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 113 OF 218 · NEWEST FIRST

• OTSLPRCT2022Parents' priorities and preferences for treatment of children with ADHD: Qualitative inquiry in the MADDY study.Child: care, health and developmentParents of children with ADHD described stress at home and school, worries about medication side effects, and barriers to finding treatments that fit their child. They wanted flexible options and providers who understood ADHD.
• OTSLPOther2022A Parent-Mediated Telehealth Program for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder : Promoting Parents' Ability to Stimulate the Children's Learning, Reduce Parenting Stress, and Boost Their Sense of Parenting Empowerment.Journal of autism and developmental disordersIn 23 of 27 families, parents showed less stress, more empowerment and better therapist-rated teaching skills after a 6-month program combining telehealth, coaching, video lessons and support groups. The study had no control group, and skill changes did not track stress or empowerment.
• OTSurvey2022The impact of COVID-19 on adolescent wellness in Chicago.Child: care, health and developmentOverall adolescent wellness scores did not significantly change from February to April 2020. Self-reported balance, learning, and time with friends were lower during the pandemic.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2023Factors associated with the early emergence of atypical feeding behaviours in infants and young children: A scoping review.Child: care, health and developmentAssociations with feeding difficulties are inconsistent. Breastfeeding duration shows no clear protective effect. Introducing solids at or after 6 months and offering lumpy textures before 10 months may reduce pickiness. Parental anxiety and sensory sensitivity are linked to fussiness, but evidence quality varies.
• OTSLPOther2023Greater gender diversity among autistic children by self-report and parent-report.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic children self-reported more binary and nonbinary gender diversity than peers, but parents only reported more body incongruence. Parent and child reports did not correlate, meaning parents may miss the child's internal gender experience.
• PTOTSLPOther2023Wrist speed feedback improves elbow compensation and reaching accuracy for myoelectric transradial prosthesis users in hybrid virtual reaching task.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationAudio feedback indicating wrist speed reduced reaching errors for six transradial amputees using a virtual myoelectric arm. It also decreased compensatory elbow bias. However, it did not improve adaptation to sudden control changes, and results come from a small lab study, not daily use.
• PTOTCase Report2023Training high level balance and stepping responses in atypical progressive supranuclear palsy: a case report.Physiotherapy theory and practiceA high-functioning man with atypical PSP improved backward balance and stepping after combined physical therapy, occupational therapy and home exercise, but foot clearance gains were lost at follow-up.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2023ASD Diagnosis and Treatment Experiences Among Mexican Heritage Families.Journal of autism and developmental disordersMexican heritage families described diagnosis pathways shaped by rural isolation, undocumented status, and provider hesitation. Many received intervention before formal diagnosis. Families reported needing to advocate strongly against service cancellations and structural barriers to access timely care.
• OTSLPSurvey2023Family Functioning and Emotional Aspects of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Southern Brazil.Journal of autism and developmental disordersFamilies of children with autism reported high stress, particularly about their child's future and the constant effort of care. Most felt unable to relax or maintain social lives. Communication difficulties and a lack of family cohesion were common. These findings describe family experiences, not treatment effects.
• PTOTSurvey2023Diet, Physical Activity, and Stress Among Wheelchair Users With Multiple Sclerosis: Examining Individual and Co-Occurring Behavioral Risk Factors.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationWheelchair users with MS who had two or three behavioral risk factors reported worse depression, anxiety, sleep quality, and health-related quality of life than those with zero or one. Insufficient physical activity was the most common single risk factor, present alone in 28% of participants.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2023Utilising Interview Methodology to Inform the Development of New Clinical Assessment Tools for Anxiety in Autistic Individuals Who Speak Few or no Words.Journal of autism and developmental disordersParents and clinicians described anxiety in non-speaking autistic people as increased vocalisation, challenging behaviour and avoidance. Key triggers were unpredictability and routine changes. They stressed assessing baseline behaviour and ruling out pain before diagnosing anxiety.
• PTOTOther2023Exaggerated pressor response to static squats in Parkinson's disease (PD) and healthy subjects is likely an individual trait, not influenced by whole body vibration (WBV).NeuroRehabilitationWhole body vibration did not increase blood pressure during squats in people with Parkinson's. The rise in blood pressure was an individual trait, ranging from 10 mmHg in some to 50 mmHg in others, regardless of the vibration.
• PTOTOther2023Exploring high-density corticomuscular networks after stroke to enable a hybrid Brain-Computer Interface for hand motor rehabilitation.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationStroke patients showed weaker brain-muscle coupling and more abnormal muscle recruitment during hand movement attempts than healthy controls. These network features correlated with clinical impairment scores, offering a way to measure motor deficits for guiding future hybrid brain-computer interface therapy design.
• OTSurvey2023Subjective Poverty Moderates the Association Between Carer Status and Psychological Outcomes of Adult Siblings of People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAdult siblings of people with IDD reported worse mental distress and wellbeing than the general population. Financial hardship was the strongest predictor of poor outcomes. For siblings who are financially secure, taking on a caring role was linked to worse mental health, but for those already struggling financially, caring added little further risk.
• PTOTCohort2023Kinematic analysis of sensorimotor control during the craniocervical flexion movement in patients with neck pain and asymptomatic individuals: a cross-sectional study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationFear of movement, not pain or disability, was the only factor linked to reduced range in neck flexion. High fear scores predicted lower movement, but the link was weak. Pain intensity and disability did not explain kinematic differences, suggesting these specific measures may not be clinically useful for assessment.
• PTOTSystematic Review2023Therapeutic benefits of lower limb prostheses: a systematic review.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationSwitching from standard passive prosthetic feet to advanced quasi-passive or active models improved walking mechanics and energy efficiency in the short term. However, the evidence is weak, mostly limited to brief lab tests, and no studies examined long-term health outcomes or quality of life.
• OTSurvey2022Protective and risk activities for emotional and behavioural well-being of children and adolescents during the COVID-19 lockdown.Child: care, health and developmentIn lockdown, more social network time was linked to more emotional difficulties in children and fewer in adolescents. More solitary screen time was linked to more behavioural problems. Getting along with a parent was linked to fewer problems.
• OTSurvey2022COVID-19 and mental health of primary school children: Comparison of 2019 and 2020.Child: care, health and developmentPrimary school children's overall emotional symptom scores showed no clear difference between June 2019 and June 2020. A few individual items differed slightly, but the authors did not treat these as clear differences.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2023Why Do Employers (Fail to) Hire People with Disabilities? A Systematic Review of Capabilities, Opportunities and Motivations.Journal of occupational rehabilitationEmployers most often fail to hire people with disabilities because they believe these candidates are unproductive or costly, or because they lack knowledge about accommodations. Facilitators include pro-social motivation and organizational resources. Hiring decisions are complex, with factors like cost concerns having varying effects depending on the employer.
• PTOTSurvey2023Physical activity levels in adults with chronic low back pain: A national survey in the general Spanish population.Journal of rehabilitation medicineMost adults with chronic low back pain in Spain were not sufficiently active. Those who were least active reported more pain, greater disability and poorer mental health. This links inactivity to worse outcomes but does not prove that exercise fixes these issues.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2023Predicting Long-Term Cognitive Impairments in Survivors after Cardiac Arrest: A Systematic Review.Journal of rehabilitation medicineLonger coma duration and higher day-3 S-100B levels predicted worse memory and executive function at 3 to 6 months. A bedside cognitive screen predicted individual impairment with 90% sensitivity and 82% specificity, but this finding rests on one small sample of 26 patients.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2023Effect of mobile application types on stroke rehabilitation: a systematic review.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationMobile apps showed inconsistent benefits across stroke outcomes. Therapy apps improved motor paresis and aphasia in small studies, and rehab videos helped exercise adherence. However, neglect, daily living independence, quality of life, and depression showed no clear benefit or mixed results.
• PTOTCohort2023Cost-effectiveness analysis of overground robotic training versus conventional locomotor training in people with spinal cord injury.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationConventional training was more cost-effective for incomplete SCI, while robotic training showed better value for complete SCI. Robotic training had higher costs and therapy minutes. The study did not measure walking ability, only quality-of-life gains and costs.
• OTSLPSurvey2023Autistic People's Perinatal Experiences II: A Survey of Childbirth and Postnatal Experiences.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic parents reported birth and postnatal care was harder than for non-autistic parents. They were more likely to feel overwhelmed by sensory input, find home visits stressful, and feel professionals did not understand their needs or take their concerns seriously.
• OTSLPQualitative2022'It's being a part of a grand tradition, a grand counter-culture which involves communities': A qualitative investigation of autistic community connectedness.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic adults described community connectedness as having three distinct parts: a feeling of belonging, specific friendships, and political advocacy. Online spaces and autistic-led events were key for connection, while internalised stigma or a weak autistic identity acted as barriers.
• OTCohort2022Stigma, Intrusiveness, and Distress in Parents of Children with a Disorder/Difference of Sex Development.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBPParents' distress was not caused by stigma directly. It arose when stigma made the child's condition feel like it was intruding on daily life. Therapists should target this interference and help parents maintain engagement in valued activities.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022Inequities in Receipt of the North Carolina Medicaid Waiver Among Individuals with Intellectual Disability or Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBPChildren and racial minorities were significantly less likely to receive North Carolina's Medicaid I/DD Waiver than adults and White patients. Waiver recipients had 31% lower odds of emergency department visits. These disparities suggest current access systems fail vulnerable groups.
• OTSystematic Review2022Methods to evaluate driving competence for people with acquired brain injury (ABI): A systematic review.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesNo single clinical test predicts safe driving after brain injury. Cognitive screens help decide who needs an on-road test, but cannot replace it. On-road assessment remains the standard, though scoring varies and simulator evidence is weak.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022Modelling quality of life in children with intellectual disability using regression trees.Developmental medicine and child neurologyDaytime sleepiness and low community participation were the strongest factors linked to poorer quality of life in children with intellectual disability. Eye contact during communication also mattered. These findings suggest clinicians should prioritize screening for sleep issues and facilitating social engagement.
• OTCohort2022Effectiveness of active occupational therapy in patients with acute stroke: A propensity score-weighted retrospective study.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesIn acute stroke, occupational therapy time exceeding physical therapy time was linked with better function and shorter stay, but speech therapy time also differed, so separate contributions are unclear. Discharge home was not different. Severe daily function limits, aphasia, gaze or neglect appeared more responsive.
• PTOTSLPPilot2021The Inventory of Physical Activity Barriers for Community-Dwelling Adults 50 Years of Age and Older: Development and Preliminary Validation.Journal of geriatric physical therapy (2001)A new 40-item questionnaire asks adults over 50 what stops them from moving. Early testing shows it reliably separates active from inactive people. It is not yet validated, so use it to guide conversation, not to diagnose barriers.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023Electrophysiological trajectories of concussion recovery: From acute to prolonged stages in late teenagers.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineAthletes who recovered quickly showed lasting brain-wave changes even after symptoms resolved. Patients with persistent symptoms had distinct electrical patterns: reduced rear-brain activity, increased front-brain activity, and stronger long-distance brain connections. These markers did not correlate with specific cognitive test scores.
• PTOTRCT2023Comparative effects of kinect-based versus therapist-based constraint-induced movement therapy on motor control and daily motor function in children with unilateral cerebral palsy: a randomized control trial.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationKinect-based therapy matched traditional therapist-led CIMT for hand use and daily function in children with unilateral cerebral palsy, but it reduced trunk compensation during reaching. The small sample and lack of follow-up mean this is promising, not definitive.
• PTOTCohort2023Patients' Expectations Before Initiation of Intrathecal Baclofen Treatment: A Longitudinal Study with 1-Year Follow-Up.Journal of rehabilitation medicineIntrathecal baclofen improved spasticity, pain, and self-care, but patients' expectations were not met. Overall satisfaction remained moderate to low. Clinicians must align realistic goals with individual expectations before treatment to avoid dissatisfaction despite clinical gains.
• OTSurvey2023Social support and links to quality of life among middle-aged and older autistic adults.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAmong 388 autistic adults aged 40 to 83, feeling supported was linked to better quality of life across physical, psychological, social, environmental and autism-specific domains. Practical everyday support also related to social, environmental and autism-specific quality of life.
• OTSLPQualitative2023"[I] don't wanna just be like a cog in the machine": Narratives of autism and skilled employment.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic professionals described disclosure as a high-stakes gamble that could secure accommodations or cost them their jobs. Success relied on bypassing traditional interviews, trauma-informed support, and workplaces that allowed them to be openly autistic.
• PTOTOther2023The Berlin Bimanual Test for Tetraplegia (BeBiTT): development, psychometric properties, and sensitivity to change in assistive hand exoskeleton application.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA 9-item bimanual hand test for tetraplegia was feasible, safe, and scored consistently by raters. Scores lined up with self-care and function questionnaires. With a one-hand exoskeleton, average total scores improved in the 10 participants tested, but manipulation did not.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023Developmental referrals of pre-school children in a diverse community in England: The importance of parental migration for referral rates.Child: care, health and developmentIn a Bristol community paediatric service, children with two migrant parents were three times more likely to be referred for developmental concerns than those with two UK-born parents. Somali children had six times the referral rate for autism compared to white or mixed-heritage peers.
• PTOTOther2023Speed-dependent biomechanical changes vary across individual gait metrics post-stroke relative to neurotypical adults.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationWalking faster improves some stroke gait mechanics but worsens others relative to neurotypical adults. For many patients, fast walking alone does not make their overall gait pattern look like a typical walker's, suggesting speed training needs to be paired with other techniques to fix specific movement faults.
• OTSLPOther2023Eliciting Expressions of Emotion: An Exploratory Analysis of Alexithymia in Adults with Autism Utilising the APRQ.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAdults with autism used fewer emotion words when describing hypothetical scenarios than neurotypical adults, even when their self-reported alexithymia scores were low. This suggests standard questionnaires may miss emotional expression difficulties in autism.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023Visual Problems are Associated with Long-Term Fatigue after Stroke.Journal of rehabilitation medicineStroke survivors with pronounced visual problems were significantly more likely to report severe fatigue years after their stroke. This association held even after adjusting for mood and energy levels. Clinicians should screen for visual deficits in fatigued patients, as treating vision issues may help reduce fatigue burden.
• PTOTCohort2022Gait asymmetry is associated with performance-based physical function among adults with lower-limb amputation.Physiotherapy theory and practiceAmong 38 adults with lower-limb amputation, greater gait asymmetry was associated with poorer physical function. This link was strongest when walking fast. Clinicians should monitor asymmetry as a potential contributor to reduced mobility and endurance.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022Longitudinal Trends in Severe Traumatic Brain Injury Inpatient Rehabilitation.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationFewer of the most severely disabled traumatic brain injury patients entered inpatient rehabilitation, and their stays shortened. Patients were older, and payer mix shifted toward Medicare.
• OTSurvey2022Role of Individual, Family, and Community Resilience in Moderating Effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Mental Health Among Children.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBPChildren with 4 or more adverse experiences were more likely to have ADHD, anxiety, behavior disorders, or depression. High individual resilience was linked with lower likelihood for all four outcomes.
• OTSLPCohort2022Inequalities in the distribution of COVID-19-related financial difficulties for Australian families with young children.Child: care, health and developmentFamilies already facing financial disadvantage before the pandemic were significantly more likely to suffer multiple financial hardships during it. This inequality persisted despite government welfare increases, suggesting that standard support measures may not adequately protect the most vulnerable households.
• PTOTQualitative2023Clinically ill patients' experiences of early mobilisation after liver transplantation: a qualitative study using Pender's health promotion model.International journal of rehabilitation research. Internationale Zeitschrift fur Rehabilitationsforschung. Revue internationale de recherches de readaptationLiver transplant patients in the ICU valued early mobilisation but feared graft damage. Key barriers were pain, tubes and fatigue. They urgently wanted detailed guidance, safety, family presence and staff support to overcome these obstacles.
• PTOTNarrative Review2023The-state-of-the-art of soft robotics to assist mobility: a review of physiotherapist and patient identified limitations of current lower-limb exoskeletons and the potential soft-robotic solutions.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationPhysiotherapists and patients report rigid exoskeletons are often unsafe, time-consuming to fit, and uncomfortable. Soft robotic alternatives offer solutions by being lighter, wearable under clothes, and easier to put on, potentially saving valuable therapy time.
• PTOTSurvey2023Post-COVID conditions and healthcare utilization among adults with and without disabilities-2021 Porter Novelli FallStyles survey.Disability and health journalLong-term symptoms were common in adults who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, regardless of disability status. However, those with disabilities reported significantly more chronic fatigue and digestive symptoms, and were more likely to seek healthcare for these issues.
• PTOTSystematic Review2023Overview of Cochrane Systematic Reviews of rehabilitation interventions for persons with rheumatoid arthritis: a mapping synthesis.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineExercise programs improve muscle strength and fatigue in rheumatoid arthritis but do not consistently reduce pain or improve physical function. Hand exercises help hand function without worsening disease activity. Balneotherapy and Tai Chi evidence is too weak to guide practice.
• OTOther2023Measuring subjective quality of life in autistic adults with the PROMIS global-10: Psychometric study and development of an autism-specific scoring method.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceA 10-item global health questionnaire can be scored for autistic adults as a single quality-of-life score. A free calculator exists, but testing was mainly in White, female, college-educated adults who self-reported autism.