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 146 OF 218 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTCase-Control2024Validity and Responsiveness of a Modified Balance Error Scoring System Assessment Using a Mobile Device Application in Patients Recovering from Ankle Sprain.International journal of sports physical therapyA smartphone app scoring static balance distinguished acute ankle sprains from healthy controls and tracked improvement after four weeks of rehab. The single-leg stance on the injured side was the most sensitive test position. This offers a portable, objective alternative to manual balance error counting.
• PTOTOther2024Biomechanical Demands and User Preference Associated with Wall-Mounted and Rim-Mounted Grab Bars.Canadian journal of occupational therapy. Revue canadienne d'ergotherapieOlder adults with bathing difficulty bent forward significantly more and pushed harder on rim-mounted grab bars than on wall-mounted vertical bars. The vertical bar was rated safer and easier. If a client must use a rim bar, ensure it is set to the highest position to reduce forward bending.
• PTOTOther2024Utilizing Diagnostic Musculoskeletal Ultrasound in the Evaluation of Cubital Tunnel Syndrome and Ulnar Nerve Pathology.International journal of sports physical therapyMusculoskeletal ultrasound provides a non-invasive, real-time view of the ulnar nerve at the elbow, helping clinicians visualize structural issues like nerve instability or compression. It serves as a useful adjunct to physical exams and nerve conduction studies, particularly when the diagnosis is unclear or anatomical variations are suspected.
• OTCohort2024Exploring the impact of cognitive dysfunction, fatigue, and shortness of breath on activities of daily life after COVID-19 infection, until 1-year follow-up.Journal of rehabilitation medicineAt 12 months, participants still reported fatigue, cognitive problems, or breathlessness limiting daily activities. Hospital patients scored worse on tests. Primary-care patients reported more fatigue and cognitive complaints, and 39% had fully returned to work versus 54%.
• PTOTCohort2024The association between physical activity and neck circumference with cardiovascular disease risk in older wheelchair users.Journal of rehabilitation medicineOlder wheelchair users with low physical activity and large neck circumferences had significantly higher estimated cardiovascular disease risk. These factors remained independent predictors even when adjusted for each other. Screening for both activity levels and neck size may help identify high-risk patients.
• OTOther2024Does the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) Capture the Complex Experiences of Cancer Survivors? A Mixed Methods Approach.Occupational therapy in health careThe COPM identifies specific daily tasks cancer survivors struggle with, but misses the complex emotional and social impacts of their diagnosis. Survivors reported issues like fatigue and memory loss affecting work and relationships that the scores did not capture. Use it for task goals, not for understanding the whole person.
• PTOTSLPCohort2024Relationship between bite force, occlusal contact area, and three-dimensional facial soft tissue in dentofacial deformities.CoDASPatients with Class II or Class III dentofacial deformities had significantly lower bite force and occlusal contact area than healthy controls. Increased chin height was associated with weaker bite force. These morphological deficits exist before surgery and may inform myofunctional therapy planning.
• PTOTCase-Control2024Robot-aided assessment and associated brain lesions of impaired ankle proprioception in chronic stroke.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationMost adults with chronic stroke showed impaired ankle position and motion sense on robotic testing. These deficits were linked to lesions in the insula and temporoparietal regions. Standard clinical scales may miss these subtle proprioceptive losses that affect balance.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2024Experiences of chain of care and rehabilitation after stroke: a qualitative study of persons discharged to skilled nursing facilities before returning home.Journal of rehabilitation medicineStroke survivors discharged to skilled nursing facilities reported lacking information on fatigue and prevention, and felt excluded from rehabilitation planning. They valued immediate provision of aids upon returning home, but faced delays in mobility services and inconsistent training support.
• PTOTOther2024Enhancing fall risk assessment: instrumenting vision with deep learning during walks.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA new AI tool automatically tracks where pregnant women look while walking over obstacles in a lab. It accurately identifies gaze on hazards, helping clinicians see if distraction contributes to fall risk without manual video review.
• PTOTSystematic Review2024Psychometric properties of body structures and functions measures in non-surgical thumb carpometacarpal osteoarthritis: A systematic review.Journal of hand therapy : official journal of the American Society of Hand TherapistsFor non-surgical thumb arthritis, only a few objective tests have proven reliability. Use the Kapandji index for opposition, the intermetacarpal distance method for abduction, and three pain-free trials with standard dynamometers for grip and pinch. Avoid unvalidated dexterity or sensory measures.
• OTQualitative2024'It's a symbolic violence': Autistic people's experiences of discrimination at universities in Australia.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic university students described being told they didn't look autistic enough to need support. They faced bureaucratic barriers to accommodations and were often questioned about their competence, especially in helping professions. Many felt the burden of advocacy fell entirely on them.
• OTQualitative2024"What Services?": Stakeholders' Perceived Unmet Support Needs for Parents With Neurological Disorders.Canadian journal of occupational therapy. Revue canadienne d'ergotherapieStakeholders described a severe lack of coordinated support for parents with neurological disorders, citing service gaps, inaccessible environments, and stigma. They identified the need for long-term, family-centered care that extends beyond the infant stage to address evolving needs.
• PTOTOther2024A scoping review on active vs. passive range of motion approaches to treat heterotopic ossification at the elbow.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesLittle evidence supports active or passive elbow range-of-motion exercises for heterotopic ossification. Five studies show mixed outcomes, so treatment needs team discussion rather than a proven protocol.
• OTQualitative2024Innovation and Competency Development in Occupational Therapy Fieldwork During the COVID-19 Pandemic.Canadian journal of occupational therapy. Revue canadienne d'ergotherapieOccupational therapy learners in non-traditional pandemic placements developed strong clinical reasoning and virtual communication skills. However, they did not explicitly address culture, equity, and justice competencies, suggesting these areas need targeted attention in innovative fieldwork.
• OTRCT2024Activation changes in patients with post-stroke cognitive impairment receiving intermittent theta burst stimulation: A functional near-infrared spectroscopy study.NeuroRehabilitationIn adults with post-stroke cognitive impairment, adding intermittent theta burst stimulation to 30 cognitive training sessions showed greater gains in cognition and daily independence than cognitive training alone. The brain stimulation group also showed increased activation during a word task.
• PTOTCohort2024Sitting Capacity and Performance in Infants with Typical Development and Infants with Motor Delay.Physical & occupational therapy in pediatricsInfants with significant motor delay improved sitting capacity and sitting during play, but typical infants improved more sharply and reached a plateau. A given sitting test score did not mean the same everyday sitting use.
• PTOTSLPRCT2024Effect of oculomotor exercises in patients with non-specific chronic neck pain and associated visual complaints.Hong Kong physiotherapy journal : official publication of the Hong Kong Physiotherapy Association Limited = Wu li chih liaoAdding oculomotor exercises to conventional physiotherapy for chronic neck pain improved gaze stability and reduced visual complaints. Pain and disability improved in both groups, but adding eye exercises did not provide extra benefit for these primary outcomes.
• OTSurvey2024Work interruptions of office workers: The influence of the complexity of primary work tasks on the perception of interruptions.Work (Reading, Mass.)More counted interruptions were linked to feeling overloaded, and feeling overloaded was linked to higher self-rated workload. The link between counted interruptions and feeling overloaded was stronger when tasks were more complex.
• PTOTSLPCohort2024Utilization and features of rehabilitation and health services for persons with spinal cord injury.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineIn Swiss spinal cord injury rehab, nursing, physiotherapy and occupational therapy take the most time. Patients with higher cervical injuries and lower function receive far more services per day, while those with better function receive fewer.
• OTSurvey2024Knowledge Gaps Regarding Indigenous Health in Occupational Therapy: A National Survey.Canadian journal of occupational therapy. Revue canadienne d'ergotherapieMost Canadian occupational therapists reported gaps in Indigenous health knowledge, yet 72% felt confident building trust with Indigenous clients despite limited training and low awareness of local healing practices. The survey identified six core themes, including a lack of culturally appropriate tools and workplace strategies.
• PTOTPilot2024Post-polio syndrome - somatosensory dysfunction and its relation to pain: a pilot study with quantitative sensory testing.Journal of rehabilitation medicineFive of six patients with post-polio syndrome showed lower mechanical pain thresholds, suggesting hypersensitivity to touch. However, sensory profiles varied widely between patients, and pain did not correlate with the severity of muscle weakness or atrophy in specific limbs.
• PTOTSLPOther2024Receptive language and receptive-expressive discrepancy in minimally verbal autistic children and adolescents.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchMost minimally verbal autistic children understood more than they could say. Social skills predicted comprehension, while better motor skills linked to a wider gap between understanding and speech. Assess receptive language with parent report, as direct tests often fail to capture ability.
• OTCohort2024Role modeling of safety-leadership behaviors in the construction industry: A two-wave longitudinal study.Work (Reading, Mass.)Construction site supervisors copied their managers' safety-focused leadership behaviors over four months. Managers who gave clear feedback and rewards for safe work had supervisors who did the same. This influence worked both ways, with supervisors also shaping their managers' behavior.
• OTSLPCohort2024A longitudinal study of loneliness in autism and other neurodevelopmental disabilities: Coping with loneliness from childhood through adulthood.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceLoneliness in autistic people and those with other neurodevelopmental disabilities increased significantly from adolescence into early adulthood. Participants who felt lonely as children were likely to remain lonely. Coping strategies shifted toward distraction and seeking social contact as people aged.
• PTOTCohort2024Perceived and physiological strains of societal participation in people with multiple sclerosis: a real-time assessment study.Journal of rehabilitation medicineFor people with MS, how strenuous an activity feels does not predict how hard their heart works. Perceived strain was linked to fatigue, not physiology. Clinicians should treat fatigue and perceived effort directly, rather than assuming physical exertion drives the complaint.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2024Success or Failure? Are We Meeting the Needs of Children With Developmental Coordination Disorder?Canadian journal of occupational therapy. Revue canadienne d'ergotherapieParents of children with DCD in British Columbia report the current system is failing them. Only two in five children receive therapy, and school-based support is rare. Families face high out-of-pocket costs and long waits, while emotional and social struggles are widespread and largely unaddressed.
• OTSLPCohort2024Is parent education a factor in identifying autism/takiwātanga in an ethnic cohort of Pacific children in Aotearoa, New Zealand? A national cross-sectional study using linked administrative data.Autism : the international journal of research and practicePacific children whose parents had more years of formal education were more likely to be diagnosed with autism. Each additional year of parental education increased the odds of diagnosis by 10%. This suggests barriers to accessing the health system, not just biology, shape who gets identified.
• OTSurvey2024The association between social camouflage and mental health among autistic people in Japan and the UK: a cross-cultural study.Molecular autismIn Japanese autistic adults, camouflage was linked with anxiety, depression, and well-being in a curved pattern, not a straight-line pattern; the UK sample did not show this. This is association, not proof.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2024The impact for DCD - USA study: The current state of Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) in the United States of America.Research in developmental disabilitiesMost families in the USA have sought therapy for their child's coordination difficulties, but only about one in three were currently receiving it. Parents reported significant challenges in obtaining diagnoses and accessing consistent support for school and daily activities.
• OTCase-Control2024The risk of road traffic crashes for occupational drivers: A responsibility study with comparison to the general population.Work (Reading, Mass.)On-duty drivers had lower crash responsibility than those on personal trips, largely because they drank less alcohol. However, temporary workers and light utility vehicle drivers faced significantly higher risk. Commuting to work was riskier than commuting home, especially on unfamiliar routes.
• OTQualitative2023Occupational participation and engagement of woman experiencing premenstrual syndrome: A qualitative study.The British journal of occupational therapyFour women described how premenstrual symptoms disrupted their daily routines and work, causing them to isolate themselves to avoid conflict. They found tracking their cycles and engaging in specific self-care occupations helpful, but struggled to maintain these routines when symptoms peaked.
• OTQualitative2023Distance supervision as experienced by occupational therapists in mental health: An interpretative phenomenological study.The British journal of occupational therapyOccupational therapists in mental health settings found distance supervision offered flexibility and reduced travel, but often felt it was less personal and harder to protect from interruptions. The strength of the relationship with the supervisor mattered more than whether the session was virtual or face-to-face.
• OTQualitative2024Accommodating Students with Disabilities: Fieldwork Educators' Experiences.Canadian journal of occupational therapy. Revue canadienne d'ergotherapieOccupational therapy fieldwork educators described accommodating students with disabilities as part of normal student learning rather than a separate disability issue. They used their OT skills to adapt tasks and environments, but their ability to do so depended heavily on workplace flexibility and personal capacity.
• PTOTOther2024Trend change analysis of postural balance in Parkinson's disease discriminates between medication state.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationTrend change analysis detected differences between medication states in Parkinson's disease that standard sway measures missed. However, neither method distinguished patients from healthy controls during quiet standing.
• OTSLPSurvey2024Inclusion of autistic students in schools: Knowledge, self-efficacy, and attitude of teachers in Germany.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceGerman teachers have moderate autism knowledge but low self-efficacy, especially in understanding behavior causes. Attitudes are positive. Experience with autistic students slightly improves knowledge and confidence, but gaps remain in practical intervention skills.
• OTPilot2024Measuring employment precariousness in gig jobs: A pilot study among food couriers in Brussels1.Work (Reading, Mass.)Gig food couriers in Brussels scored 0.561 on a new 0 to 1 precarity questionnaire. Couriers with worse well-being also reported more precarious work, but the study was too small to show clear differences by age, sex, education, migration status, or job type.
• OTSystematic Review2024A meta-ethnography of autistic people's experiences of social camouflaging and its relationship with mental health.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic people described camouflaging as a way to cope with stigma and social stress. It could reduce rejection but also bring exhaustion, anxiety, lost support and identity confusion. Some felt the tradeoff was worth it.
• PTOTSLPCohort2024Comparison of motion sensor and heart rate monitor for assessment of physical activity intensity in stroke outpatient rehabilitation sessions: an observational study.Journal of rehabilitation medicineMotion sensors and heart rate monitors give very different readings of how hard stroke patients work in rehab. One device showed no moderate activity while the other showed plenty. Do not rely on a single device to judge session intensity.
• PTOTMeta-Analysis2024Meta-analysis of the quantitative assessment of lower extremity motor function in elderly individuals based on objective detection.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationObjective sensors and 3D motion capture systems reliably detected differences in walking speed and stride length between elderly groups. Wearable inertial sensors and clinical gait analysis showed inconsistent results across studies, making them less dependable for standardized assessment.
• OTOther2024Gross and Applied Anatomy Pedagogical Approaches in Occupational Therapy Education: A Scoping Review.Canadian journal of occupational therapy. Revue canadienne d'ergotherapieOccupational therapy anatomy education uses a mix of traditional labs and new technology, but no single method is proven superior. Peer teaching and psychological support before cadaver labs helped students, yet evidence linking these methods to actual clinical practice skills remains missing.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2024School absenteeism in autistic children and adolescents: A scoping review.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic children miss school more often than peers, especially those with co-occurring mental health conditions. Current interventions are small, uncontrolled, and lack evidence of efficacy. Schools should focus on individualized accommodations and early detection rather than relying on proven treatment programs.
• PTOTCohort2024Changes in memory and attention during and after occupational rehabilitation: A longitudinal study.Work (Reading, Mass.)Sick-listed individuals who returned to work fastest showed the greatest improvement in sustained attention over 12 months. Working memory did not change significantly. Those on the most sick leave improved least on attention tasks, suggesting work exposure aids attention recovery.
• PTOTCohort2024Seasonal changes in daily steps of community-dwelling older individuals with and without lifestyle-related diseases: a retrospective cohort study.Journal of physical therapy scienceOlder adults with lifestyle-related diseases took significantly fewer steps than healthy peers, especially in winter. Those with diseases averaged 5,563 steps (females) and 5,768 steps (males) over six months, falling short of national targets. Seasonal drops were most pronounced in December for women with disease.
• OTSurvey2023Exploring Orthopedic Occupational Therapy in Korea: Insights from a Survey on Occupational Therapists' Perspectives.Occupational therapy internationalMost surveyed Korean occupational therapists wanted orthopedic OT education and guidelines. Few had worked in orthopedic departments. They cited low awareness among other professionals, no appropriate fees, and limited OT knowledge as barriers.
• OTOther2023Relationships between Loneliness and Occupational Dysfunction in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study.Occupational therapy internationalCommunity-dwelling older adults with higher occupational dysfunction reported significantly more loneliness, even after adjusting for age, gender, education, income, living situation, depression, and social network size. This suggests loneliness may stem from negative experiences in daily activities, not just a lack of social contact.
• PTOTSLPRCT2024Effect of repetitive peripheral magnetic stimulation of the common fibular nerve on the soleus muscle Hoffmann reflex.Journal of physical therapy scienceRepetitive magnetic stimulation of the common fibular nerve reduced soleus muscle H-reflex amplitude in healthy men, suggesting increased spinal inhibition. However, the control group also showed changes, and the clinical effect on spasticity or function in patients was not tested.
• PTOTSLPCase Report2024Implementing neuropsychological rehabilitation following severe traumatic brain injury in a low-to-middle income country: a case report.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesA man with severe brain injury used iPad checklists and loud calendar alerts to regain daily independence, but standard cognitive tests showed no improvement. Family reported better task completion and reduced conflict, while the patient’s physical function actually worsened. This single case cannot prove the method works.
• OTQualitative2024Social and health care top managers' perceptions and aims of strategic work ability management in the midst of change.Work (Reading, Mass.)Top managers in social and health care saw work ability management as important but often reactive, triggered by sickness absence. They aimed to anticipate decline, support competence, keep staff, and build trust, yet rarely had it in strategy.
• PTOTSLPOther2024Prevalence of intellectual disability among adults born in the 1980s and 1990s in the United States.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRResearchers estimated that 818,564 adults aged 21 to 41 years in the United States have intellectual disability. This represents a prevalence of 0.95%. These figures provide a necessary denominator for tracking adult health services and planning care resources.