Validation / Research

FCE is a structured measurement system. Its internal logic is defined, but its relationship to real-world outcomes is not yet formally validated.

“Clarity about what is unknown is part of responsible design.”

Current status

  • Measurement structure is defined
  • Tasks are internally consistent
  • Baseline-relative comparison is implemented
  • Quality control and refusal logic are in place

FCE is internally coherent, but not externally validated.

What is defined

  • reaction time and variability
  • inhibitory control (Go / No-Go)
  • divided attention under dual demand
  • motor precision and normalized error
  • session-level quality thresholds

These constructs are measurable within the system and reproducible under controlled conditions.

Thresholds and interpretation

FCE uses deviation from a personal baseline to classify results (e.g. within range, slightly below, significantly below).

These thresholds are practical design choices intended to signal change.
They are not calibrated against validated real-world outcomes.

Users with naturally high variability may trigger fewer deviations.
Users with low variability may trigger deviations more easily.

Baseline limitations

  • Minimum baseline size is small (e.g. 3 sessions)
  • Baseline estimates may be unstable early
  • Day-to-day variability affects sensitivity

Baseline comparison is useful, but not statistically robust in a strict sense.

Ecological validity

FCE measures short-task performance under controlled conditions.

Real-world performance involves:

  • sustained attention over time
  • context-dependent decision-making
  • emotional and environmental factors

The relationship between FCE signals and real-world outcomes is not yet established.

There is currently no agreed external criterion for 'functional readiness' across contexts, which limits validation across the field.

What FCE does not establish

  • fitness for driving or work
  • medical impairment
  • causal explanations
  • legal or safety decisions

FCE provides signals. It does not determine outcomes.

Relation to existing fields

FCE draws from established domains:

  • cognitive psychology (reaction time, inhibition)
  • neuropsychological testing paradigms
  • human performance monitoring

However, FCE is not a validated clinical or occupational assessment tool.

Research directions

Validation would require:

  • larger longitudinal datasets
  • correlation with real-world performance outcomes
  • test–retest reliability analysis
  • sensitivity and specificity evaluation

This work has not yet been completed.

Position

FCE is best understood as:

  • a structured self-monitoring instrument
  • a source of functional signals
  • a support for human judgment

It should not be treated as a validated decision system.