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Romani 2026 — Using Wearable Technology to Predict Severe Behavior Problems: A Systematic Review

Citation: Romani, P.W., D'Mello, S.K., Moulder, R.M., et al. (2026). Perspectives on Behavior Science, 49(2), 361-383.
DOI: 10.1007/s40614-026-00497-1
Type: Systematic review

Key Contribution

Systematic review of 13 peer-reviewed studies on predicting severe behavior problems (SBPs) in neurodevelopmental disabilities using wearables. Highlights methodological concerns and proposes research agenda.

Key Findings

  • Most studies claim prediction 30s+ in advance
  • Methodological concerns reduce veracity of some claims
  • Past behavior often the best predictor of future behavior
  • Augmented feature vectors (including contextual aggression info) consistently outperformed physiology-only models

Recommendations

  • Open data practices critical for reproducibility
  • Social validity data should be collected alongside biometrics
  • Need for larger, more diverse populations

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