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Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate whether a new e-learning tool for insight training of ambulance drivers can have an effect on drivers’ driving behaviors, perceived driving competence, competence to assess risks, self-reflection, and safety attitudes.

Methods: A quasi-experimental study design, with participants nonrandomly assigned into a control and intervention group, was used. The intervention group participated in the insight-training course and the control group did not. Both groups completed a self- and peer assessment online questionnaire before and after the training.

Results: The main finding is that the ambulance drivers assessed themselves through the instruments after the training, with the e-learning tool Driver Access Recording Tool (DART), as safer drivers in the areas of speed adaptation, closing up, and overtaking. In the answers from the group-based evaluation, the ambulance drivers responded that they were more reflective/analytical, had increased their risk awareness, and had changed their driving behaviors.

Conclusions: After insight training, the ambulance drivers in this study assessed themselves as safer drivers in several important areas, including speed adaptation, closing up, and overtaking. In future training of ambulance drivers there should be more focus on insight training instead of previous training focusing on maneuvering capabilities.

As the consistency of assessment of the practical driving test has been called into question by the Swedish National Audit Office the purpose of this study was to examine the consistency of assessment of test-takers’ performance on the driving test. In order to examine inter-rater reliability the study was designed so that two raters assessed the same test-taker. The assessment was done on a two-step rating scale (pass/fail). Since the result can be affected by factors associated with the test-taker and the two raters, questionnaires were developed and these were filled in by the test-takers and the raters. Information about the administration of the test was collected via a specially designed form filled in by the second rater. The ordinary examiners’ performance was also rated by the supervising raters on a number of aspects. The result from the study indicated that the agreement between the assessments was very good. For 93 per cent of the tests the two raters chose the same mark on the two-grade scale. In the cases where ratings differed the analyses indicated only a few systematic differences among variables designed to provide possible explanations for differences in opinion. However none of these was problematic with respect to consistency of assessment. Results indicated that most tests were carried out in a satisfactory manner. All in all, the results indicate high consistency of assessment, both from a national and international perspective.

On the 1st of September 2008 a new model for the Swedish driving-licence test was introduced. The new test model means that the theory test and the driving test are viewed as integrated and they are booked at the same time. First, the test-taker takes the theory test and then, on the same day or within a short time period, he or she takes the driving test. The driving test shall always be performed, irrespective of the result of the theory test. In order to obtain a driving licence the test-taker must pass both the theory test and the driving test within a two-month period from the point when the first test is passed – otherwise new fees must be paid and both tests must be retaken.

The aim of this study was to examine whether the introduction of the new test model for licence category B has resulted in an improved pass-rate for the two parts of the test – the theory test and the driving test – and whether the integration of the test parts has improved.

The study was conducted by comparing data from the driving-licence test before and after the new test model was introduced. The results on the theory test were examined by comparing results on the theory test from week 50 in 2007 with results from week 50 in 2008. The results indicated that the percentage of passed tests increased from 51 to 62. The average score on the test increased from 50.4 points in 2007 to 52.6 points in 2008. Thus, the average score in 2008 is above the cut-score for pass, which is 52 (out of 65 points).

The results on the driving test were examined by comparing the driving tests carried out from the beginning of December 2007 to the end of February 2008 with driving tests conducted during the same period one year later. In order to obtain comparable groups, the analysis was based on those who passed the theory test in the new system. The result showed that the percentage of passed tests increased from 59 to 66.

Moreover, the analysis indicated that there is a relationship between the theory and driving test in the sense that test-takers with higher scores on the theory test are more likely to pass the driving test.

In conclusion, the results on both the theory and practical test have improved after the introduction of the new model for the driving-license test and the correlation between the theory test and the driving test is stronger after the change.

The purpose of this study was to examine the consistency of examiner assessments of test-takers' performance on the Swedish driving test. The study included 535 tests and was designed so that the ordinary examiner and a supervising examiner assessed the same test-taker. The assessment was done on a two-grade rating scale (pass/fail). Since the result can be affected by factors associated with the test-taker and the two examiners, questionnaires were developed and these were filled in by the test-takers and the examiners. Information about the administration of the test was collected via a specially designed form filled in by the supervising examiner. Using this form, the ordinary examiners' performance was rated on a number of aspects. The result from the study indicated that the agreement between the assessments was very good. For 93% of the tests the two examiners chose the same mark on the two-grade scale. In the cases where ratings differed, the analysis indicated only a few systematic differences among variables designed to provide possible explanations for differences in opinion. However, none of these was problematic with respect to consistency of assessment. Results indicated that most tests were carried out in a satisfactory manner.

The aim of this report was to examine the reliability of data from the driving test 1998-2005 and give a basic presentation of data from these years. In order to improve the quality of the data tests that do not appear to have been completed and unnecessary duplicates were removed. After cleaning and recoding, the data can be regarded as reliable.

From the basic presentation in the report you find that there are certain differences between groups during this period. A larger proportion of test-takers below the age of 20, who make up around half the test-takers, pass the test compared to older test-takers and had a lower average of failed aspects. More men than women took the test and a larger percentage of women were registered by a driving school. A larger proportion of test-takers who were registered by a driving school passed than those who registered themselves. If you divide the test-takers by gender and type of registration a somewhat larger percentage of the men passed the driving test. As for average number of mistakes there are no major differences between the sexes except for manoeuvring.

As for the content of the test, attention and traffic behaviour are the areas with the largest number of fails. Security check, street crossing and driving towards a goal are the most common areas to test while efficient braking is rare. When you study the content of the test at the main offices and sub-offices you will find that motorway, lanes, signalled crossing and roundabouts are more common at the main offices, while the opposite is true for narrow and wide roads, turning around, left or right.

As for changes over time you find that the percentage of test-takers registered by driving schools has decreased over the period, as has the percentage of passed tests, both as a total and the percentage who passed their first test. The percentage of passed tests among those who registered for the test themselves has decreased, but there is no obvious downwards trend for those who were registered via a driving school. Efficient braking has become even rarer.

The aim of this report was to examine the reliability of data from the driving test for passenger cars 2007-2008 and give a basic presentation of data. The quality of the data was improved by removing tests that do not appear to have been completed and unnecessary duplicates.

Two major changes occurred during these years. One was that a new driving test and a new test form, for which the data was registered via a digital pen, were introduced in December 2007. Previously data from the test forms had been scanned optically. The work with the new type of data registration led to data for 2007 not being scrutinized in the usual way, which in turn led to these not having the same quality as previous years. Introduction of the digital pen meant that problems caused by the scanning disappeared. However, it turned out that unintentional markings with the digital pen could lead to duplicates being registered. The other major change was the introduction of a new test model in September 2008. From then on it was not only those who had passed the theory test who took the driving test, which must be considered when comparing data with previous years.

From the basic presentation in the report you will find that there are certain differences between groups. Test-takers below the age of 20 pass the are more likely to pass the test than older test-takers. More men than women took the test and a larger percentage of women were registered by a driving school. A larger proportion of the test-takers who were registered by a driving school passed the test than those who registered themselves. If you divide the test-takers by gender and type of registration a somewhat larger percentage of the men passed the driving test. As for average number of mistakes there are no major differences between the sexes except for manoeuvring. When you study the content of the test at the main offices and sub-offices you find that motorway, driving in lanes, light signal controlled intersection and roundabouts are more commonly tested at the main offices, while the opposite is true for narrow and wide roads/highways, turning around, left or right/ approaching or turning off main roads.

As for changes over time the security check, which earlier was tested on almost all tests, has become less common in 2008 while revers­ing has been tested very often.The percentage of test-takers registered by driving schools have decreased over the period, as has the percentage of passed tests. Bear in mind, though, that the test model has changed.

Den första september 2008 infördes en ny provmodell, ”sammanhållet förarprov”, för körkort behörighet B. Detta innebar att kunskapsprovet och körprovet bokas samtidigt och genomförs samma dag eller nära i tid. Provtagarna börjar med att genomföra kunskapsprovet och oavsett resultat på kunskapsprovet genomför de därefter körprovet. Provtagarna måste få godkänt på båda proven inom en tvåmånadersperiod från det första godkända provet för att få körkort. I annat fall får de göra om båda proven och betala nya provavgifter.

Denna studie hade som syfte att undersöka om införandet av sammanhållet förarprov påverkat hur provtagarna ser på provet och hur de förbereder sig. En enkät skickades ut till ett slumpmässigt urval bestående av 500 provtagare som genomfört kunskapsprovet före förändringen (augusti 2008) och 500 provtagare som genomfört det efter förändringen (augusti 2010). Urvalsgrupperna utgjordes till hälften av provtagare som fått godkänt och till hälften av provtagare som fått underkänt.

Det som den nya provmodellen fört med sig är att fler anmäls via trafikskola och något färre väljer att först läsa teori och sedan övningsköra. Inställningen till reglerna kring provet har också förändrats och de nya reglerna har vunnit större acceptans än när de först infördes. I övrigt är det, utifrån de påståenden som prövades i enkäten, inga större skillnader.

Retrieval practice is a learning strategy that has repeatedly been found to have positive effects on memory and learning. However, studies indicate that students rarely use retrieval practice on a voluntary basis. The objective of the present study was to examine students’ self-regulated use of retrieval practice, and to determine whether sex and individual differences in cognitive and non-cognitive aspects are related to optional use of practice testing. A classroom study was conducted with 146 upper-secondary school students taking courses in mathematics and Swedish. An ABAB design was used to compare students’ optional and non-optional use of retrieval practice (i.e., repeated online quizzing). Students performed cognitive tasks to assess working memory capacity and fluid intelligence and completed self-reports of non-cognitive factors related to school achievement, such as grit, need for cognition (NFC), conscientiousness and openness. Quiz use was then compared using paired- and independent-samples t-tests, and hierarchical linear regression analyses explored relations to individual differences. The results showed that students completed significantly fewer quizzes in the optional sections than in the non-optional sections, and that females completed significantly more optional quizzes than males in Swedish, but not in mathematics. Further, the results showed that conscientiousness predicted optional quiz use in mathematics, whereas sex, NFC, conscientiousness, and openness predicted quiz use in Swedish. To conclude, although the findings show a relatively low optional/self-regulated use of practice testing, in line with earlier research, they suggest that sex and non-cognitive factors, such as personality characteristics, can predict optional use of practice testing.

Objectives: This study investigated the relationships between client personality traits, and changes in those traits after cognitive behavioral or psychodynamic short-term therapy, and clients' perceived working alliances with their therapists and their clinical outcomes at a university training clinic in Sweden.

Design: This was a longitudinal study, with the measures collected at pre- and post-therapy.

Methods: The sample consisted of 138 clients with moderate psychological symptoms. Personality traits were measured using the Health-Relevant Personality Inventory, a health-relevant instrument that measures five factors.

Results: The results showed that Antagonism, Impulsivity, Hedonic Capacity, and Negative Affectivity improved significantly during therapy, while Alexithymia did not. Pre-therapy personality traits were not related to perceived working alliances (as measured by the Working Alliance Inventory) or therapeutic outcomes (as measured by the Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation Outcome Measure). Post-therapy personality traits negative affectivity, hedonic capacity and alexithymia were related to working alliance, and changes in personality traits were predictive of therapy outcome. The change in Hedonic Capacity and Negative Affectivity explained about 20% of the variance in post-therapy symptoms after controlling for pre-therapy symptoms.

Conclusions: The results suggest that therapeutic foci on hedonism (extraversion) and negative affectivity (neuroticism) could be important for working alliance formation and symptom reduction in therapy. Future research should examine whether changes in clients' negative affectivity or hedonic capacity mediates the relation between perceived working alliance quality and clinical outcome in training and other psychotherapeutic contexts.