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 138 OF 218 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTSLPOther2024Family caregivers improve the diagnostic accuracy of disorders of consciousness: from remote to near-bed auditory stimulation.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineHaving a family caregiver deliver verbal instructions during consciousness assessments, whether in the room or via video, helped clinicians identify higher levels of consciousness in patients with severe brain injury. This method reduced the risk of misdiagnosing patients as unresponsive.
• OTSLPCohort2024Caregiver Attributions of Toddlers' Behaviors: A Comparison Between Groups of Children with Differing Developmental Concerns.Journal of autism and developmental disordersCaregivers of toddlers with autism concerns viewed their child's positive behaviors as less stable and controllable, and challenging behaviors as more permanent, compared to caregivers of children with other developmental concerns or no concerns. Group membership did not predict the specific behaviors reported.
• OTSurvey2024Parents' Perceptions: Environments and the Contextual Strategies of Parents to Support the Participation of Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder-A Descriptive Population-Based Study from Switzerland.Journal of autism and developmental disordersHalf of parents reported more home, school, and community supports than barriers; the other half did not report clear supports or barriers. Sensory overload and social demands were common barriers. Parents often described preparing, accompanying, and motivating their children.
• PTOTSLPCohort2024Clinical Features and Voxel-Based-Symptom-Lesion Mapping of Silent Aspiration in Acute Infratentorial Stroke.DysphagiaSilent aspiration occurred in 40.5% of acute infratentorial stroke patients, doubling pneumonia risk. Lesion location did not predict it. Do not rely on stroke severity scores alone; these patients need FEES assessment regardless of how mild their deficits appear.
• PTOTSLPOther2024Access to inpatient mood management services after stroke in Australian acute and rehabilitation hospitals.Clinical rehabilitationMood screening rates in Australian stroke hospitals increased over ten years but remain low, with only 33% of acute patients screened by 2021. Access to psychologists improved in rehabilitation settings but stalled in acute care, leaving older patients and those needing interpreters at higher risk of being missed.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2024REhabilitation Approaches in CHildren with cerebellar mutism syndrome (REACH): An international cross-disciplinary survey study.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineMost therapists treating children with cerebellar mutism syndrome lack specific clinical guidelines and rely on symptom-based approaches borrowed from other conditions. They report significant barriers including fatigue, behavioral impacts of cancer therapy, and insufficient resources for training and standardized care.
• PTOTOther2024Comparison of daily step count between the Fitbit Inspire 3 and the activPAL 3 in adults with transtibial amputation.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesThe Fitbit Inspire 3 counted 1,094 more steps per day than the research-grade activPAL 3 in adults with transtibial amputation. While the two devices correlated strongly, the difference was large enough to make them non-interchangeable for tracking free-living mobility.
• OTQualitative2024Perspectives on Employer-Initiated Terminations Among Young Adults on the Autism Spectrum.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic adults who lost their jobs most often blamed themselves, citing work performance and social difficulties. Only a minority cited discrimination or lack of accommodations. This self-blame persists even when workplace barriers exist, suggesting a need to address internal attributions in employment support.
• PTOTSLPNarrative Review2024Steroid myopathy and rehabilitation in patients with cancer.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationNo guidelines exist for diagnosing or treating steroid myopathy in cancer patients. Reviews suggest minimizing steroid doses and using resistance training to prevent muscle loss, but high-intensity exercise may worsen atrophy. Evidence for dietary or pharmacological interventions remains limited.
• PTOTCohort2024Interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation for immigrants with chronic pain who need language interpretation.Journal of rehabilitation medicineImmigrant patients with chronic pain started with worse pain, mood, and fear of movement than native speakers. They improved significantly in pain intensity, depression, and fear of movement after interdisciplinary rehabilitation with interpreters. However, only women showed these gains; men did not improve on any measure.
• PTOTSLPCase Report2024Rehabilitation and functional outcomes for thoraco-omphalo-ischiopagus conjoined twins five years after separation: A case report.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineFive years after separation, the twins walked in the community without assistive devices, after needing total assistance during inpatient rehabilitation. This is a case report, not proof that a treatment works.
• PTOTOther2022Some But Not Too Much: Multiparticipant Therapy and Positive Patient Outcomes in Skilled Nursing Facilities.Journal of geriatric physical therapy (2001)Among Medicare short-stay SNF patients, low to medium amounts of group or concurrent PT and OT were associated with slightly higher chance of functional improvement and community discharge, but therapy at 25% or more showed no clear difference.
• OTSurvey2024Societal Attitudes Towards Autism (SATA): Validation of the Greek Version in the General Population.Journal of autism and developmental disordersIn a Greek community survey, participants showed moderate knowledge and positive attitudes toward autism, but high willingness for personal contact. Women, younger people, and those with university education had more positive scores. Prior contact with autistic people did not improve attitudes.
• PTOTSLPCohort2024Trends in the Characteristics and Outcomes of Older Medicare Patients With Traumatic Brain Injury Treated in Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities: 2013 to 2018.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationOlder Medicare patients with recent traumatic brain injury in inpatient rehabilitation increased 28.2% from 2013 to 2018. They were more often male, had more comorbidities, and more were discharged home.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2024Mental health in children with disabilities and their families: red flags, services' impact, facilitators, barriers, and proposed solutions.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesCaregivers and clinicians identified red flags like school isolation and sleep changes. System barriers, especially waitlists, drove negative experiences. Both groups urged family-centered care, standardized mental health training for all disciplines, and decoupling mental health support from disability diagnoses.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2024Autism Spectrum Disorder in Down Syndrome: Experiences from Caregivers.Journal of autism and developmental disordersCaregivers of children with Down syndrome and autism noticed differences at an average age of 3.87 years, but diagnosis came at an average age of 8.52 years, a 4.65-year gap. Many said providers and therapists lacked DS-ASD knowledge.
• PTOTRCT2024Follow-up of individualised physical activity on prescription and individualised advice in patients with hip or knee osteoarthritis: A randomised controlled trial.Clinical rehabilitationOne hour of tailored advice matched a more intensive prescription programme for long-term activity and function in hip or knee osteoarthritis. Advice users reported more weekly activity, but pain improved more in the prescription group. Neither approach clearly beat the other on overall outcomes.
• PTOTSLPCohort2024Male and Female Toddlers with DSM-5 Autism Spectrum Disorder have Similar Developmental Profiles and Core Autism Symptoms.Journal of autism and developmental disordersMale and female toddlers diagnosed with autism showed similar developmental profiles and core symptoms. The only significant difference after statistical correction was that females displayed more sensory-seeking behavior than males.
• OTSLPSurvey2024Screening, Diagnosis, and Intervention for Autism: Experiences of Black and Multiracial Families Seeking Care.Journal of autism and developmental disordersBlack and multiracial parents frequently reported that speech delays were their first concern, yet many faced "wait-and-see" advice from pediatricians. Families described feeling dismissed or misdiagnosed, highlighting a critical need for providers to trust parental instincts and act early on communication concerns.
• PTOTRCT2023Effects of a Dedicated Cardiac Rehabilitation Program for Patients With Obesity on Body Weight, Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, and Physical Fitness: The OPTICARE XL Randomized Controlled Trial.Physical therapyA specialized 1-year cardiac rehab program for patients with obesity produced greater weight loss than standard care at 3 months, but this advantage disappeared by 6 months. Neither program significantly improved physical activity or fitness compared to the other at the primary endpoint.
• PTOTNarrative Review2024Emerging methods for measuring physical activity using accelerometry in children and adolescents with neuromotor disorders: a narrative review.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationStandard step-counters and cut-point analyses often misclassify activity in children with cerebral palsy or brain injury. Combining participation questionnaires with raw accelerometer data, ideally using machine learning tailored to the child's mobility level, provides a more accurate picture of their real-world activity than commercial devices alone.
• OTPilot2024Development and initial evaluation of the usefulness of a question prompt list to promote patients' level of information about work-related medical rehabilitation: a pilot study.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciences50.0% of patients used a question prompt list during their work rehabilitation admission interview. Those who used it rated it helpful and understandable. Physicians also rated it helpful, but said it took more time.
• OTSLPSurvey2024Associations Between Parenting Stress and Quality Time in Families of Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersCaregivers of autistic youth with clinically significant stress were less likely to engage in shared activities or feel in-sync with their child. Stress levels did not change with child age, but shared activities dropped off in adolescence. Correlations with time spent were weak.
• PTOTOther2024A Novel, Wearable Inertial Measurement Unit for Stroke Survivors: Validity, Acceptability, and Usability.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationWearable sensors counted steps and active arm time close to video and research systems in 30 stroke survivors. Most found them comfortable, but 19 could not put on or remove a wrist sensor, so usability needs simpler wristbands.
• PTOTSLPOther2024Development of a Job Retention Vocational Rehabilitation Intervention for People with Multiple Sclerosis Following the Person-Based Approach.Clinical rehabilitationA new job retention programme for multiple sclerosis was designed with patients and clinicians. It involves up to 10 hours of tailored support over three months, focusing on reasonable adjustments, symptom management, and legal rights.
• PTOTRCT2024The Utilization of Forced-Rate Cycling to Facilitate Motor Recovery Following Stroke: A Randomized Clinical Trial.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairAdding 45 minutes of motor-assisted cycling before upper-limb practice did not improve arm function more than practice alone. However, the cycling group walked significantly farther and had better cardiovascular fitness, suggesting cycling benefits legs and heart even if it does not boost arm recovery.
• PTOTQualitative2024'If he thought that I was going to go and hurt myself, he had another thing coming': Treatment experiences of those with large to massive rotator cuff tears and the perspectives of healthcare practitioners.Clinical rehabilitationPatients with large to massive rotator cuff tears valued clear pain control, simple functional exercises, and clear timelines. They felt worse when pain relief was inadequate, exercises were too much too soon, or clinicians gave mixed messages.
• PTOTSLPPilot2024Coproduction and Usability of a Smartphone App for Falls Reporting in Parkinson Disease.Physical therapyThirteen people with Parkinson disease tested a new app for logging falls over six months. They found it easy to use and preferred it to paper diaries, especially because they could type or speak instead of write. It helped some spot fall patterns, but not all.
• PTOTCohort2023A Clinical Measure of Trunk Neuromuscular Function Predicts Falling in Older Adults With Chronic Low Back Pain.Journal of geriatric physical therapy (2001)Older adults with chronic low back pain who show aberrant lumbopelvic movements during forward bending have a 24.9% higher risk of falling for each additional movement observed. Screening for these movements can help identify patients at higher fall risk beyond standard factors.
• PTOTCohort2022Trajectories of Physical Function and Disability Over 12 Months in Older Adults With Chronic Low Back Pain.Journal of geriatric physical therapy (2001)Older adults with chronic low back pain followed different courses. Some stayed stable, some improved, and some worsened. The classes also differed in activity, pain, fear, catastrophizing, mood and comorbidities.
• PTOTCohort2024Increased muscle responses to balance perturbations in children with cerebral palsy can be explained by increased sensitivity to center of mass movement.Gait & postureChildren with cerebral palsy react to balance perturbations with much stronger muscle activation than typically developing peers. Their nervous systems are hypersensitive to body movement, causing stiff, co-contracted responses that make them step to avoid falling even at low speeds.
• PTOTSLPCase Report2024A case study of using community-based consensus methods to facilitate shared decision-making among a spinal cord injury network.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesPeople with spinal cord injury, clinicians and researchers shaped the Ontario SCI Alliance's strategic plan through two Delphi surveys and a retreat. The process generated five themes on inclusion, partnership, design, communication and sustainability, and led to policy changes including a catheter coverage campaign.
• PTOTRCT2024Effects of the powerball® system on muscle strength, coordination, fatigue, functionality and quality of life in people with multiple sclerosis. A randomized clinical trial.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationAdding PowerBall to physiotherapy did not improve grip strength, the main outcome, versus physiotherapy alone in people with multiple sclerosis. Coordination improved in both groups, so adding it did not show a clear benefit.
• PTOTOther2024Resting-state cortical electroencephalogram rhythms and network in patients after chronic stroke.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationIn chronic stroke, slow brain waves dominate the injured hemisphere while fast beta waves remain linked to arm function. High beta power and specific delta network patterns on the healthy side correlated with better hand movement, but asymmetry itself did not predict recovery.
• OTQualitative2024Qualitative feedback from caregivers in a multidisciplinary pediatric neuromuscular clinic.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineTwenty-two caregivers valued seeing an average of six providers in one visit and clear next steps, but found the long, back-to-back clinic environment overwhelming.
• OTCohort2023Executive function and behaviour problems in school-age children born at risk of neonatal hypoglycaemia.Developmental medicine and child neurologyChildren exposed to neonatal hypoglycaemia had similar results on computerised executive function tasks but parents reported more difficulty initiating, planning, organising and self-monitoring, plus peer problems, especially after severe or recurrent low glucose. Teacher reports did not show the same pattern.
• PTOTRCT2023The Impact of Nordic Pole Walk Advice Alone or in Combination With Exercise Strategies on Daily Physical Activity in Patients With Intermittent Claudication: A Randomized Clinical Trial.Physical therapyAdding supervised or home-based exercise to Nordic pole walk advice did not increase daily step counts at 1 year compared with advice alone. Patients in both exercise groups remained below 7,000 steps per day, showing no advantage over unsupervised advice for overall daily activity.
• PTOTSLPPilot2023Nonlinear, Multicomponent Physical Exercise With Heart Rate Variability-Guided Prescription in Women With Breast Cancer During Treatment: Feasibility and Preliminary Results (ATOPE Study).Physical therapyHeart-rate-guided exercise was feasible and safe for women with breast cancer during treatment. Retention was 73.68%, slightly below the 75% threshold. While radiotherapy patients improved walking distance, chemotherapy patients lost lower limb strength and gained body fat, suggesting the program needs adjustment for this group.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023Early Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity After Concussion Is Associated With Faster Symptom Resolution Time.Journal of sport rehabilitationAdolescents recovering from concussion who engaged in more than 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity daily resolved symptoms faster than those who did less. This association persisted even after adjusting for initial symptom severity and sex.
• PTOTRCT2024Effects of motor imagery-based neurofeedback training after bilateral repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on post-stroke upper limb motor function: an exploratory crossover clinical trial.Journal of rehabilitation medicineIn 20 post-stroke adults, adding motor imagery neurofeedback to bilateral rTMS was associated with better upper limb movement scores than rTMS alone, but the trial had carry-over, no blinding, and usual rehab continued.
• OTCohort2024Stressful life events are associated with self-reported fatigue and depressive symptoms in patients with mild traumatic brain injury.Journal of rehabilitation medicinePatients with mild brain injury did not differ from patients with ankle fracture in reported fatigue or depressive symptoms. In the mild brain injury group, more recent stressful life events were associated with more reported fatigue and depressive symptoms.
• OTSLPOther2024"He Sees his Autism as a Strength, Not a Deficit Now": A Repeated Cross-Sectional Study Investigating the Impact of Strengths-Based Programs on Autistic Adolescents.Journal of autism and developmental disordersParents reported high satisfaction with community coding and STEAM programs for autistic teens, but outcomes remained stable over three years rather than improving. Only community participation increased significantly in the final year, while confidence dipped in the second year.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2024Current learning strategies in fire evacuation for seniors and people with disabilities in private seniors' residences and long-term care homes: a scoping review.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesFire drills often cause injury and stress for seniors, yet verbal instructions alone are ineffective. Safe evacuation requires combining drills with multi-sensory staff training, clear environmental signage, and equipment adapted for mobility and cognitive impairments.
• PTOTSLPPilot2024Community-based exercise program, self-reported health-related symptoms, and quality of life in persons with traumatic brain injury 45 + years old.NeuroRehabilitationIn 20 adults with moderate-to-severe brain injury, a 12-week community-based aerobic program improved self-reported cognitive health and sleep quality compared to stretching. Global quality of life, emotional health, and social health showed no significant difference between groups.
• OTSLPQualitative2024Self-reported Everyday Sources of Happiness and Unhappiness in Autistic Adults.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic adults most often cited social partners and activities as sources of happiness. They cited social partners and interactions, job difficulties, and current events as sources of unhappiness. Themes were similar for those with and without a depression history.
• PTOTSLPOther2024The reliability, validity and clinical utility of the Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation - ten-item version (CORE-10) in post-acute patients with stroke.Clinical rehabilitationThe CORE-10 is a valid, free, and quick mood screen for post-acute stroke inpatients. A change of 9 points indicates 90% confidence in real clinical improvement or deterioration, while a score of 12 or higher marks clinically significant distress.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2024The Well-being and Support Needs of Australian Caregivers of Neurodiverse Children.Journal of autism and developmental disordersCaregivers of neurodiverse children reported clinically significant stress and lower well-being than national averages. They identified major unmet needs for respite, support groups, and funding, with many facing financial hardship and social isolation due to stigma and lack of accessible services.
• PTOTCohort2023Proactive outcome monitoring and standardisation of physiotherapy stroke rehabilitation - A retrospective functional outcomes analysis of Accelerated Stroke Ambulation Programme (ASAP).Hong Kong physiotherapy journal : official publication of the Hong Kong Physiotherapy Association Limited = Wu li chih liaoStroke patients in a standardised rehab programme gained more mobility points than those in traditional care, but balance and daily living scores showed no clear difference. The programme relies on data-driven decision support rather than therapist preference alone.
• PTOTQualitative2023"Restoring That Faith in My Shoulder": A Qualitative Investigation of How and Why Exercise Therapy Influenced the Clinical Outcomes of Individuals With Rotator Cuff-Related Shoulder Pain.Physical therapyPatients described exercise helping their shoulder pain only when they trusted their clinician, received a tailored plan, and saw progress quickly. They attributed benefits to getting stronger and regaining confidence in the shoulder. These are patient perspectives, not proof that exercise works.
• OTSLPSurvey2024Urban and rural differences in needs, service use and satisfaction among caregivers of autistic children in Morocco.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceRural caregivers reported far less non-medication intervention and school enrolment for their children than urban caregivers, despite similar verbal ability and satisfaction. Priorities were similar, but challenges differed.