Temporal Patterns of Negative and Positive Behavior Among Nursing Home Residents With Alzheimer's Disease

Although clinical observations suggest a late-day peak in disruptive behavior in persons with dementia, results from studies of temporal patterns of behavior are equivocal. This study used direct observation methods and systematic time sampling to examine temporal patterns of negative and positive b...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Psychology and aging 2004-06, Vol.19 (2), p.336-345
Main Authors: McCann, Judith J, Gilley, David W, Bienias, Julia L, Beckett, Laurel A, Evans, Denis A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Affect
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Alzheimer Disease - epidemiology
Alzheimer's Disease
Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders - epidemiology
Behavior
Behavior Problems
Biological and medical sciences
Dementia
Elderly people
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Geriatrics
Human
Humans
Male
Medical sciences
Negative behaviour
Nursing Home Residents
Nursing Homes
Observation
Periodicity
Psychology
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
Temporal patterns
Time Factors
Time of day
Time sampling
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Summary:Although clinical observations suggest a late-day peak in disruptive behavior in persons with dementia, results from studies of temporal patterns of behavior are equivocal. This study used direct observation methods and systematic time sampling to examine temporal patterns of negative and positive behavior in 177 residents of 2 long-term care facilities with clinically diagnosed Alzheimer's disease (AD). The authors found small statistically significant diurnal variation in both negative and positive behavior, characterized by a curvilinear pattern with a single peak. This pattern was unaffected by seasonal differences in length of day, severity of cognitive impairment, level of behavior, or sleep disturbances. Time when behavior peaked differed by type of behavior and by facility, and there was substantial heterogeneity in behavior patterns.
ISSN:0882-7974
1939-1498
DOI:10.1037/0882-7974.19.2.336