Matthew Bourke

This study examined associations between 24-hr movement behaviors and irritability in young children. Parents of 1,266 children (52% boys) from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children completed 24-hr time-use diaries at ages 2 and 4, reporting sleep, physical activity, screen time, nonscreen sedentary behavior, and irritability. Bayesian multilevel compositional data analysis and isotemporal substitution models assessed within- and between-person effects. Children who typically spent more time in physical activity were irritable significantly less often, while more screen time was linked to greater time being irritable. On days when children were more active than usual, irritability was less common. Substituting screen or sedentary time with physical activity was associated with reduced irritability, suggesting that promoting physical activity may support early childhood mental health. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).

Background: Many adults are insufficiently active, posing a threat to public health. Research shows steep declines in physical activity during the emerging adulthood period. Psychological and socioenvironmental factors have been shown to be independently associated with engaging in physical activity. However, few studies have examined the cross-domain interactions between psychological and socioenvironmental factors on physical activity in real time. Real-time data collection methods can be leveraged alongside traditional nomothetic methods to gain a more comprehensive understanding of how physical activity is affected by dynamic changes to one’s unique psychological and contextual state within a day. Objective: This paper describes the protocol for a study aiming to examine independent and interactive associations between psychological and contextual factors and real-time physical activity in emerging adults. Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) and device-based monitoring of physical activity will be used. Methods: The SCOPE (Studying COntextual and Psychological predictors of physical activity among Emerging adults) study will use an intensive longitudinal study design. A total of 124 emerging adults will be recruited, completing 2 waves of data collection consisting of an online survey followed by 7 days of EMAs 6 months apart. EMA surveys will be administered using the Pathverse smartphone app, and physical activity will be assessed using a Fitbit Versa 4 activity monitor. Results: The study was approved by the research ethics board at the University of Waterloo in November 2025. Recruitment and enrollment began in December 2025, and complete T1 data from 69 participants have been collected as of February 2026. It is expected that T1 data collection will be completed by April 2026, and T2 data collection will occur between June and October 2026. Data analysis on T1 data is expected to begin in May 2026. We anticipate results to be published in fall 2027. Conclusions: Exploring real-time associations between psychological and socioenvironmental factors and physical activity will provide a more comprehensive understanding of the dynamic barriers and facilitators influencing individuals’ engagement in physical activity in their everyday lives. The outcomes of this work will help advance existing theories on behavioral choice and effort minimization and inform the development of decision rules for adaptive interventions that are tailored to individuals’ unique and current context.

Background: Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), intellectual disability (ID), and specific learning disorders (SLD), frequently co‐occur with psychiatric conditions (e.g. anxiety, depression). Although several reviews have attempted to summarise this evidence, reliable prevalence estimates remain limited. This umbrella review aimed to (a) determine the prevalence of co‐occurring psychiatric conditions among children and adolescents with NDDs and (b) compare prevalence rates with neurotypical peers. Methods: An umbrella review and meta‐analysis were conducted following PRISMA guidelines (PROSPERO CRD42023481585). Six databases were searched from inception to 18th February 2025. A total of 2342 systematic reviews were manually screened for inclusion. Systematic reviews were included if they reported the prevalence of mood, anxiety, fear‐related, OCD or behavioural disorders in children aged 3–18 with a DSM‐5‐defined NDD. Pooled prevalence estimates were calculated using random‐effects meta‐analyses. Comparative prevalence rates were analysed where control groups—neurotypically developing children—were utilized. Results: Out of 2342 systematic reviews manually screened, 33 were included, which reported on 113 studies and 14,608 children with neurodevelopmental disorders (ADHD = 6234, ASD = 6257, ID = 1225, SLD = 892) included in the meta‐analyses. Pooled current prevalence ranged 2.8–14.1% for depressive disorders, 0.8–48.5% for anxiety disorders and 3.4–47.3% for behavioural disorders. Children with NDDs were significantly more likely to experience these conditions than neurotypical peers (odds ratios from 2.86 to 14.77). Conclusion: Psychiatric comorbidities are highly prevalent in NDDs. Screening for co‐occurring psychiatric conditions in NDDs is recommended.

Issue Addressed: Managing screen use is a major concern for Australian parents of young children. However, little is known about how parents perceive, understand and appraise national screen time guidelines for children aged between 1 and 5 years. This study examined parental knowledge, attitudes and perceived usefulness of the Australian screen time guidelines and explored associations with sociodemographic factors. Methods: Data were drawn from a cross‐sectional online survey of Australian parents ( n = 229) of young children aged between 1 and 5 years. Knowledge of screen time guidelines (multiple‐choice item), attitudes (4 items; 5‐point scale) and perceived usefulness (3 items; 5‐point scale) were examined. Descriptive statistics were calculated for independent variables and regression models estimated to examine sociodemographic factors associated with knowledge, attitudes and perceived usefulness. Results: Parents of toddlers were 4.45 times ( p < 0.001) more likely to know the screen time guidelines than parents of preschoolers. Knowledge was lower among parents in full‐time employment and those living in major cities ( p < 0.05). Attitudes did not differ by demographics, but parents of girls rated the guidelines as more useful than parents of boys ( p = 0.038). Higher attitude scores ( p = 0.017) and greater perceived usefulness ( p = 0.047) were associated with correctly identifying the guidelines. Conclusion: Knowledge gaps exist, particularly among parents of preschoolers, those employed full‐time and those living in major cities. Targeted education with diverse parent groups is needed to ensure guidelines are both understood and perceived as useful. So What?: Inclusive guidelines, supported by tailored education and implementation strategies for key parent groups, may improve understanding and uptake in realistic family contexts.