Affiliations: Department of Disability and Human Development,
University of Illinois-Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
Note: [] Corresponding author: Robert Gould, Department of Disability and
Human Development (MC 626), 1640 W. Roosevelt Rd., Chicago, IL 60608-6904, USA.
Tel.: +1 312 413 2299; E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract: BACKGROUND: There is increasing theoretical consideration
about the use of systematic and scoping reviews of evidence in informing
disability and rehabilitation research and practice. Indicative of this trend,
this journal published a piece by Rumrill, Fitzgerald and Merchant in 2010
explaining the utility and process for conducting reviews of intervention-based
research. There is still need to consider how to apply such rigor when
conducting more exploratory reviews of heterogeneous research. OBJECTIVES: This article explores the challenges, benefits, and
procedures for conducting rigorous exploratory scoping reviews of diverse
evidence. METHODS: The article expands upon Rumrill, Fitzgerald and
Merchant's framework and considers its application to more heterogeneous
evidence on the impact of social policy. RESULTS: A worked example of
a scoping review of the Americans with Disabilities Act is provided with a
procedural framework for conducting scoping reviews on the effects of a social
policy. The need for more nuanced techniques for enhancing rigor became
apparent during the review process. CONCLUSIONS: There are multiple
methodological steps that can enhance the utility of exploratory scoping
reviews. The potential of systematic consideration during the exploratory
review process is shown as a viable method to enhance the rigor in reviewing
diverse bodies of evidence.
