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 149 OF 218 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2024Leisure Engagement Among People Living With Acquired Brain Injury: A Scoping Review.OTJR : occupation, participation and healthPeople with acquired brain injury engage less in leisure than before, shifting toward sedentary, solitary, home-based activities. Transport, fatigue, and cognitive limits block community participation. Assess these specific barriers and environmental factors, not just physical recovery, to support meaningful re-engagement.
• PTOTNarrative Review2024Heat therapy for different knee diseases: expert opinion.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesHeat therapy may help knee pain in chronic or subacute phases but is contraindicated when joints are swollen or inflamed. The paper relies on expert opinion rather than new clinical trials to guide when to use heat versus cold for specific knee conditions.
• PTOTCase Report2024Effects of Low-Load Blood Flow Restriction Training on Rotator Cuff Strength and Hypertrophy: Case Series.International journal of sports physical therapyLow-load blood flow restriction training increased rotator cuff muscle size on the treated arm, but strength gains were similar on both arms. The study cannot show that the cuff added benefit over exercise alone.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2024Factors influencing employers' support for employees with acquired brain injuries or mental illness to return to- and stay in work: A qualitative systematic review.Work (Reading, Mass.)Employers struggle to support staff returning from brain injury or mental illness because they lack knowledge, fear burdening colleagues, and face poor communication from health services. Disclosure of the condition and clear advice from clinicians were key to making support work.
• OTSLPCohort2024Early executive functioning predicts externalizing problems in neurodiverse preschoolers.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchPoor emotional control at age 3 predicted externalizing problems at age 5 in neurodiverse preschoolers. This link was strongest in children with lower autism symptom severity. Screening for executive functioning difficulties may help identify children who would benefit from early behavioral interventions.
• PTOTQualitative2024First Step to empowering change: enhancing self-efficacy, energy management, and physical activity in patients with sleep apnea.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesPatients with sleep apnea valued a program combining energy management and physical activity. They found tailoring goals to meaningful daily activities helpful. However, transportation and session timing were barriers to attendance. The study reports experiences, not proven efficacy.
• OTSystematic Review2024Participatory Research with Persons who Experience Mental Illness in Occupational Therapy: A Scoping Review.Canadian journal of occupational therapy. Revue canadienne d'ergotherapieMost occupational therapy studies involving people with mental illness skip key research stages like co-designing tools or deciding future directions. Only 12% involved participants in planning next steps. This gap means services may still miss what patients actually value, despite claims of collaboration.
• OTSurvey2024Mercury air, urine monitoring and health effects on occupationally exposed dental healthcare workers in Delhi, India.Work (Reading, Mass.)Exposed Delhi dental workers had urine mercury of 0.51 micrograms per litre versus 0.29 micrograms per litre in controls, and reported confusion, forgetfulness, constipation, fatigue, joint pain, insomnia, irritability, food intolerance, and chest pain. Most air and urine levels were below reference limits.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2024"I'm dealing with a health care system that doesn't get it": Barriers and facilitators to inclusive healthcare for autistic adults.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic adults described healthcare as a demanding social environment where short appointments, phone-based scheduling, and sensory-heavy settings blocked care. They relied on online booking and support people to navigate systems. Providers often lacked training in adult autism, leading to misunderstandings of communication styles.
• PTOTSLPOther2024Specific ICF training is needed in clinical practice: ICF framework education is not enough.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesRehabilitation professionals reported that formal ICF education from universities was insufficient for clinical practice. They requested specific workplace training with practical examples and tools to better integrate the ICF framework into patient care and interprofessional collaboration.
• OTOther2024Role of child demographic, executive functions, and behavioral challenges on feelings about parenting among parents of youth with Down syndrome.Research in developmental disabilitiesIn 113 families, caregiver feelings about parenting were linked to child executive function and behavior challenges. The link between executive function challenges and caregiver feelings was carried through behavior problems. ADHD and obesity were also linked to more negative feelings.
• PTOTSLPOther2024Wearable sensor and smartphone assisted vestibular physical therapy for multiple sclerosis: usability and outcomes.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesPeople with MS found a home-based vestibular therapy app with a head sensor easy to use and helpful. They improved balance and reported less dizziness, though adherence averaged 60%. This is a usability study, not proof the tech works better than standard care.
• OTOther2024A classification of human resource management bundles for the inclusion of vulnerable workers.Work (Reading, Mass.)Inclusive employers use six distinct HRM bundles. Extensive bundles help larger firms hire diverse vulnerable groups. Smaller firms with focused or passive approaches still successfully hire specific groups, including those with cognitive disabilities or migration backgrounds. No single approach is necessary for inclusion.
• PTOTCohort2024Functional capacity using sit-to-stand tests in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and its relationship with disease severity-a cross-sectional study with matched controls.Brazilian journal of physical therapySit-to-stand tests reveal functional capacity impairment in 23% to 33% of people with COPD, even when lung function looks mild. The 1-minute test catches more problems than the 5-repetition test and should be preferred for assessing endurance and symptomatic burden in stable patients.
• OTSurvey2024Working dilemmas in care for breastfed newborns: An exploratory study in a single center in Taiwan.Work (Reading, Mass.)Nurses in the NICU reported higher dilemmas when families refused formula, fearing hospitalization for jaundice or weight loss. Nursery nurses reported dilemmas from time and staffing shortages when teaching breastfeeding. These are staff experiences, not patient outcomes.
• OTSLPOther2024Social competence in autism: A structural equation modeling approach.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchIn autistic youth, social thinking and social behavior act as separate skills. Improving one does not automatically fix the other. Therapists should target both explicitly if the goal is genuine social understanding, rather than assuming behavioral training builds cognitive insight.
• OTOther2024An occupational therapy delirium pathway reduces hospital re-presentations in older adults with delirium: A before and after observational study.The British journal of occupational therapyAn occupational therapy pathway linking hospital care to home visits reduced hospital re-presentations in older adults with delirium. It did not shorten hospital stays. Patients still had significant functional decline compared to their pre-admission baseline when they finished the service.
• PTOTSystematic Review2024Guidelines for chronic pain in adult spinal cord injury population: Scoping review.The South African journal of physiotherapyMost pain guidelines for spinal cord injury focus only on nerve pain, ignoring musculoskeletal pain. Only one high-quality guideline covered both types and recommended specific screening tools. Clinicians should check if their current protocols address nociceptive pain or rely on guidelines that miss it.
• PTOTQualitative2024What are participant beliefs regarding physical therapy led treatment? A qualitative study of people living with femoroacetabular impingement syndrome.Brazilian journal of physical therapyPeople with hip pain often believe exercise damages their joint, a view reinforced by how clinicians discuss imaging. They struggle with access due to cost and time, but prefer telehealth and clear education on the poor link between structure and pain.
• PTOTPilot2024Para table tennis improves psychological/mental and cardiovascular health in individuals with spinal cord injury.NeuroRehabilitationFour weeks of twice-weekly para table tennis improved self-efficacy and arterial elasticity in adults with spinal cord injury. The study was a small pilot with a control group doing static activities, so the specific contribution of the sport versus general activity remains unclear.
• PTOTSLPOther2024Autistic preschoolers display reduced attention orientation for competition but intact facilitation from a parallel competitor: Eye-tracking and behavioral data.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic preschoolers looked less at competitive games than peers, yet performed motor and sorting tasks just as fast when competing alongside an adult. Parallel play offers immediate social facilitation benefits even when visual attention to competition is reduced.
• OTSLPOther2024Smiling synchronization predicts interaction enjoyment in peer dyads of autistic and neurotypical youth.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic-neurotypical pairs synchronized smiles less than neurotypical pairs. This lower synchrony predicted less enjoyment and less desire to interact again. However, autistic-autistic pairs showed no significant difference in synchrony or enjoyment compared to other groups, suggesting shared neurotype may buffer interaction quality.
• PTOTSLPCohort2024The impact of raising a child with a developmental or physical health condition in Ethiopia.Research in developmental disabilitiesFamilies of children with developmental disabilities in Ethiopia reported significantly lower quality of life than those with physical health conditions. Caregivers of children with greater health loss also reported poorer family well-being, highlighting the need for scaled-up support.
• PTOTSLPNarrative Review2024Contribution of the serotonergic system to developmental brain abnormalities in autism spectrum disorder.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchThis review links autism's behavioral and sensory challenges to early disruptions in the brain's serotonin system, but it does not test any therapy. It explains why serotonin-targeting drugs like SSRIs yield mixed results: the underlying brain defects vary widely between patients.
• OTSLPSystematic Review2024Experiences of caregivers of children with autism during the COVID-19 pandemic: A scoping review.The South African journal of communication disorders = Die Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir KommunikasieafwykingsCaregivers of children with autism faced intensified stress, isolation and disrupted routines during the pandemic. Teletherapy was often unhelpful due to access barriers and engagement difficulties. Structured home routines and positive outlooks emerged as key coping strategies.
• OTSurvey2024Transformational leadership and employability among support staff workers with long tenure.Work (Reading, Mass.)Transformational leadership showed no significant link to most employability skills in long-tenured support staff. It was associated only with better work-life balance. This suggests such leadership does not actively boost external job readiness for employees with secure, permanent roles.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2024Linking the impact of aspiration to host variables using the BOLUS framework: support from a rapid review.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesPoor oral health and the presence of feeding or tracheostomy tubes strongly increase the risk of pulmonary complications in patients with aspiration. However, there is insufficient evidence to link aspiration of thick liquids to pneumonia or to predict mortality, so decisions on diet texture and NPO status remain complex.
• OTSystematic Review2024Attitudes to and perceptions of workplace health promotion amongst employees from ethnic minorities in the UK: A scoping review.Work (Reading, Mass.)Very little UK evidence exists on ethnic minority workers' views of workplace wellbeing. Only three included studies met criteria, and only one was UK based. That study found Chinese employers were reactive and employees raised wages and conditions.
• OTPilot2024The Effect of Leisure Intervention on Occupational Performance and Occupational Balance in Individuals with Substance Use Disorder: A Pilot Study.Occupational therapy internationalIn nine men with substance use disorder, group leisure education, planning, and chosen activities were feasible and the authors report favourable changes in occupational performance, balance, leisure participation, quality of life, and craving. No control group, so this cannot show the programme caused these changes.
• PTOTSLPOther2024Spinal manipulation and mobilisation in paediatrics - an international evidence-based position statement for physiotherapists.The Journal of manual & manipulative therapySpinal manipulation and mobilisation should not be performed on infants or for non-musculoskeletal conditions like asthma or colic. For adolescents with neck or back pain, these techniques may be appropriate if combined with sound clinical reasoning.
• OTQualitative2024"We just take care after each other": Relational health strategies of nurses and nursing aides working in residential long-term care as a mechanism of in- and exclusion in care teams.Work (Reading, Mass.)Women in long-term care teams said they had to be sick before self-care was accepted. They protected their health by relying on colleagues, but teams could exclude those who did not fit the ideal worker norm.
• PTOTQualitative2024Patients' perspectives on planned interventions tested in the Otago MASTER feasibility trial: an implementation-based process evaluation study.Brazilian journal of physical therapyShoulder pain patients valued twice-weekly supervised sessions for building confidence and motivation, but struggled with confusing home exercise instructions and unclear scales. They wanted to know which specific exercises actually helped their pain so they could keep doing them.
• OTSurvey2024Worldwide Survey on Digital Assistive Technology (DAT) Provision.Occupational therapy internationalOccupational therapists mostly provide digital assistive technology as part of broader intervention, with cost and knowledge as key barriers. This is self-reported practice, not evidence of effectiveness.
• PTOTOther2024Protocol for identifying and characterising critical physical tasks in the military: Development and validation.Work (Reading, Mass.)A new checklist helps military experts identify critical physical job tasks. Experts rated it highly relevant and easy to use. It documents tasks like lifting and carrying to guide future physical employment standards, but it is a tool for data collection, not a test of ability.
• OTSLPQualitative2024Ongoing Challenges Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic Among People With Brain Injury.OTJR : occupation, participation and healthPeople with chronic traumatic brain injury described social isolation continuing after many pandemic policies had ended. They feared exposure, avoided unvaccinated people, and had fewer activities. Old strategies did not fit new barriers, and remote social options were hard to manage.
• PTOTOther2024Bone health education in individuals with spinal cord injury or disease-the Bare Bones Podcast Series: plan it, produce it, post it!Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesClinicians can direct patients with spinal cord injury to a free podcast series and handouts co-designed with patients. These resources simplify complex bone health guidelines to help patients prepare for appointments and ask about fracture risks.
• OTOther2024A Quasi-Experimental Study Investigating the Impact of a Lifestyle Redesign Program on the Well-Being of Korean University Students.Occupational therapy internationalLifestyle Redesign lowered stress and improved daily activity performance in Korean OT students over 10 weeks. However, the control group also improved in activity performance, and quality of life gains were not significantly better than the control group's results.
• PTOTSLPCohort2024Normative values to Horus® computerized posturography in children.CoDASNormative values for the Horus posturography platform in 4-6 year olds show that balance improves with age. Four-year-old boys have lower stability limits than girls. Clinicians must use age and sex-specific benchmarks to interpret results, as adult or generic norms are not applicable.
• PTOTCohort2024Prevalence and characteristics of frailty in older adults in Japan: a cross-sectional study using data from the long-term care insurance system.Journal of physical therapy scienceAmong 393 older adults in Japan needing mild long-term care support, 80.4% were frail. Frailty was linked to age, living in rural areas, and not having orthopedic issues. The type of care service used did not differ between frail and non-frail groups.
• PTOTSLPOther2024A usability study on the inGAIT-VSO: effects of a variable-stiffness ankle-foot orthosis on the walking performance of children with cerebral palsy.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationIn six children with cerebral palsy, a variable-stiffness ankle orthosis significantly lowered the physiological cost of walking by 45.26% without reducing distance walked. It did not improve speed or balance. Usability was rated good or excellent by five of six participants.
• OTQualitative2024Support factors contributing to successful start-up businesses by young entrepreneurs in South Africa.Work (Reading, Mass.)Five young entrepreneurs in South Africa attributed their business success to support from family, mentors, and partners. This help lowered start-up costs and provided skills. The study suggests therapists working in high-unemployment areas should prioritize building these support networks for clients seeking self-employment.
• PTOTSLPRCT2024Effects of a dual intervention (motor and virtual reality-based cognitive) on cognition in patients with mild cognitive impairment: a single-blind, randomized controlled trial.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationBoth a VR kitchen-memory game and the same pencil-and-paper version improved cognition and reduced depressive symptoms in older adults with mild cognitive impairment. Neither was better than the other. Neither improved daily-living skills. Both groups also did balance, strength and aerobic exercise, so the training alone cannot be credited.
• OTQualitative2024Occupational Encounters: The Interpersonal Impact of Bus Drivers' Engagement With Disabled Passengers.OTJR : occupation, participation and healthDisabled passengers described bus drivers as gatekeepers to community access. Negative encounters involving denied boarding or unwanted physical contact led to reduced public transport use and social isolation. Positive encounters, such as drivers moving other passengers for priority seating, enabled inclusion. The contribution of any single factor cannot be separated.
• OTNarrative Review2024Change competence: An integrative literature review.Work (Reading, Mass.)This review synthesizes 32 studies on how staff manage workplace changes, focusing on leadership and employee participation. It offers a framework for understanding competence during transitions but reports no clinical outcomes or patient effects.
• PTOTOther2024Perturbation-based estimation of within-stride cycle metabolic cost.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA new method estimates where energy is spent during each part of a walking step. In healthy adults, single stance used 49% of the step's energy, swing 21%, push-off 10%, and double stance 20%. This helps target interventions like exoskeletons.
• OTQualitative2024An ecological systems model of employee experience in industry-led autism employment programmes.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic employees described support needs changing as they settled into roles. They valued initial help with tasks and social norms, then wanted autonomy. They found generic autism training unhelpful and preferred clear feedback from colleagues who understood their specific strengths and challenges.
• PTOTSLPPilot2024Estimating highest capacity propulsion performance using backward-directed force during walking evaluation for individuals with acquired brain injury.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA new robotic treadmill test measuring forward walking power correlated strongly with endurance and fast walking, but not comfortable speed. The standard sit-to-stand test did not correlate with this power measure, suggesting it is a poor proxy for walking propulsion capacity in people with acquired brain injury.
• OTOther2024Influence of brick laying height on biomechanical load in masons: Cross-sectional field study with technical measurements.Work (Reading, Mass.)In 12 masons, bricklaying at shoulder or above shoulder height increased upper trapezius load, while knee-height work produced the most forward trunk bending. Hip height had lower trapezius load than shoulder or above-shoulder work and less trunk bending than knee-height work.
• OTSLPQualitative2024"A perfect storm": Autistic experiences of menopause and midlife.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic participants described menopause as a period of intense sensory and emotional overwhelm, often compounded by late autism diagnosis. They reported feeling dismissed by healthcare providers who lacked understanding of both autism and perimenopause, leading to significant distress and barriers to accessing support.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2024Mapping the costs and socioeconomic characteristics involved in traumatic brain injuries: a scoping review.Journal of rehabilitation medicineMost studies link lower socioeconomic status to higher costs and worse outcomes after traumatic brain injury, but the evidence is sparse and inconsistent. Only two studies fully measured social position, so current data cannot reliably guide clinical decisions on individual patients.