title: Are wandering and physically nonaggressive agitation equivalent?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The authors examined equivalence of wandering and physically nonaggressive agitation (PNA) as concepts.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional correlational design was used.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were recruited from 22 nursing homes and 6 assisted living facilities in two states.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ambulatory residents meeting DSM-IV criteria for dementia (N = 181) were studied.
  
  
  METHODS
  Video-tapes for up to twelve 20-minute observations per participant were coded for wandering using an empirically derived taxonomy of ambulation patterns. Separate raters coded the same tapes for six PNA behaviors on the agitation behavior mapping instrument.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most participants (73.5%) wandered; all showed PNA behaviors. Factor analyses yielded an one-factor solution for wandering (explained variance = 43.66%) and a two-factor solution for PNA (explained variance = 53.45%). Overall wandering correlated significantly with PNA Factor 1 (df =179, r = 0.68, p <0.001) and Factor 2, but at a lower value (df = 179, r = 0.26, p <0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings depict wandering and PNA as overlapping, but nonequivalent phenomena. Evidence supporting construct validity of wandering was more robust than that for PNA. Results have implications for accuracy in scientific and clinical detection and labeling of wandering and agitation.
authors: University of Michigan School of Nursing, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0482, USA. dalgase@umich.edu
authors: Donna L
authors: DL
authors: Algase
authors: Cathy
authors: C
authors: Antonakos
authors: Lan
authors: L
authors: Yao
authors: Elizabeth R A
authors: ER
authors: Beattie
authors: Gwi-Ryung Son
authors: GR
authors: Hong
authors: Cynthia A
authors: CA
authors: Beel-Bates
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D040561:Assisted Living Facilities; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006707:Homes for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D009735:Nursing Homes; D018579:Patient Selection; D011595:Psychomotor Agitation / Q000145:classification / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014743:Videotape Recording; D016138:Walking