title: Environmental effects in the performance of daily tasks in healthy adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We examined the effect of switching from a familiar to an unfamiliar setting on household task performance in healthy adults. We also examined the influence of the cognitive functions abstract reasoning and memory on the ability to adapt to different environments.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty healthy adults were observed in two different settings while they performed two daily tasks. We evaluated process skill abilities in task performance, time needed to perform each task, memory functioning, and abstract reasoning.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Performance of both tasks required significantly more time in the unfamiliar kitchen. Scores on process skill abilities were significantly lower in the unfamiliar kitchen. We found no associations between environmental effects and abstract reasoning or memory.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found environmental effects on task performance in healthy adults. These findings have important implications for rehabilitation practice. Addressing facilitation of transfer of training effects to familiar environments is of great importance to rehabilitation programs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Chantal A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Geusgens
authors.forename: Caroline M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: van Heugten
authors.forename: Edith
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hagedoren
authors.forename: Jelle
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jolles
authors.forename: Wim J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: van den Heuvel
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003071:Cognition; D003296:Cooking; D005260:Female; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis