OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY

Research for occupational therapy

Papers an occupational therapist can act on, across daily living, mental health, hand therapy, paediatrics and rehabilitation, each read in full rather than from its abstract.

10,853 PAPERS · PAGE 101 OF 218 · NEWEST FIRST

• OTOther2022Daily living skills of autistic adolescents and young adults: A scoping review.Australian occupational therapy journalMost research on daily living skills for autistic adolescents and young adults focuses on short-term gains in school settings. This leaves therapists without evidence that skills generalise to home or community, or that they last beyond six months.
• OTQualitative2022Understanding occupational therapy practice in residential aged care facilities under the Aged Care Funding Instrument: A qualitative study.Australian occupational therapy journalSeven occupational therapists in Australian residential aged care described a funding system that rewarded documenting disability over independence. They reported being pressured to record residents as needing more help than they did, and to document pain massage sessions that were not actually delivered.
• PTOTSystematic Review2022Influences on Participation in Life After Spinal Cord Injury: Qualitative Inquiry Reveals Interaction of Context and Moderators.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesPeople with spinal cord injury described participation as shaped by physical and social barriers, body functions, psychological meaning, control, knowledge, support, resources and timing. These themes can guide person-centred rehabilitation, but the review does not test interventions.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022Risk factors for decline in gait speed during walking while talking in older adults.Gait & postureWalking speed while talking declined faster in older adults who were older, had poorer balance, or had faster single-task walking speeds. Poor balance was the strongest modifiable risk factor for this accelerated decline.
• PTOTSLPPilot2022Benefits of an Intensive Individual CO-OP Intervention in a Group Setting for Children with DCD.Occupational therapy internationalChildren with DCD improved on goals trained during a five-day intensive CO-OP camp, with gains held at three-month follow-up. Transfer to goals coached at home afterwards was less consistent, with parents reporting improvements that children and independent ratings did not always confirm.
• PTOTSystematic Review2022The Effectiveness of Proprioceptive Training for Improving Motor Performance and Motor Dysfunction: A Systematic Review.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesProprioceptive training improved proprioception in 71% of studies and motor performance in 81%. Clinical populations, especially those with neurological or orthopedic conditions, showed larger and more consistent gains than healthy adults. Active movement and balance training were the most common effective interventions.
• PTOTOther2022Development of a Clinical Practice Guideline for Lower Limb Amputees. A Knowledge Translation Process in a Middle Income Country.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesColombia developed a clinical practice guideline for lower limb amputees with 43 recommendations, but 93% were based on low or very low quality evidence. Patients prioritized walking and stump infection, while economic analyses supported comprehensive rehabilitation and specific prosthetic choices.
• PTOTOther2022Healthy ageing through participation in community situated activities: A scoping review of assessment instruments to support occupational therapy practice.Australian occupational therapy journalNo existing assessment tool comprehensively measures community participation for older adults because they ignore environmental factors like transport and accessibility. Therapists should not assume standard participation scores capture the barriers preventing patients from leaving home or engaging in daily life.
• OTCohort2022Employment effects for people with disabilities after participation in vocational training programmes: A cohort analysis using propensity score matching.Work (Reading, Mass.)Vocational training locks people out of work for three years, but employment prospects improve by year four. Holding official disability status, rather than just taking training, significantly boosts income and job placement compared to similar people without that status.
• PTOTSurvey2022Characterizing Pain Among Adolescents and Young Adults With Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita.Pediatric physical therapy : the official publication of the Section on Pediatrics of the American Physical Therapy AssociationPain is common in adolescents and adults with arthrogryposis. Higher pain scores and more painful body regions were associated with reduced functional mobility. A 7-day average pain rating is more reliable for tracking change than a single current pain score.
• PTOTPilot2022SAfety and Feasibility of EArly Resistance Training After Median Sternotomy: The SAFE-ARMS Study.Physical therapyTwelve participants with complete data performed supervised bilateral machine resistance training tested at 2, 8, and 14 weeks after sternotomy. No upper limb exercise exceeded 2.0 mm sternal micromotion, and no sternal pain increase was reported.
• PTOTSystematic Review2022Rehabilitation Research in Denmark Between 2001 and 2020: A Scoping Review.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciences1,779 Danish rehabilitation studies were mostly about musculoskeletal conditions, cancer, and cardiac disease. Few covered rheumatic disease, diabetes, or substance abuse, and hospitals contributed most work.
• PTOTQualitative2022Knowledge Needs in Rehabilitation: Perspectives of Service Users and Professionals.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesRehabilitation professionals and service users in Finland described needing evidence that fits individual lives, supports collaboration and remote rehabilitation, and is easy to access. The study reports what they said they need, not whether any intervention works.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2022Understanding the participation outcomes for persons with disability when partnered with assistance dogs: A scoping review.Australian occupational therapy journalAssistance dog partnerships showed mixed participation outcomes across 38 studies. While many reported improved self-care and social interaction, others found no benefit or added burdens like financial cost and training workload. The evidence is too weak to confirm efficacy, but it helps prepare clients for realistic expectations.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022Exploration of diet, physical activity, health knowledge and the cardiometabolic profile of young adults with intellectual disability.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRYoung adults with intellectual disability had significantly higher BMI and waist circumference than peers. They reported less physical activity and poorer diet quality. Resting heart rate and HbA1c were elevated, indicating increased cardiometabolic risk despite similar blood pressure and lipid profiles.
• PTOTPilot2022Utility of an obstacle-crossing test to classify future fallers and non-fallers at hospital discharge after stroke: A pilot study.Gait & postureStroke survivors who failed to step over a customized obstacle before hospital discharge were three times more likely to fall in the next three months. This simple test may help identify those needing extra fall prevention, though results are not precise enough for routine practice yet.
• PTOTCohort2022Impact of Falls and Fear of Falling on Participation, Autonomy and Life Satisfaction in the First Year After Spinal Cord Injury.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesAfter discharge, falling alone was not linked to participation or life satisfaction. Fear of falling was linked to lower indoor, outdoor and family autonomy; falling with fear was linked to poorer social life and lower life satisfaction.
• PTOTCohort2022Object Permanence and the Relationship to Sitting Development in Infants With Motor Delays.Pediatric physical therapy : the official publication of the Section on Pediatrics of the American Physical Therapy AssociationInfants with motor delays showed delayed object permanence, matching typical peers in skill but occurring about 5 months later. Object permanence improved as sitting skills developed, with strong correlations between the two. The new Object Permanence Scale reliably tracked this progression using simple toys.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022Long-term neurodevelopmental outcome of neonates born at term with perinatal haemorrhagic stroke: A population-based study.Developmental medicine and child neurologyMost infants with perinatal haemorrhagic stroke had lasting neurodevelopmental issues. Parietal lobe involvement strongly predicted cerebral palsy and cognitive deficits. Frontal lobe strokes showed no motor or basic cognitive impairment, suggesting better outcomes for that group.
• OTProtocol2022A Study Protocol for Persons With Neurological Diseases: Linking Rehabilitation Goals to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health With a Focus on Assistive Technology for Cognition and Its Effects.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesThis paper sets out a plan to track how well assistive technology helps adults with neurological conditions reach personal goals over five years. No patients have been studied yet, so there are no results to change practice today.
• OTSurvey2022Quantitative Evaluation of Vocabulary Emotional Color in Language Teaching.Occupational therapy internationalIn Chinese language teaching, teachers mostly presented adjective emotional meaning through vocabulary lists and translation, and learner self-correction increased with proficiency. This is language-teaching observation, not evidence for therapy.
• OTOther2022Comparison of Montreal Cognitive Assessment in Korean Version for Predicting Mild Cognitive Assessment in 65-Year and Over Individuals.Occupational therapy internationalTwo Korean versions of the MoCA screen older adults differently. The MoCA-K caught more impairment cases, while the MoCA-K2 was better at confirming normal function. Neither version was perfect, so low scores should not be treated as a definitive diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment.
• PTOTQualitative2022Experiences of community-dwelling older adults with chronic low back pain in Hong Kong and Switzerland - A qualitative study.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesOlder adults with chronic low back pain reported trouble walking, sitting and housework, plus worry and feeling a burden to family, especially in Hong Kong. They also described keeping family roles, support, contentment and social activities.
• OTSurvey2022Staffing agency: A bridge to working during retirement.Work (Reading, Mass.)Retired Swedish workers at a staffing agency reported low hours (mostly under 25 per month) and high job-switching. Men worked for social connection and well-being, while single women worked primarily out of economic necessity. Most valued new challenges and appreciation.
• OTOther2022Impact of an Interoception-Based Program on Emotion Regulation in Autistic Children.Occupational therapy internationalStaff reports showed significant changes in emotion regulation and improvements in interoception after a 25-week curriculum in 14 autistic children. With no control group, this does not prove the curriculum caused the gains.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022Autism and chronic ill health: an observational study of symptoms and diagnoses of central sensitivity syndromes in autistic adults.Molecular autismSixty percent of autistic adults scored high on a central sensitization screen, but only 31% of those had a formal diagnosis. Symptoms were strongly linked to anxiety and sensory sensitivity rather than autism traits alone, suggesting these factors drive physical health risks.
• PTOTOther2022Evaluation of musculoskeletal workload of manual operating tasks using a hydraulic jack based on ergonomic postural analysis and electromyography: A case study of non-professional young male users.Work (Reading, Mass.)Kneeling perpendicular to a hydraulic jack lever placed the highest postural load on nine young men, while kneeling parallel and close felt least burdensome. The study did not test whether changing posture prevents injury.
• OTQualitative2022Occupational Therapy-Based Energy Management Education in People with Post-COVID-19 Condition-Related Fatigue: Results from a Focus Group Discussion.Occupational therapy internationalNine OTs said energy management education was relevant for post-COVID fatigue, but they reported patients often struggled to see new physical and cognitive limits. They suggested adapting materials and starting with one-to-one contact before group use.
• PTOTRCT2022Effectiveness of Repetitive Facilitative Exercise Combined with Electrical Stimulation Therapy to Improve Very Severe Paretic Upper Limbs in with Stroke Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial.Occupational therapy internationalPatients with very severe arm paralysis who combined repetitive exercise with electrical stimulation showed greater gains in hand and finger function than those receiving conventional therapy alone. No other treatment group improved significantly more than the control, and proximal shoulder function did not differ between groups.
• PTOTNarrative Review2022Effects of voluntary exercise on muscle structure and function in cerebral palsy.Developmental medicine and child neurologyResistance training builds muscle size in children with cerebral palsy, but increasing muscle power requires fast concentric movements. High-velocity training increased fascicle length and walking capacity, while standard strength training often failed to improve functional mobility.
• OTSLPQualitative2022What students with intellectual disabilities know about writing planning.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDStudents with intellectual disabilities knew some writing planning steps, like thinking about the reader. However, they struggled to organise ideas, rarely used drafts, and did not adjust structure for different text types. These gaps suggest explicit teaching on planning is needed.
• OTQualitative2022Five Vital Components in an Occupational Therapy-Based Municipal Weight Loss Program Obtained Through Research Circles.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesParticipants identified five components for sustainable weight loss: diet, physical activity, social relations, habits, and balancing everyday life. Strategies included using senses to avoid restrictive dieting, starting with small home-based activities, and building self-confidence through shared social engagement.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2022Community Conversations: Stakeholder-Identified Research Priorities to Foster Community Participation for Individuals With Intellectual and Developmental Disability.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesStakeholders with intellectual and developmental disabilities prioritized measuring social belonging and safety over clinical metrics. They identified transportation, information access, and staff training as key community barriers, calling for research that tracks real-world inclusion rather than just medical outcomes.
• PTOTCohort2022Events Across the Life Course Contribute to Higher Mobility Impairment Rates in Rural U.S.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesRural adults reported higher rates of mobility impairment at ages 40 and 50 than urban adults. They were also more likely to have experienced workplace injuries, concussions, or broken bones, and had lower rates of health insurance coverage.
• PTOTSLPCase-Control2022Toileting Resistance Among Preschool-Age Children with and Without Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBPPreschoolers with autism resist toilet training far more often than peers with other delays or typical development. Constipation, diarrhea, and social awareness deficits are key markers. Clinicians should screen for these issues before starting toilet training to avoid resistance.
• OTSLPOther2022The Impact of Preinjury and Secondary Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder on Outcomes After Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBPAdolescents with traumatic brain injury and either pre-existing or new-onset ADHD showed similar deficits in executive function, social competence, and behavior. However, parents of teens with new-onset ADHD reported significantly higher depression and distress, particularly when the injury was more than four months prior.
• OTNarrative Review2022Menopause and work: A narrative literature review about menopause, work and health.Work (Reading, Mass.)Menopause at work is poorly understood and often hidden. Severe symptoms may lower ability to work, but evidence is mixed. Workplace supports like flexible hours, temperature control, supervisor awareness and confidential advice are suggested, not proven.
• PTOTOther2022Rehabilitation Through Physical Activity and Sport in Light of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health-Current Research Perspectives.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesA pilot study of sports coaching for workers with injuries showed participants felt more active and reported better quality of life after five months. However, the study is ongoing, small, and lacks a control group, so these improvements cannot yet be attributed to the coaching itself.
• PTOTCohort2022A Prediction Model for Various Treatment Pathways of Upper Extremity in Tetraplegia.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesMotor point mapping and ASIA scores taken 4 to 8 weeks after cervical spinal cord injury predict hand muscle strength at 6 months. Intact lower motor neurons and AIS C or D scores strongly indicate that patients will develop useful voluntary movement.
• OTSLPSystematic Review2022Positive behavioural support for children and young people with developmental disabilities in special education settings: A systematic review.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDThirty studies of positive behavioural support in special schools mostly reported reductions in challenging behaviour and gains in adaptive skills. The evidence rests almost entirely on single-case designs with high risk of bias, so it describes what these programmes look like rather than proving they work.
• OTOther2022Research on the Correlation between Multisource Big Data Virtual Assisted Preschool Education and the Development of Children's Innovative Ability.Occupational therapy internationalThis is a computer science paper about data mining algorithms for kindergarten management systems. It does not report on clinical treatments, therapy outcomes, or patient care, so it contains no findings relevant to physical, occupational, or speech-language therapy.
• PTOTCase-Control2022Reduced Gain and Shortened Time Constant of Vestibular Velocity Storage as a Source of Balance and Movement Sensitivities in Gravitational Insecurity.Occupational therapy internationalAdults with mild gravitational insecurity showed reduced vestibular velocity storage gain and shorter time constants compared to matched controls. They relied more on effortful hip strategies for balance. These findings link specific central vestibular processing deficits to movement sensitivities in this population.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022Short-Term Clinical Outcomes After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction In Adolescents During The COVID-19 Pandemic.International journal of sports physical therapyAdolescents who had ACL reconstruction during the pandemic had stronger uninvolved quadriceps at three months than those treated pre-pandemic. However, strength in the injured leg and self-reported function were identical between groups. The pandemic did not worsen short-term recovery.
• PTOTOther2022Reliability and Validity of the ActivForce Digital Dynamometer in Assessing Shoulder Muscle Force across Different User Experience Levels.International journal of sports physical therapyThe ActivForce dynamometer is a reliable, affordable alternative to the standard microFET2 for measuring shoulder strength. It performed consistently across experienced and novice testers, and patients found it more comfortable.
• PTOTSLPPilot2022Operant down-conditioning of the soleus H-reflex in people after stroke.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesHalf of stroke survivors successfully reduced a spinal reflex through training. Those who succeeded walked faster by 0.14 m/s on average. The other half did not improve reflex size, but their walking speed did not worsen either.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2022Why Do Patients With Ischaemic Heart Disease Drop Out From Cardiac Rehabilitation in Primary Health Settings. A Qualitative Audit of Patient Charts.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesMost dropouts from cardiac rehabilitation cited preferring self-administered exercise or feeling no need for care. Logistical clashes with work and travel, plus fatigue and side effects, also drove exit. These are patient-reported reasons, not evidence that the programme fails.
• OTQualitative2022Professional reasoning of occupational therapy driver rehabilitation interventions.Australian occupational therapy journalDriver rehabilitation therapists balance client independence against public safety while integrating ethical, procedural, and pragmatic reasoning. They rely heavily on on-road performance over off-road tests, using shared decision-making and family liaison to navigate funding, licensing, and complex environmental constraints.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022The Interrelationship of Tinnitus and Hearing Loss Secondary to Age, Noise Exposure, and Traumatic Brain Injury.Ear and hearingHearing loss is the strongest risk factor for tinnitus, increasing risk 4.15 times. Tinnitus often precedes measurable hearing loss, suggesting it may be an early warning sign. Veterans over 40 with tinnitus have an 80% likelihood of developing hearing difficulties.
• PTOTCase Series2022Feasibility and Acceptability of Game-Based Cortical Priming and Functional Lower Limb Training in a Remotely Supervised Home Setting for Chronic Stroke: A Case Series.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesThree chronic stroke survivors completed 24 home sessions of game-based ankle priming and lower limb training remotely. All showed walking speed gains meeting the minimal clinically important difference. The program was feasible and safe, but without a control group, efficacy remains unproven.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2022Facilitators and Barriers to Sustainable Employment After Spinal Cord Injury or Acquired Brain Injury: The Person's Perspective.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesPeople with spinal cord or acquired brain injury described sustainable work as depending on accessible, flexible workplaces, supportive colleagues, and confidence to explain their needs. Insurance delays and invisible fatigue were major barriers.