaction rate, but does not allow measuring the psychophysiological indicators of accuracy (speed and correctness) of response to signals under stress.

The invention is aimed at solving the problem of measuring psychophysiological indicators of accuracy and speed of response to signals under stress.

The patented method for assessing stress resistance consists in the formation of a stimulus situation, including multiple presentation of a colored visual stimulus on the screen and registration by the subject of the moment when the stimulus appears.

The difference boils down to the following.

The stimulus situation contains four tasks; at the moment of the appearance of the stimulus, one of the two buttons of the time-measuring recorder is pressed.

In the first task, it is required to press the first button upon presentation of a green visual stimulus, in the second task - the second button upon presentation of a red visual stimulus, in the third and fourth tasks, green or red visual stimuli are presented, and it is required to press the first button upon presentation of a green visual stimulus, and in the fourth task - with the condition of a faster reaction than in the third task.

Register in the third task - the average time T3 of the response to the first green visual stimulus presented after the red stimulus and the number of responses by the first button to the red stimulus M3. In the fourth task, the time T4 of the reaction to the first green visual stimulus presented after the red stimulus and the number of responses by the first button to the red stimulus M4, while if the time T4 exceeds the time T3, increase relative to the third task, the frequency of presentations of the red stimulus, the number of K4 count.

Stress resistance is assessed as positive if the following conditions are met simultaneously: T4 is less than 0.60 s, provided that T4 is not more than T3; M3 no more than 2; the difference (M4 - M3) is not more than 2; К4 - no more than 3.

The method can be characterized by the fact that the visual stimulus is a circle with a diameter of 15 mm, and also by the fact that the number of presentations of visual stimuli in the first and second tasks is 12, and in the third and fourth tasks - 46, with a total examination duration of 20 minutes. The order of presentation of red stimuli is selected randomly.

The technical result is to increase the reliability of the assessment of stress resistance.

The method makes it possible to assess the level of stress resistance of the operator by forming an adequate stimulus situation, in which the subject has to perform the task of monitoring the appearance of signals of different types and quickly react to them under the influence of stress factors - red visual stimuli.

The patented psychophysiological method for assessing the stress resistance of an operator can be implemented using a computerized hardware-software complex. This makes it possible to increase the variability of the moments of presentation of signals of various types and to ensure the need to select the response buttons of the time-measuring recorder during the examination, which makes an objective assessment of the stress resistance of operators more reliable.

The method is implemented as follows.

The stimulus situation contains tasks for the subject. The total duration of the examination is 20 minutes.

In the center of the screen there is a circle with a diameter of 15 mm, which is colored in a specific color in accordance with the stimulus delivery algorithm. In task # 1, this circle is colored green. On this stimulus, the subject must press button No. 1 of the time-measuring recorder control panel as soon as possible. The number of presentations of signals in task No. 1 is 12. The time of giving the next signal varies in the time interval from 2 to 5 seconds after the previous signal is extinguished.

In task # 2, this circle is colored red. On this stimulus, the subject must press button No. 2 of the time-measuring recorder control panel as soon as possible. The number of stimuli presentations in task No. 2 is 12. The time of giving the next stimulus varies in the time interval from 2 to 5 seconds after extinguishing the previous one.

In task # 3, this circle is colored green or red. On stimuli of green color, the subject must press button No. 1 of the time-measuring recorder as soon as possible - the reaction time T3 is recorded. The test subject should not respond to red stimuli. Pressing the button # 1 is evaluated as an error (M3). To calculate the average response time T3 to green stimuli in task 3, only the values of the reaction speed to the first green stimulus registered after the red stimulus are used. The number of stimulus presentations in task # 3 is 46.

Examples of signaling scenarios are given in Tables 1, 2.

From Table. 1, it can be seen that when performing task No. 3, there are six red signals for 40 green signals. The number of presentations of visual stimuli in the third and fourth tasks is 46. The third and fourth tasks begin with the presentation of a green visual stimulus, randomly forming sequences containing from 4 to 9 green visual stimuli per red visual stimulus, and the total number of green visual stimuli is 40 , and red - 6.

From Table. 2, it can be seen that when registering the value of T4 indicators is greater than T3 in task No. 4, red visual stimuli are presented one after the other several times before the presentation of the mentioned set of 4-9 green visual stimuli. The number of additional red stimuli is recorded. This is done to increase the objectivity of the assessment of stress resistance.

The quantitative values of psychophysiological indicators of stress resistance of operators in various spheres of professional activity have been established.

When conducting a professional psychological examination of operators, measured psychophysiological indicators are used - criteria for a positive assessment of stress resistance:

• Average reaction time in task No. 4: no more than 0.60 s;

• The average reaction time in task # 4 should be no more than the average reaction time in task # 3, ie. T4 is not more than T3;

• The number of M3 errors in task # 3 should be no more than 2;

• The difference in the number of errors between task # 4 and task # 3 should be no more than 2, ie. (М4 - М3) no more than 2.

• the number of К4 should be no more than 3.

The quantitative values of the criteria for a positive assessment of stress resistance according to this psychophysiological method have been successfully tested on workers of locomotive brigades of railway transport.

Below are two examples, which, on the basis of testing, confirmed a negative assessment of stress resistance.

Example 1. Driver VI, 45 years old. Made an accident with fatalities. Indicators of stress resistance by the method:

average reaction time T4: 0.54 s;

the average T4 reaction time is longer than the average T3 reaction time;

number of M3 errors = 1;

difference in the number of errors: (M4 - M3) = 4; K4 = 4.

Conclusion: the assessment of stress resistance is negative.

Example 2. Driver PV, 29 years old. Passed through the redirection signal, resulting in a cut arrow,

average reaction time T4: 0.74 s;

the average T4 reaction time is longer than the average T3 reaction time;

number of M3 errors = 2;

difference in the number of errors: (M4 - M3) = 3; K4 = 5

Conclusion: the assessment of stress resistance is negative.

Thus, the presented data confirm the achievement of the technical result - an increase in the reliability of the assessment of stress resistance.

Claims (16)

1. A method for assessing stress resistance, consisting in the formation of a stimulus situation, including multiple presentation on the screen of a colored visual stimulus and registration by the subject of the moment when the stimulus appears, characterized in that the stimulus situation contains four tasks, at the moment of the appearance of the stimulus, one of the two buttons of the time-measuring recorder is pressed, while in the first task, it is required to press the first button when a green visual stimulus is presented, in the second task, the second button is required when a red visual stimulus is presented, in the third and fourth tasks, green or red visual stimuli are presented, and it is required to press the first button when a green visual stimulus is presented, and in the fourth task - with the condition of a faster reaction than in the third task; register in the third task - the average time T3 of the reaction to the first green visual stimulus presented after the red stimulus, and the number of responses by the first button to the red stimulus M3; in the fourth task - the time T4 of the reaction to the first green visual stimulus presented after the red stimulus, and the number of responses by the first button to the red stimulus M4, while if the time T4 exceeds the time T3, the frequency of presentations of the red stimulus is increased relative to the third task, the number of K4 of which count, and stress resistance is assessed as positive if the following conditions are met simultaneously: T4 less than 0.60 s, provided that T4 is not more than T3; M3 no more than 2; the difference (M4 - M3) is not more than 2; К4 - no more than 3. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the visual stimulus is a circle with a diameter of 15 mm. 3. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the number of presentations of visual stimuli in the first and second tasks is 12, and in the third and fourth tasks - 46, with a total examination duration of 20 minutes. 4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the choice of the order of presentation of the red stimuli is performed randomly.