VALIDITY Flashcards
(17 cards)
What is **face validity?
- Model looks like the human condition
- Most intuitive
What are the features of face valdiity?
- Observable behaviours/symptoms expressed by animal resemble those in human disorder
What features of neuroscience research is face validity concerned with?
- Emotional behaviours - avoidance, aggression
- Cognitive symptoms - memory, attention
- Changes in social behaviour
What helps strengthen face validitity?
More clearly defined core features of human disorder -> better assessment of whether captured in animal model meaningfully
What is not required for face validity?
Knowledge of underlying biological causes of behaviour
What is the use / helpfulness of face validity?
- assess if a model is worth pursuing further
- determine what the human condition actually involves
- first line assessment of the relevance of the study
What is construct validity?
- When the model reflects the same biological/psychological mechanisms as the human condition
- When processes that produce symptoms in animal similar to causational processes in humans
What is construct validity used for?
- Determine whether anaimal model mimics neurobiological features of disorder, not just symptoms
- Brain structure
- Brain chemistry
- Brain development
What does construct validity require?
Understanding of:
* Brain systems
* Brain circuits
* Neurotransmitters
* How these systems are manipulated/modelled in aniamls
* whether symptom producing mechanisms are alike
What does construct validity help us udnerstand about research?
- Deeper and nuanced understanding of how conditions are studied from a biological perspective
What is predictive validity?
- model’s ability to correct predict efficacy of treatment in humans
What is predictive validity used for?
- researching new/unproven treatments
- predict efficacy of trails before human trial
What are the features of good predictive validity?
- When the same treatment known to work in people reduce symptoms/improve function in animal model
* Increases confidence that model reflects meaningful aspects of disorde
What understanding is needed to evaluate predictive validity?
- medications and their uses
- Psychological therapies
- other interventions - neuromodulation, early life stress behavioural interventions
What is the importance of predictive validity in neuroscience?
- development of new treatments
- drug trials in aniamals first to see if it produces therapeutic effect
What are the effects of strong predictive baldiity on a model?
More likely to produce translatable results and clinical benefit
What are the effects of poor predictive validity?
- potential false treament when not actually helpful
- potential to miss helpful treatment
