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 102 OF 218 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTSurvey2022Exploring problems for school reintegration following spinal cord injury: Perspectives on the kindergarten through fifth-grade population.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesChildren with spinal cord injury often return to school needing new support plans. Physical therapy was the most common need, followed by occupational therapy and counseling. Access barriers remain frequent, and many parents did not know their child's injury level.
• OTSurvey2022The effect of family cohesion and adaptability on career choice self-efficacy of graduates: The mediating effect of State Anxiety.Work (Reading, Mass.)Family cohesion did not directly boost graduates' career confidence. Instead, it reduced state anxiety, which then increased confidence. Family adaptability had a direct positive effect. State anxiety was the strongest negative predictor of career self-efficacy.
• PTOTSLPOther2022Subdomains of restricted and repetitive behaviors within autism: Exploratory structural equation modeling using the diagnostic interview for social and communication disorders.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchRestricted and repetitive behaviors in autism split into six distinct domains, not just motor and sameness. Sensory interests, sensory sensitivity, and stereotyped language emerged as separate factors. These patterns vary by age and intellectual ability, suggesting clinicians should assess these subdomains individually rather than as one block.
• OTSLPQualitative2022How parents of children with autism spectrum disorder experience the COVID-19 pandemic: Perspectives and insights on the new normal.Research in developmental disabilitiesParents of children with autism described lockdown as initially offering rest and family time, but prolonged isolation led to severe stress, routine disruption, and behavioral crises. They urgently requested remote psychological support and adapted educational strategies to maintain engagement.
• OTSurvey2022Modelling triadic relationships in families of children with intellectual disability.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDIn families of children with intellectual disability, higher maternal distress was linked with more behaviour problems in both the child and a sibling. Household poverty was linked with more distress and behaviour problems. These are associations, not proof that intervention changes them.
• OTQualitative2022Work-related musculoskeletal complaints among haemodialysis nurses: An exploratory study of the work situation from an ergonomic perspective.Work (Reading, Mass.)Nurses identified eight tasks straining their hands and backs, including flushing accesses up to 15 times and moving heavy machines. They reported pain in specific fingers depending on the dialysis machine design. This is an observation of hazards, not proof that changing tasks reduces pain.
• PTOTOther2022Movement Competency Screens Can Be Reliable In Clinical Practice By A Single Rater Using The Composite Score.International journal of sports physical therapyThe total score from this movement screen is reliable whether rated by novices or experts, but individual movement scores are not. Do not use single-movement ratings to make clinical decisions; rely only on the composite total.
• OTSurvey2022Effects of Smartphone Overdependence and the Quality of Friendship on Depression among High School Students.Occupational therapy internationalAmong 121 Korean high school students, higher smartphone overdependence and lower friendship quality were both linked to more depression. The study did not test treatment, so it does not show changing either would help.
• OTQualitative2022Doing gender and being gendered through occupation: Transgender and non-binary experiences.The British journal of occupational therapyTransgender and non-binary people described jobs, toilets, changing rooms and gendered activities as making them hide or perform binary gender. Safe homes, online groups, creative hobbies and chosen spaces let them express identity, but often at emotional cost.
• PTOTCase Report2022Improvement in lower extremity hemiplegia in a post-operative brain tumor patient by applying an integrated volitional control electrical stimulator.Journal of physical therapy scienceA man with post-surgical leg paralysis walked faster after IVES gait training, improving from 10.9 to 9.43 seconds over 10 meters. Balance and muscle control also changed, but this single case cannot prove the device works for others.
• OTSurvey2022Participation patterns and predictors of participation in preschool children with developmental disability.The British journal of occupational therapyLithuanian preschoolers with developmental disability participated most at home, less in daycare/preschool, and least in community. Parents wanted the most change in daycare/preschool. For OTs, assess and address environmental demands and how severe the child's activity limitations are.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2022Communication experiences of healthcare students whilst managing adults with communication disorders.The South African journal of communication disorders = Die Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir KommunikasieafwykingsFinal-year healthcare students managing adults with communication disorders reported expressive and receptive language difficulties as their biggest challenge, leading to feelings of frustration and helplessness. They relied heavily on gestures and writing, but often lacked training in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems.
• OTSurvey2022Disability and the household context: Findings for the United States from the public Use Microdata Sample of the American Community Survey.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesNearly 43 million U.S. people have disability, and 42 million more live with someone who does. Disability often reaches beyond the patient to households, especially rural and multigenerational homes.
• PTOTNarrative Review2022Home-Based Tele-Exercise in Musculoskeletal Conditions and Chronic Disease: A Literature Review.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesHome-based tele-exercise often matches clinic-based rehab for joint replacements and cardiac recovery, and can cut costs. But results vary for stroke and multiple sclerosis, and gains often fade without long-term follow-up. Supervision level does not consistently predict success.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2022Reconciling communication repertoires: navigating interactions involving persons with severe/profound intellectual disability, a classic grounded theory study.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRInteractions often continue without understanding to nurture belonging. Partners adjust their communication style to match the person's repertoire. Routine activities and predictable conversations are most effective. Subtle hints or multi-messaging cause confusion. Effort and time constraints frequently limit interaction frequency.
• PTOTQualitative2022Empowerment, Communication, and Navigating Care: The Experience of Persons With Spinal Cord Injury From Acute Hospitalization to Inpatient Rehabilitation.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesPatients with spinal cord injury reported needing to advocate aggressively for their own care and education. They found hospital staff often lacked empathy or specialized knowledge, leaving them unprepared for discharge and forcing them to rely on family and peers to navigate community resources.
• PTOTOther2022Effect of Haptic Training During Manual Wheelchair Propulsion on Shoulder Joint Reaction Moments.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesHaptic training raised pushrim force effectiveness but also increased shoulder joint loads. The absolute rise was small, under 10% of maximum effort. Short-term use appears safe, but long-term injury risk remains unknown.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022Intrapersonal, interpersonal and environmental correlates of moderate to vigorous physical activity and sedentary time in adolescents with intellectual and developmental disabilities.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRAdolescents with intellectual disabilities matched their parents' activity levels. For every 10 minutes a parent moved, the teen achieved about 6 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity. This link was strongest in teens with Down syndrome or autism, suggesting family-based movement is key.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022The Problem of Recurrent Injuries in Collegiate Track and Field.International journal of sports physical therapyCollegiate track and field athletes missed 50% more time from sport after a recurrent injury than after a first-time injury. This held true regardless of sex or diagnosis. Jumpers had a lower proportion of recurrent injuries than runners or throwers.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2022The COVID-19 pandemic's impact on worry and medical disruptions reported by individuals with chromosome 22q11.2 copy number variants and their caregivers.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRCaregivers and patients with 22q11.2 syndromes reported widespread medical care disruptions, with 36% saying these harms significantly affected their health. Contrary to expectations, their pandemic worry levels were similar to the general population, not higher.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2022Toward a digital citizen lab for capturing data about alternative ways of self-managing chronic pain: An attitudinal user study.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesPeople with chronic pain and their doctors are open to using apps to track how alternative therapies affect them. They want to share data to improve care but worry about cost, complexity, and whether computers can truly understand their pain.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022Eating and drinking ability and nutritional status in adults with cerebral palsy.Developmental medicine and child neurologyNearly a third of adults with cerebral palsy have eating and drinking difficulties. Those needing help at meals weighed significantly less, even after adjusting for motor function. Low body weight is linked to mealtime dependence, not just physical disability.
• PTOTRCT2022The effect of median nerve mobilization on two point discrimination.Journal of physical therapy scienceMedian nerve mobilization improved two-point discrimination in the palm, but fingers improved in both the treatment and control groups. The finger gains likely reflect practice effects rather than the mobilization itself. Only the palm changes appear attributable to the nerve gliding.
• OTOther2022The Construction of an Action-Speech Feature-Based School Violence Recognition Algorithm and Occupational Therapy Education Model for Adolescents.Occupational therapy internationalSimulated school violence in 20 students was detected with 85.3% accuracy using waist and leg sensors. An occupational therapy education model for perpetrators and victims is proposed, but no patients were treated, so there is no evidence the therapy reduces violence or harm.
• PTOTCase Series2022Brachial plexus birth injury and cerebral palsy lead to a common contracture phenotype characterized by reduced functional muscle length and strength.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesIn ten children with cerebral palsy or brachial plexus injury, affected elbows showed weak muscles that were also functionally short. This suggests contractures stem from impaired muscle growth rather than excess strength, pointing toward lengthening treatments.
• PTOTSurvey2022Caregiver assessment of quality of life in individuals with genetic developmental and epileptic encephalopathies.Developmental medicine and child neurologyCaregiver-reported quality of life in genetic developmental and epileptic encephalopathies tracked days minimally disrupted by seizures, medication side effects, and diagnosis burden, not seizure frequency.
• OTQualitative2022A Case Study of Co-production Within a Mental Health Recovery College Dementia Course: Perspectives of A Person With Dementia, Their Family Supporter and Mental Health Staff.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesFour people involved in co-producing a dementia Recovery College course described it as positive, collaborative and empowering, including helping the person with dementia feel safer talking openly. It reports experiences, not proof that the course works.
• PTOTOther2022Physical function and health-related quality of life of community-dwelling older adults with locomotive syndrome and pre-frailty.Journal of physical therapy scienceOlder adults with locomotive syndrome and pre-frailty had lower health-related quality of life and slower sit-to-stand than robust peers. Those with locomotive syndrome alone had poorer mobility test scores and slower walking, but similar quality of life.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2022Employers' attitude, intention, skills and barriers in relation to employment of vulnerable workers.Work (Reading, Mass.)Organizations with inclusive HR practices, government compensation usage, and social inclusion missions were far more likely to employ vulnerable workers. Small organizations showed the strongest links between these skills and actual hiring, suggesting targeted employer support is key.
• PTOTOther2022Functional and Structural Brain Connectivity in Children With Bilateral Cerebral Palsy Compared to Age-Related Controls and in Response to Intensive Rapid-Reciprocal Leg Training.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesIntensive leg training did not change brain structure or connectivity in children with bilateral cerebral palsy. Training improved speed on the device but did not improve walking speed. Small sample size and motion artifacts limit confidence in these null findings.
• PTOTRCT2022Effect of education on physical and occupational therapists' perceptions of clinical practice guidelines and shared decision making: a randomized controlled trial.Journal of physical therapy scienceTherapists who attended a workshop combining clinical guidelines with shared decision-making reported higher confidence in evidence-based practice than those who took separate lectures. The workshop focused on using guidelines to discuss patient preferences and treatment options together.
• OTSurvey2022Association of stigmatizing attitudes with people's opinion of depression as a valid reason for sickness absence: A Swedish vignette study.Work (Reading, Mass.)Swedish adults with negative attitudes toward depression were significantly more likely to reject sickness absence for a person with mild depression. This suggests public stigma may pressure employees to stay at work, potentially delaying necessary recovery or prompting premature return-to-work decisions.
• PTOTSLPOther2022Recommending Physical Activity to Your Aging Patients? What Clinicians Need to Know to Increase Adherence From the Older Adult Perspective.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesOlder adults often reject generic exercise advice because they view aging as a barrier and lack tailored support. They prioritize social connection and autonomy over physical challenge. Clinicians should screen for individual preferences and barriers rather than just prescribing step counts or guidelines.
• PTOTQualitative2022A focus group study of therapists' views on using a novel neuroanimation virtual reality game to deliver intensive upper-limb rehabilitation early after stroke.Archives of physiotherapyTherapists found virtual reality games engaging but felt their own active presence was essential for success. They warned that without dedicated time, training, and technical support, such intensive therapy is difficult to sustain in routine practice.
• PTOTSystematic Review2022A Scoping Review on Shoulder Injuries of Wheelchair Tennis Players: Potential Risk-Factors and Musculoskeletal Adaptations.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesWheelchair tennis players face shoulder risks from overhead motion and muscle imbalances, but evidence is scarce. Most studies included few participants and used different outcome measures, so specific risk factors remain proposed rather than proven.
• PTOTQualitative2022The Impact of Hypermobile "Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome" and Hypermobile Spectrum Disorder on Interpersonal Interactions and Relationships.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesPeople with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome described losing their sense of self as they could no longer do their hobbies or work. They found it hard to ask for help without feeling guilty, and noted that strangers judged them for using wheelchairs or resting.
• OTOther2022Why serendipitous informal knowledge sharing interactions are key to boundary spanning and creativity.Work (Reading, Mass.)This paper analyzes knowledge sharing in corporate innovation teams. It does not involve patients, clinical interventions, or healthcare outcomes, so there is nothing here for therapists to apply.
• OTQualitative2022Scenario-based solutions for implementing an internet of things system at the organizational level in small- and medium-sized enterprises.Work (Reading, Mass.)Workers in small businesses varied widely in how they reacted to a new tracking system. Those who trusted the data found it helpful, while others felt overwhelmed by the volume of information and feared being monitored. The paper suggests support and training are essential for adoption.
• PTOTSLPPilot2022Exercise engagement drives changes in cognition and cardiorespiratory fitness after 8 weeks of aerobic training in sedentary aging adults at risk of cognitive decline.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesEight weeks of aerobic exercise improved heart rate recovery in sedentary adults, but cognitive gains were small and inconsistent. Participants who stayed in their target heart rate zone for over 70% of the time saw better global cognition. Remote sessions had higher adherence than in-person ones.
• PTOTCohort2022Clinical and socio-demographic determinants of community reintegration in people with spinal cord injury in eThekwini Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal province.The South African journal of physiotherapyCommunity reintegration was lower in women and those with muscle spasms. Employment and salary were linked to higher scores, but injury severity and other complications like pressure sores or infections showed no significant association with reintegration levels.
• PTOTSLPPilot2022The Effects of Resistance Training on Physical Fitness and Neuromotor-Cognitive Functions in Adults With Down Syndrome.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesEleven adults with Down syndrome completed a 10-week resistance training program. They improved strength, motor skills, working memory, and mood. No control group means these gains cannot be proven to come from the exercise rather than time or testing effects.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022Early measurement of autism risk constructs in the general population: A new factor structure of the First Years Inventory (FYIv3.1) for ages 6-16 months.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchThe revised First Years Inventory breaks down into seven distinct risk domains for infants aged 6 to 16 months. Non-social markers like sensory regulation and motor skills significantly distinguished children with later autism diagnoses from those with other developmental delays.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2022Interventions for social and community participation for adults with intellectual disability, psychosocial disability or on the autism spectrum: An umbrella systematic review.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesPerson-centred planning and individualised support consistently improved social participation, while group social skills training showed limited or inconsistent effects for adults on the autism spectrum. Interventions that provided real-world community access and active mentoring were more effective than those focusing solely on building individual skills.
• OTPilot2022Effects of Occupational Therapy Program Based on Active Meditation on Hair Cortisol Levels in Undergraduate Healthcare Students.Occupational therapy internationalThe active meditation group did not show a significant reduction in hair cortisol compared to the control group. However, cortisol levels in the meditation group stayed stable, while levels in the control group increased significantly over the semester.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022The Copenhagen Neck Functional Disability Scale: an analysis of singers with dysphonia and without vocal complaints.CoDASSingers with voice disorders reported significantly more neck pain and daily functional limitations than singers without voice complaints. On a 30-point neck disability scale, the voice-disordered group averaged 7.4 points compared to 2.7 points in the control group.
• PTOTSurvey2022Factors related to self-care behaviors among hospitalized patients with heart failure in Japan, based on the European Heart Failure Self-Care Behaviour Scale.Journal of physical therapy scienceHeart failure patients with higher pre-hospital physical activity scores had worse self-care behaviors in managing symptoms. Younger patients also reported poorer overall self-care. Target education on when to seek help for active patients, and reinforce general self-care for younger adults.
• OTPilot2022Exploring Effects of Sensory Garments on Participation of Children on the Autism Spectrum: A Pretest-Posttest Repeated Measure Design.Occupational therapy internationalChildren who tolerated wearing sensory garments improved on their specific goals for sleep and dressing. However, parent stress and sense of competence did not change. The study lacked a control group, so improvement may have come from the goal-setting process itself.
• PTOTQualitative2022Moving goals. Goal-work in Parkinson's disease rehabilitation.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesGoal-setting in Parkinson's rehabilitation is a fluid, shared process that continues at home and in clinics. Spouses often co-work on goals, but patients frequently miss that reviews happen because they are un-scheduled and individual. Teams need to make goal-tracking visible to avoid confusion.
• PTOTSystematic Review2022Perceptions and Experiences of Individuals With Neck Pain: A Systematic Critical Review of Qualitative Studies With Meta-Summary and Meta-Synthesis.Physical therapyPeople with neck pain described their experience as multidimensional. While physical symptoms like stiffness and headaches were common, the strongest themes were psychological worry and social limitations. Participants reported fear of movement, frustration with care, and difficulty working or maintaining relationships.
• OTSurvey2022Building social support: The impact of workgroup characteristics, the COVID-19 pandemic and informal interactions.Work (Reading, Mass.)Seafarers who shared leisure activities with colleagues reported more instrumental and emotional support. High workload and the COVID-19 pandemic reduced these activities, which in turn lowered perceived support. National diversity also reduced informal interactions, weakening the support network.