PANSS Rater Training Using Internet and Videoconference

描述(由申请人提供)：该项目的长期目标是通过开发使用新技术的培训工具来提高精神分裂症评估中评分员之间的可靠性，使高质量、标准化的评分员培训能够在PANSS上广泛传播。这样的计划在多中心临床试验中将有很大的实用价值，其中评价员往往在不同的地点，并使跨地点的评价员之间的可靠性很难实现。在开办会议上进行的培训在这方面被证明是无效的。第一阶段项目的具体目标是：1)开发关于PANSS管理和评分的互动培训教程的原型，在光盘和安全的互联网网站上提供；2)开发前后测试，以评估教程在提高学员概念性知识方面的有效性；3)通过使用视频会议技术评估应用临床培训(即，对进行PANSS访谈的学员进行现场观察)的可行性；4)评估这两个部分的可行性和用户满意度，以改进第二阶段的最终设计。培训计划将在12名评分员上进行试点测试。完成光盘教程后，每个学员将(通过视频会议)采访两名标准化患者，他们与培训师在远程位置，培训师将提供实时观察和反馈。将获得教学知识和临床技能的测试前和测试后措施。将评估技术问题，如视频链接的维护或质量问题，或现场工作人员在使用设备时遇到的困难。应用技能培训是至关重要的，在目前的评分员培训设计中几乎被忽视了。我们小组最近的研究表明，进行得不好的采访比进行得好的采访有更大的安慰剂反应。我们以前对这一训练范例(CD-ROM加上现场应用训练)的使用的研究已被证明在抑郁症和自闭症评估领域都是成功的。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The long term objective of the project is to improve inter-rater reliability in schizophrenia assessment by developing training tools using new technologies that enable the widespread dissemination of a high quality, standardized rater training on the PANSS. Such a program will have great utility in multicenter clinical trials, where raters are often at diverse sites, and making inter-rater reliability across sites difficult to achieve. Training conducted at start-up meetings have proved ineffective in this regard. The specific objectives during phase I project are to 1) develop a prototype of a interactive training tutorial on the administration and scoring of the PANSS, delivered on both CD-ROM and a secure Internet website; 2) develop pre- and post-tests to evaluate the efficacy of the tutorial in improving trainees' conceptual knowledge; 3) evaluate the feasibility of applied, clinical training (i.e., live observation of trainees conducting PANSS interviews) through the use of videoconference technology; 4) evaluate the feasibility and user satisfaction of both components in order to improve final design for phase II. The training program will be pilot testing on a group of 12 raters. Following completion of the CD-ROM tutorial, each trainee will interview {via videoconference) two standardized patients who are at a remote location with the trainer, who will provide live observation and feedback in real time. Pre- and post-test measures of both didactic knowledge and clinical skills will be obtained. Technical issues, such as problems with the maintenance or quality of the video link, or difficulties site staff have in using the equipment, will be evaluated. Training on applied skills is critically important, and is virtually overlooked in current rater training designs. Recent research by our group has shown that poorly conducted interviews had significantly greater placebo response than interviews that were conducted well. Our previous studies on the use of this training paradigm (CD-ROM plus live applied training) has been shown to be successful in the areas of both depression and autism assessment.