I__. - International Military Testing Association

test after they were fully informed about the conditions and
procedures of the study (P imenta I , Avellini, & Banderet, in
progress).
Assessment Instruments---The SSQ is a 40-item, self-rated instrument
(see Table I). It assesses perceived cognitive, memory,
affective, sensory-perceptual, psychomotor, verba I, and kinesthetic
capabilities. Many items operationally define estimates of
such capabilities by relating them to selected common soldier
tasks (HQ, Dept. .?rmy, 1987). For example, “I would have trouble
running 2 m.i!zs in anything near my normal time” Some items are
defined by relating them to familiar activities; e.g., Item.22 “I
could remember spoken directions to a store a few miles from
here. ” Twenty of the items in the SSQ are positive; e.g., “I
could properly camouflage myself and my equipment.” The other
twenty items are negative; e.g,, “If I were to drive an automobi
le, I might commit traffic violations or cause accidents.”
Each i tern is rated on a 6-point scale with discrete anchor
points; i .e., “Not At al I , ‘I “Sl ight,” “Somewhat, ” “Moderate, ”
“Quite a Bit,” and “Evtremely.” The SSQ can be administered as a
mark-sent- ;LGtitionOait-e, as an automated questionnaire on a computer,
or as a,\ oral survey.
To simplify description and display of data from individual
items of the SSQ, a I I rat ings for negat ive i terns are recoded and
their verbal descriptions are restated positively. These transformations
change each negat i ve item so it assesses a
“capabi I i ty” and greater ratings reflect greater capability. For
example, item 29 is “I would probably miss some information in
military radio messages, without some “say agains”. During data
analysis, this i tern’s ratings are recoded and it is restated as
” I cou Id probably comprehend most information in radio messages,
w l thout some “say agains”. After such transformations, all 40
i terns of the SSQ assess “capabi I it ies” and larger ratings imply
greater capability.
Procedures ---Subjects exercised for 2-hours per day in a hot
environment for 6 days before manipulation of experimental conditions.
This avoided confounding the effects of physiological
heat acclimation with heat strain induced by the experimental
conditions. Acclimatizing conditions were 95OF dry bulb and 88OF
Wet bulb (75% relative humidity) with a 2.0 mph wind.
Then, the men were tested in a repeated-measures design to
evaluate six configurations of a Navy firefighting ensemble with
different heat-retaining properties (Pimental, Avellini, &
Banderet, in progress). Each test day, each man wore a new
configuration of the firefighting ensemble (randomly-assigned).
Environmental conditions during each 2 hour experimental SeSSiOn
were 9OoF dry bulb, 79OF wet bulb (60% relative humidity) with a
2 mph wind. Subjects alternately sat for 15 minutes (metabolic
rate 105 watts) or walked at 3.5 mph (500 watts) on a level
treadmill. The time-weighted metabolic rate was approximately 300
watts.
The SSQ was administered 5, 20, 95, 110, and 125 min after
the start of each experimental session. Each administration began
the fifth minute of a scheduled resting, walking, resting, walki
ng, or recovery i nterva I ; respectively. During each assessment,
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