A scoping review of measures examining the environments of persons with neurodevelopmental disorders in a supported housing setting.

Introduction: Having a neurodevelopmental disorder (NDD) can impact the abilities of an individual in many areas of life, including the ability to live independently. The environment of an individual impacts their day-to-day life throughout their lifespan. To improve supported housing experiences, it is important to map the evidence, especially relating to quality and satisfaction with the environment (as defined by the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) framework). This has been exacerbated by COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, therefore more insight is needed in measuring this. Objective and methods: This scoping review searched 5 health and social science databases with the objective to identify and examine the outcome measures that integrate aspects of the environment that examine supported housing in individuals with NDD. Results and discussion: Fifteen studies met the inclusion criteria. We found that most measures targeted the satisfaction of individuals about their environment, with the ICF Support and Relationships factor of the environment assessed most. Measures were most often completed by a proxy through an interview. This work enhances our understanding of aspects of the environments of supported housing that are currently measured, laying an essential base for future research to improve the lives of individuals with NDDs.

Accelerometer techniques for capturing human movement validated against direct observation: a scoping review.

INTRODUCTION: Accelerometers are devices commonly used to measure human physical activity and sedentary time. Accelerometer capabilities and analytical techniques have evolved rapidly, making it difficult for researchers to keep track of advances and best practices for data processing and analysis. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this scoping review is to determine the existing methods for analyzing accelerometer data for capturing human movement which have been validated against the criterion measure of direct observation. METHODS: This scoping review searched 14 academic and 5 grey databases. Two independent raters screened by title and abstract, then full text. Data were extracted using Microsoft Excel and checked by an independent reviewer. RESULTS: The search yielded 1039 papers and the final analysis included 115 papers. 71 unique accelerometer models were used across a total of 4217 participants. While all studies underwent validation from direct observation, most direct observation occurred live (55%) or using recordings (42%). Analysis techniques included machine learning approaches (22%), the use of existing cut-points (18%), ROC curves to determine cut-points (14%), and other strategies including regressions and non-machine learning algorithms (8%). DISCUSSION: Machine learning techniques are becoming more prevalent and are often used for activity identification. Cut-point methods are still frequently used. Activity intensity is the most assessed activity outcome; however, both the analyses and outcomes assessed vary by wear location. CONCLUSIONS: This scoping review provides a comprehensive overview of accelerometer analysis and validation techniques using direct observation and is a useful tool for researchers using accelerometers.

Risk Factors Associated with Missing Incidents among Persons Living with Dementia: A Scoping Review.

Worldwide, over 55-million people have dementia, and the number will triple by 2050. Persons living with dementia are exposed to risks secondary to cognitive challenges including getting lost. The adverse outcomes of going missing include injuries, death, and premature institutionalization. In this scoping review, we investigate risk factors associated with going missing among persons living with dementia. We searched and screened studies from four electronic databases (Medline, CINAHL, Embase, and Scopus), and extracted relevant data. We identified 3,376 articles, of which 73 met the inclusion criteria. Most studies used quantitative research methods. We identified 27 variables grouped into three risk factor domains: (a) demographics and personal characteristics, (b) health conditions and symptoms, and (c) environmental and contextual antecedents. Identification of risk factors associated with getting lost helps to anticipate missing incidents. Risk factors can be paired with proactive strategies to prevent incidents and inform policies to create safer communities.

Evaluating the Effect of Semantic Congruency and Valence on Multisensory Integration.

Previous studies have found that semantics, the higher-level meaning of stimuli, can impact multisensory integration; however, less is known about the effect of valence, an affective response to stimuli. This study investigated the effects of both semantic congruency and valence of non-speech audiovisual stimuli on multisensory integration via response time (RT) and temporal-order judgement (TOJ) tasks [assessing processing speed (RT), Point of Subjective Simultaneity (PSS), and time window when multisensory stimuli are likely to be perceived as simultaneous (temporal binding window; TBW)]. Through an online study with 40 participants (mean age: 26.25 years; females = 17), we found that both congruence and valence had a significant main effect on RT (congruency and positive valence decrease RT) and an interaction effect (congruent/positive valence condition being significantly faster than all others). For TOJ, there was a significant main effect of valence and a significant interaction effect where positive valence (compared to negative valence) and the congruent/positive condition (compared to all other conditions) required visual stimuli to be presented significantly earlier than auditory stimuli to be perceived as simultaneous. A subsequent analysis showed a positive correlation between TBW width and RT (as TBW widens, RT increases) for the categories that were furthest from true simultaneity in their PSS (Congruent/Positive and Incongruent/Negative). This study provides new evidence that supports previous research on semantic congruency and presents a novel incorporation of valence into behavioural responses.