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BMC Geriatrics Jan 2019Many balance and strength tests exist that have been designed for older seniors, often aged ≥70 years. To guide strategies for preventing functional decline, valid...
BACKGROUND
Many balance and strength tests exist that have been designed for older seniors, often aged ≥70 years. To guide strategies for preventing functional decline, valid and reliable tests are needed to detect early signs of functional decline in young seniors. Currently, little is known about which tests are being used in young seniors and their methodological quality. This two-step review aims to 1) identify commonly used tests of balance and strength, and 2) evaluate their measurement properties in young seniors.
METHODS
First, a systematic literature search was conducted in MEDLINE to identify primary studies that employed performance-based tests of balance and muscle strength, and which aspects of balance and strength these tests assess in young seniors aged 60-70. Subsequently, for tests used in ≥3 studies, a second search was performed to identify method studies evaluating their measurement properties. The quality of included method studies was evaluated using the Consensus-based Standards for selection of health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) checklist.
RESULTS
Of 3454 articles identified, 295 met the inclusion criteria. For the first objective, 69 balance and 51 muscle strength tests were identified, with variations in administration mode and outcome reporting. Twenty-six balance tests and 15 muscle strength tests were used in ≥3 studies, with proactive balance tests and functional muscle power tests used most often. For the second objective, the search revealed 1880 method studies, of which nine studies (using 5 balance tests and 1 strength test) were included for quality assessment. The Timed Up and Go test was evaluated the most (4 studies), while the Community Balance and Mobility (CBM) scale was the second most assessed test (3 studies). For strength, one study assessed the reliability of the Five times sit-to-stand.
CONCLUSION
Commonly used balance and muscle strength tests in young seniors vary greatly with regards to administration mode and outcome reporting. Few studies have evaluated measurement properties of these tests when used in young seniors. There is a need for standardisation of existing tests to improve their informative value and comparability. For measuring balance, the CBM is a new and promising tool to detect even small balance deficits in balance in young seniors.
Topics: Aged; Geriatric Assessment; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Muscle Strength; Postural Balance; Psychomotor Performance; Reproducibility of Results; Time and Motion Studies
PubMed: 30626340
DOI: 10.1186/s12877-018-1011-0 -
European Journal of Emergency Medicine... Oct 2015The aim of this study was to perform a comprehensive systematic review of emergency department performance indicators in relation to evidence. A systematic search was... (Review)
Review
The aim of this study was to perform a comprehensive systematic review of emergency department performance indicators in relation to evidence. A systematic search was performed through PUBMED, EMBASE, CINAHL and COCHRANE databases with (and including synonyms of) the search words: [emergency medicine OR emergency department] AND [quality indicator(s) OR performance indicator(s) OR performance measure(s)]. Articles were included according to the inclusion/exclusion criteria using the PRISMA protocol. The level of evidence was rated according to the evidence levels by the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine. Performance indicators were extracted and organized into five categories; outcome, process, satisfaction, equity and structural/organizational measures. Six thousand four hundred and forty articles were initially identified; 127 provided evidence for/against a minimum of one performance indicator: these were included for further study. Of the 127 articles included, 113 (92%) were primary research studies and only nine (8%) were systematic reviews. Within the 127 articles, we found evidence for 202 individual indicators. Approximately half (n=104) of all this evidence (n=202) studied process-type indicators. Only seven articles (6%) qualified for high quality (level 1b). Sixty-six articles (51%) were good retrospective quality (level 2b or better), whereas the remaining articles were either intermediate quality (25% level 3a or 3b) or poor quality (17% level 4 or 5). We found limited evidence for most emergency department performance indicators, with the majority presenting a low level of evidence. Thus, a core group of evidence-based performance indicators cannot currently be recommended on the basis of this broad review of the literature.
Topics: Emergency Medicine; Emergency Service, Hospital; Evidence-Based Medicine; Female; Humans; Male; Quality Indicators, Health Care; Task Performance and Analysis
PubMed: 25969341
DOI: 10.1097/MEJ.0000000000000279 -
Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews Nov 2022Traditional and more modern conceptualizations of psychopathy cite problems with impulse control. However, the extent to which these problems represent a cardinal... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Traditional and more modern conceptualizations of psychopathy cite problems with impulse control. However, the extent to which these problems represent a cardinal feature of the disorder has been debated. In this study, we conducted a preregistered systematic review and meta-analysis, searching Embase, Medline, PsycINFO, and PubMed, for studies from inception to January 6th, 2022. We included 21 studies, published between 2009 and 2021, that reported on the relationship of psychopathy with performance on the go/no-go or stop signal task. A multilevel random-effects meta-analysis, including 43 effect sizes from 17 studies (total N = 1394), showed a significant pooled association between psychopathy and response inhibition r = -0.143 (95 % CI: -0.250 to -0.034). The relatively small effect size, although statistically significant, calls in to question the extent to which difficulties in response inhibition should be considered a cardinal feature of psychopathic personality. The strength of the relationship did not significantly differ between non-criminal and criminal samples, gender, task type, tasks with or without an affective component, or by psychopathy trait dimension.
Topics: Humans; Antisocial Personality Disorder; Task Performance and Analysis
PubMed: 36113781
DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104868 -
Sports Biomechanics Jun 2015The ability to shoot an effective jump shot in the sport of basketball is critical to a player's success. In an attempt to better understand the aspects related to... (Review)
Review
The ability to shoot an effective jump shot in the sport of basketball is critical to a player's success. In an attempt to better understand the aspects related to expert performance, researchers have investigated successful free throws and jump shots of various basketball players and identified movement variables that contribute to their success. The purpose of this study was to complete a systematic review of the scientific literature on the basketball free throw and jump shot for the purpose of revealing the critical components of shooting that coaches, teachers, and players should focus on when teaching, learning, practising, and performing a jump shot. The results of this review are presented in three sections: (a) variables that affect ball trajectory, (b) phases of the jump shot, and
Topics: Athletic Performance; Basketball; Biomechanical Phenomena; Humans; Task Performance and Analysis
PubMed: 26102462
DOI: 10.1080/14763141.2015.1052541 -
International Journal of... Jul 2023Neurofeedback procedures are attracting increasing attention in the neuroscience community. Based on the principle that participants, through suitable feedback, may... (Review)
Review
Neurofeedback procedures are attracting increasing attention in the neuroscience community. Based on the principle that participants, through suitable feedback, may learn to affect specific aspects of their brain activity, neurofeedback interventions have been applied to basic research, translational, and clinical science. A large segment of the available empirical research as well as review articles have focused on the extent to which neurofeedback interventions affect mental health outcomes, cognitive capacity, aging, and other complex behaviors. Another segment has aimed to characterize the extent to which neurofeedback affects the targeted neural processes. At this time, there is no current systematic review of the effects of neurofeedback on healthy participants' performance in experimental tasks. Such a review is relevant in this rapidly evolving field because changes in experimental task performance are traditionally considered a hallmark of changing neurocognitive processes, often established in neurotypical individuals. This systematic review addresses this gap in the literature using the PRISMA method, building on earlier reviews on the same topic. Empirical studies using EEG or fMRI to alter brain processes linked to established cognitive and affective laboratory tasks were reviewed. Systematic quality assessment and z-curve analyses were also conducted. Substantial variability was found regarding the study designs used, the implementation of the feedback, and the neural targets of feedback. Importantly, only a minority of the studies reported statistically meaningful effects of neurofeedback on performance in cognitive and affective tasks. The z-curve analyses found no evidence for reporting bias or unsound research practices. Quality control and effect size analyses showed few systematic relations between study characteristics such as sample size or experimental control on the one hand and outcome on the other. Overall, the present study does not support strong effects of NFT on performance in laboratory tasks. Implications for future work are discussed.
Topics: Humans; Neurofeedback; Brain; Learning; Brain Mapping; Task Performance and Analysis
PubMed: 37148977
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2023.04.005 -
Applied Ergonomics Nov 2021A systematic review was conducted to examine the effects of interventions aimed at reducing the negative consequences of interruptions on task performance. Medline,... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Effects of interventions to reduce the negative consequences of interruptions on task performance: A systematic review, meta-analysis, and narrative synthesis of laboratory studies.
A systematic review was conducted to examine the effects of interventions aimed at reducing the negative consequences of interruptions on task performance. Medline, PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, and the ABI/INFORM Collection were searched for relevant publications. Thirty-three laboratory-based experiments, containing 49 interventions, were reviewed. Seven types of interventions were identified. Overall, the use of interventions significantly increased primary task accuracy (standardized mean difference (SMD) = 1.03, P = 0.001) and reduced resumption lag (SMD = -0.51, P < 0.001), whereas no significant difference was observed for interrupting task accuracy. Subgroup analyses indicated that intervention effects varied by (i) the type of intervention and (ii) the type of primary task (procedural, decision-making, or problem-solving tasks). The narrative synthesis provided additional evidence regarding interruption lag and time spent on a primary task. In sum, this review identified the types of interventions that were particularly effective and provided implications for application and further investigation.
Topics: Humans; Laboratories; Problem Solving; Task Performance and Analysis
PubMed: 34273814
DOI: 10.1016/j.apergo.2021.103506 -
British Journal of Sports Medicine Feb 2020The impact, positive or negative, of youth sport specialisation (YSS) on short-term and long-term performance is not fully understood; however, the desire to maximise...
Impact of youth sports specialisation on career and task-specific athletic performance: a systematic review following the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM) Collaborative Research Network's 2019 Youth Early Sport Specialisation Summit.
OBJECTIVE
The impact, positive or negative, of youth sport specialisation (YSS) on short-term and long-term performance is not fully understood; however, the desire to maximise performance goals is generally considered the primary reason children and adolescents specialise at a young age. We performed a systematic review of original research to establish the association of YSS and task-focused or career-focused performance outcomes.
DESIGN
Systematic review.
DATA SOURCES
Databases searched include PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, CINAHL and SPORTDiscus.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines to identify peer-reviewed research articles published in English between 1 January 1990 and 31 December 2018 that reported original findings on the association of YSS and performance outcomes. Studies without an explicit measure of sport specialisation, for example, volume measures without measuring sport specialisation, were excluded.
RESULTS
Twenty-two articles were included in the final review; 15 addressed career performance outcomes and 7 considered task performance outcomes. All identified studies were cross-sectional or retrospective in design. The proportion of elite athletes who specialised early ranged between 7% and 85%, depending on sport and definition of specialisation. Elite athletes often specialised between the ages of 14 and 15 compared with their non-elite or semi-elite peers who typically specialised prior to 13 years. In addition, neuromuscular control, anterior reach asymmetry and physical task outcomes did not differ by specialisation status.
CONCLUSION
The volume and methodological rigour of published research in this field are limited. Our review suggests that YSS is not required to achieve success at elite levels. YSS also does not appear to improve task-related performance (eg, anterior reach, neuromuscular control) outcomes for specialised athletes when compared with non-specialised athletes during childhood and adolescence.
Topics: Adolescent; Athletic Performance; Career Choice; Child; Humans; Research; Specialization; Task Performance and Analysis; United States; Youth Sports
PubMed: 31740483
DOI: 10.1136/bjsports-2019-101365 -
Surgery Mar 2010Safe surgical practice requires a combination of technical and nontechnical abilities. Both sets of skills can be impaired by intra-operative stress, compromising... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Safe surgical practice requires a combination of technical and nontechnical abilities. Both sets of skills can be impaired by intra-operative stress, compromising performance and patient safety. This systematic review aims to assess the effects of intra-operative stress on surgical performance.
METHODS
A systematic search strategy was implemented to obtain relevant articles. MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PsycINFO databases were searched, and 3,547 abstracts were identified. After application of limits, 660 abstracts were retrieved for subsequent evaluation. Studies were included on the basis of predetermined inclusion criteria and independent assessment by 2 reviewers.
RESULTS
In all, 22 articles formed the evidence base for this review. Key stressors included laparoscopic surgery (7 studies), bleeding (4 studies), distractions (4 studies), time pressure (3 studies), procedural complexity (3 studies), and equipment problems (2 studies). The methods for assessing stress and performance varied greatly across studies, rendering cross-study comparisons difficult. With only 7 studies assessing stress and surgical performance concurrently, establishing a direct link was challenging. Despite this shortfall, the direction of the evidence suggested that excessive stress impairs performance. Specifically, laparoscopic procedures trigger greater stress levels and poorer technical performance (3 studies), and expert surgeons experience less stress and less impaired performance compared with juniors (2 studies). Finally, 3 studies suggest that stressful crises impair surgeons' nontechnical skills (eg, communication and decision making).
CONCLUSION
Surgeons are subject to many intra-operative stressors that can impair their performance. Current evidence is characterized by marked heterogeneity of research designs and variable study quality. Further research on stress and performance is required so that surgical training and clinical excellence can flourish.
Topics: Adaptation, Psychological; Clinical Competence; Humans; Intraoperative Period; Medical Errors; Stress, Physiological; Stress, Psychological; Task Performance and Analysis
PubMed: 20004924
DOI: 10.1016/j.surg.2009.10.007 -
Disability and Rehabilitation Aug 2019To examine in people with neurological disorders, which method/s of providing external cues to improve task performance are most effective. Medline, EMBASE, and... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
To examine in people with neurological disorders, which method/s of providing external cues to improve task performance are most effective. Medline, EMBASE, and PsycINFO were systematically searched. Two reviewers independently screened, extracted data, and assessed the quality of the evidence using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE). Twenty six studies were included. Studies examined a wide-range of cues including visual, tactile, auditory, verbal, and multi-component cues. Cueing (any type) improved walking speed when comparing cues to no cues (mean difference (95% confidence interval): 0.08 m/s (0.06-0.10), = 68%, low quality of evidence). Remaining evidence was analysed narratively; evidence that cueing improves activity-related outcomes was inconsistent and rated as very low quality. It was not possible to determine which form of cueing may be more effective than others. Providing cues to encourage successful task performance is a core component of rehabilitation, however there is limited evidence on the type of cueing or which tasks benefit most from external cueing. Low-quality evidence suggests there may be a beneficial effect of cueing (any type) on walking speed. Sufficiently powered randomised controlled trials are needed to inform therapists of the most effective cueing strategies to improve activity performance in populations with a neurological disorder. Implications for rehabilitation Providing cues is a core component of rehabilitation and may improve successful task performance and activities in people with neurological conditions including stroke, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, traumatic brain injury, and multiple sclerosis, but evidence is limited for most neurological conditions with much research focusing on stroke and Parkinson's disease. Therapists should consider using a range of different types of cues depending on the aims of treatment and the neurological condition. There is currently insufficient evidence to suggest one form of cueing is superior to other forms. Therapists should appreciate that responding optimally to cues may take many sessions to have an effect on activities such as walking. Further studies should be conducted over a longer timeframe to examine the effects of different types of cues towards task performance and activities in people with neurological conditions.
Topics: Cues; Humans; Male; Nervous System Diseases; Psychomotor Performance; Task Performance and Analysis; Walking Speed
PubMed: 29523022
DOI: 10.1080/09638288.2018.1448465 -
International Journal of Environmental... Jul 2018Positive associations exist between physical activity, cognition, and academic performance in children and adolescents. Further research is required to examine which...
Positive associations exist between physical activity, cognition, and academic performance in children and adolescents. Further research is required to examine which factors underpin the relationships between physical activity and academic performance. This systematic review aimed to identify, critically appraise, and synthesize findings of studies examining relationships between motor proficiency and academic performance in mathematics and reading in typically developing school-aged children and adolescents. A systematic search of electronic databases was performed to identify relevant studies. Fifty-five eligible articles were critically appraised and key data was extracted and synthesized. Findings support associations between several components of motor proficiency and academic performance in mathematics and reading. There was evidence that fine motor proficiency was significantly and positively associated with academic performance in mathematics and reading, particularly during the early years of school. Significant positive associations were also evident between academic performance and components of gross motor proficiency, specifically speed and agility, upper-limb coordination, and total gross motor scores. Preliminary evidence from a small number of experimental studies suggests motor skill interventions in primary school settings may have a positive impact on academic performance in mathematics and/or reading. Future research should include more robust study designs to explore more extensively the impact of motor skill interventions on academic performance.
Topics: Academic Performance; Adolescent; Child; Female; Humans; Male; Mathematics; Motor Skills; Reading
PubMed: 30060590
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph15081603