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 175 OF 218 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTOther2025Causes of Adolescent Low Back Pain: A Retrospective Study.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationIn adolescents with low back pain, most cases had no specific cause (42.81%). Disc disease was the second most common (27.64%), more frequent in women. Spondylolysis was third (14.54%), more frequent in men. This challenges assumptions about the primary driver of adolescent back pain.
• PTOTPilot2025Exploring the use of mindfulness for prevention of burnout in allied health professionals in Singapore.Work (Reading, Mass.)In eight allied health professionals, emotional exhaustion scores on a burnout questionnaire fell after a 10-week program that included mindfulness, Emergenetics, group support, and daily practice; depersonalization and personal accomplishment did not show clear change.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2025Unveiling the veil: Exploring experiences of patient-initiated workplace violence in long-term care and mental health and substance use settings.Work (Reading, Mass.)Staff and families in long-term care and mental health settings linked violence to rushed personal care, privacy violations, and poor communication about behavioral history. They identified specific early warning signs like pacing or sudden silence. The study highlights system gaps rather than testing interventions.
• PTOTSurvey2025Exploring musculoskeletal pain among Italian olive pickers: A cross-sectional investigation into prevalence, attitudes, expectations, and beliefs.Work (Reading, Mass.)84.8% of 127 Italian olive pickers reported musculoskeletal pain in the last year, mainly lower back, shoulders and neck. Many avoided movement and expected manual treatment, while 44% did nothing to prevent pain.
• PTOTSystematic Review2025Outcomes and Preferences for Decision-Making for Upper Limb Prosthetic Care: The Patient Journey: A Scoping Literature Review.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationMost upper-limb prosthetic research compares device technology, not patient preference. Only six studies examined preference, and just four used robust choice methods. Clinicians should expect that evidence guiding shared decision-making is sparse, so direct discussion of individual goals remains essential.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2025A Systematic Scoping Review of Poststroke Engagement in Physical Activity.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationCommunity-dwelling stroke survivors typically walk about 4000 steps a day, falling short of guidelines. Objective measures show lower activity than self-reports. Interventions with coaching or education increased activity in the short term, but long-term adherence and support quality remain unclear.
• OTSurvey2025What about neurodiversity among nurses? A cross-sectional exploration of work environment and health among nurses with ADHD and/or autism.Work (Reading, Mass.)Nurses with ADHD or autism reported high workload and poor health, with more than half having taken long-term sick leave for mental illness. However, they remained highly satisfied with the care they provided to patients. Inattention was linked to feeling more work demands, regardless of diagnosis.
• PTOTQualitative2025Content validity of the Demand and Ability Protocol - A dialogue tool involving stakeholders in exploring demands and abilities at work.Work (Reading, Mass.)The revised Demand and Ability Protocol now has seven domains and begins with basic skills. Experts and experienced users found its items mostly clear and relevant for workplace dialogue about demands and abilities.
• OTQualitative2025Implementing Supported Employment in the Norwegian Labor and Welfare Administration - Experiences from employment specialists and critical implementation issues.Work (Reading, Mass.)Employment specialists delivering supported employment in Norway experienced severe burnout and near-total turnover within 18 months. Isolation, unpredictable high workloads, and strict efficiency monitoring were cited as the primary drivers of this collapse in team stability.
• OTOther2025Bridging the gap: Work as a treatment goal in healthcare. An innovative approach at Radboudumc.Work (Reading, Mass.)This is a service description of work-oriented care at Radboudumc, not a research study with methods and results to summarise. There is no patient finding to act on.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2025Impact of Hearing Impairment on Independent Travel in Individuals With Normal Vision, Low Vision, and Blindness.Trends in hearingBlind individuals with hearing impairment reported significantly more difficulty localizing dynamic sounds like traffic than those with low vision. Hearing aids helped with speech but were often rated unhelpful for sound localization, limiting independent travel safety.
• PTOTCohort2025Safety and Effectiveness of Early Rehabilitation in Patients With Stroke and Concomitant Kidney Disease: A Cohort Study With Claims Data.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationStarting rehabilitation 24 to 48 hours after admission did not increase death rates or shorten hospital stays compared to starting later. The primary outcome was null for both chronic kidney disease and end-stage kidney disease groups.
• PTOTSLPRCT2025Cannabidiol (CBD) Treatment for Severe Problem Behaviors in Autistic Boys: A Randomized Clinical Trial.Journal of autism and developmental disordersPurified CBD did not significantly reduce problem behaviors compared to placebo in boys with severe autism. Both groups improved, with a strong placebo effect observed. Safety was acceptable, but the study found no global benefit over placebo for the primary outcomes.
• PTOTSurvey2025Does type of provider matter for staff well-being? a cross-sectional study of residential care home workers' job demands and resources.Work (Reading, Mass.)Provider type showed mixed links to staff well-being. Outsourced workers reported higher emotional demands and burnout than public staff. Private workers reported higher job satisfaction and supervisor support but more work-life conflict. Job demands predicted burnout and turnover intentions across all settings.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2025Lived Experiences of Older Adults With Chronic Low Back Pain and Implications on Their Daily Life: A Metasynthesis of Qualitative Research.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationOlder adults with chronic low back pain often hide their struggles to avoid burdening family, leading to isolation and despair. They actively seek explanations for their pain to gain credibility with clinicians. Therapists should validate invisible pain and involve families in care plans.
• PTOTPilot2025Exploring Posturography in Children with Sickle Cell Disease.Physical & occupational therapy in pediatricsChildren with sickle cell disease scored lower on clinical balance tests but showed no deficits in computerized posturography. This suggests their balance problems are not caused by impaired sensory integration or weight-shifting strategies.
• OTOther2025Preliminary Study of the Utility of the Menu Task in an Acute Care Setting.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationThe Menu Task flagged 79.8% of 104 acute inpatients as impaired, versus 64.4% on the Mini-Cog. Its scores rose as Mini-Cog scores rose, and it took a median 7 minutes, so it may catch functional cognition problems that screening misses.
• OTSystematic Review2025Outcome Measures in Evaluation of Weighted Blankets: A Scoping Review.Occupational therapy internationalWeighted blanket research is too varied to combine into a single effectiveness score. Adults usually get measured for immediate anxiety relief using simple scales, while children are assessed via sleep trackers and diaries. Standardised tools for long-term effects and daily routines are missing.
• OTOther2025Upper limb training for young children with unilateral cerebral palsy using video coaching: An explorative retrospective clinical study.Australian occupational therapy journalIn 81 young children with unilateral cerebral palsy, an 8-week home upper limb training block with video coaching was followed by higher affected hand use scores during bimanual tasks. Scores stayed about the same after an 8-week break. Individual response varied widely.
• PTOTSLPRCT2025Improved Hip Flexibility and Gluteal Function Following a Daily Lunge-and-Reach Stretching Intervention.International journal of sports physical therapyA daily six-week lunge-and-reach stretch improved hip extension range of motion and single-leg jump distance in healthy young adults. It did not improve hip extension strength or gluteal endurance. The intervention was simple, requiring only two and a half minutes per limb per session.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Associations Between 24-h Movement Behaviours and Health in 3- and 4-Year-Old Children From a Low-Income Country: The SUNRISE Ethiopia Study.Child: care, health and developmentChildren who slept longer had lower body mass index scores. Those with more physical activity had stronger handgrip, while more sitting time linked to weaker grip. No links were found for balance, jumping, or thinking skills.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2025Mothers' Ideas About Causes of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): Differences Over Time and by Household Experience with ASD.Journal of autism and developmental disordersMothers of children with autism were more likely to blame biological causes like genetics or vaccines, while those without autism blamed lifestyle or diet. Over 13 years, belief in vaccines causing autism decreased, while belief in genetics increased.
• OTPilot2025Neurophysiological effects of altruistically motivated craft activities in occupational therapy: A pilot study using frontal EEG and heart rate variability analysis.Hong Kong journal of occupational therapy : HKJOTIn 15 healthy students, making a craft for someone else increased left frontal brain activity and lowered sympathetic nervous system activity compared to making it for themselves. Task performance was identical, suggesting the motivation itself, not the work, caused these physiological changes.
• PTOTCase Series2025Effects of Lee Silverman Voice Treatment-BIG on Motor, Cognition, Mental Health, Occupational Performance, and Occupational Balance in Patients With Schizophrenia: A Single-Subject Experimental Study.Occupational therapy internationalThree men with chronic schizophrenia improved their walking speed, balance, and cognitive scores after four weeks of LSVT-BIG. They also reported better performance in daily tasks and higher occupational balance. This pilot suggests the therapy may help motor and mental symptoms, but evidence is limited to three people.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2025Effects of work-related digital technology on occupational health in the public sector: A scoping review.Work (Reading, Mass.)Digital tools in public sector work bring both gains and harms, depending on implementation. Frontline care staff face ethical stress from curtailed discretion and poor integration, while office workers face job insecurity and isolation. User involvement and training are key to mitigating these risks.
• PTOTQualitative2025Manager Perspectives on Services Addressing Mental Health Needs of Youth in Physical Rehabilitation.Child: care, health and developmentManagers in physical rehabilitation said mental health care for youth was blocked by unfilled staff roles, unclear mandates, siloed external services and long waits. They wanted partnerships and clearer pathways.
• PTOTSLPCase Report2025Vibration-Enhanced Suspension Training for Glenohumeral Stability and Strength after Shoulder Subluxation: A Case Series.International journal of sports physical therapyTwo athletes with prior shoulder subluxations added vibration to suspension training. They showed large gains in internal rotation and isometric strength, but no improvement in dynamic bench press velocity or estimated one-rep max.
• OTSLPCohort2025Prospective Memory Performance of Autistic Adults in Everyday Life: The Role of Stress and Motivation.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchAutistic adults completed everyday memory tasks at the same rate as non-autistic adults, despite reporting higher daily stress. The tasks were self-selected or simple text-message cues, which may have made them easier than standard lab tests. This suggests everyday planning difficulties may stem from context, not core memory deficits.
• PTOTRCT2025Variants of active assist robotic therapy: feasibility of virtual assistance and proprioceptive training as gauged by their effects on success and motivation during finger movement training after stroke.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationTwo new robotic hand-training modes kept stroke survivors engaged and successful. Virtual assistance worked without physical support, but users felt less competent than those with physical help. Proprioceptive games were harder and less enjoyable, though still feasible with high assistance.
• OTOther2025Evaluating a Family Capacity-Building Service: Are We Doing More Good Than Harm?Canadian journal of occupational therapy. Revue canadienne d'ergotherapieSeven families used a flexible, coaching-based OT service. Parents felt less judged and more confident. Children improved in at least one daily routine. The service was designed to build capacity without adding to family stress.
• OTOther2025Advancing occupational therapy scoping reviews: Recommendations to enhance quality and methodological rigour.Australian occupational therapy journalNo clinical findings. This paper gives methodological recommendations for occupational therapy scoping reviews.
• OTQualitative2025How spirituality is understood in occupational therapy: A qualitative study.Australian occupational therapy journalAustralian occupational therapists found defining spirituality difficult and avoided it due to fear of awkwardness or causing offence. They reported needing culturally tailored training and supportive workplaces with dedicated time to address it, rather than relying on individual clinical confidence.
• OTCohort2025Use of sensory processing information in the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children at an Australian community hospital.Australian occupational therapy journalModified sensory scales helped identify autism traits like repetitive behaviours and social communication issues in children, but failed to distinguish ADHD from no diagnosis. The scales are exploratory and do not replace standard diagnostic assessments.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Investigating Developmental Status of Children Aged 0-5 Years and Its Association With Child Gender, Family Background and Geographic Locations in Australian Community-Based Early Learning Centres.Child: care, health and developmentChildren aged 2–3 and boys were more likely to have developmental concerns in language and self-help domains. Children from culturally and linguistically diverse families showed higher risks in language and social-emotional areas. Mid-level socio-economic communities had unexpected academic concerns, while remoteness and Indigenous status showed no significant associations.
• OTSLPOther2025Underrepresentation of Participants From Marginalized Racial and Ethnic Groups: A Secondary Analysis of the Cognitive Rehabilitation Literature.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationMost influential brain injury rehabilitation studies either did not report participant race or showed White non-Hispanic patients were severely overrepresented. Eligibility rules like English fluency and high literacy likely excluded marginalized groups, meaning current practice standards may not apply equally to all patients.
• OTSLPCohort2025Inpatient Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Youth with Autism and/or Intellectual Disabilities: Clinical Characteristics and Considerations.Journal of autism and developmental disordersYouth with autism or intellectual disability admitted to general psychiatric units were more likely to receive emergency injections for agitation, stay longer, and leave with more medications than peers without these diagnoses, suggesting care gaps in non-specialized settings.
• PTOTOther2025Reliability of the Five Step Assessment and Its Coefficients of Impairment in Spastic Paresis.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationThe Five Step Assessment reliably measures four distinct drivers of spasticity in adults. A full eight-muscle check takes about 18 minutes. Therapists can use it to distinguish muscle shortening from nerve-driven stiffness, guiding whether to stretch or train motor control.
• OTOther2025Expanding Knowledge and Integration of Occupational Therapy in Vietnamese Healthcare: A Study of Educational Interventions and Cultural Relevance.Occupational therapy internationalAfter three journal clubs, 13 healthcare professionals in Vietnam reported knowing more about occupational therapy, especially mental health and client-centered care. They still said too few trained staff and resources made adding OT services difficult.
• OTSLPOther2025Cognitive Flexibility Mediates the Associations Between Perceived Stress, Social Camouflaging and Mental Health Challenges in Autistic Adults.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchIn 806 autistic adults, lower self-reported cognitive flexibility significantly mediated the link between perceived stress, social camouflaging, and symptoms of anxiety and depression. This suggests targeting flexible thinking may help buffer mental health risks, though the cross-sectional design cannot prove causation.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2025Artificial intelligence applications in intracerebral hemorrhage care: implications for clinical and nursing practice - a narrative literature review.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesAI tools showed high accuracy predicting outcomes and filling missing data in intracerebral hemorrhage studies, but none tested whether these tools actually improve patient care or change clinical decisions. The evidence remains theoretical and lacks validation in real-world clinical workflows.
• OTRCT2025Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation influences cognitive-motor dual-task performance in children with cerebral palsy: a randomized controlled study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation3 days of active brain stimulation improved children's dual-task scores for counting and block transferring compared with sham. It also lowered hand-task interference within the active group, but not more than sham.
• OTCohort2025Identifying Daily Living Skills From Childhood and Adolescence Predictive of Adult Outcomes in a Longitudinal Study of Autism and Related Developmental Conditions.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchCommunity daily living skills stayed low through adolescence regardless of IQ. Some personal hygiene and community skills predicted adult employment and well-being, but no skills predicted friendships or independent living.
• OTCohort2025Does telehealth delivery of an occupational therapy home visiting service provide a non-inferior alternative to in-person delivery of the same service? A matched cohort study.Australian occupational therapy journalTelehealth home visits took a median of 40 minutes compared to 160 minutes for in-person visits, with no significant difference in adverse events. However, telehealth patients attended fewer sessions and received fewer interventions. Use video rather than phone, and expect complex cases to need in-person care.
• PTOTSystematic Review2025Mapping of ultrasonography methods and shoulder soft-tissue injury locations in patients with stroke: a scoping review.Journal of rehabilitation medicineUltrasonography is rarely used to map shoulder soft-tissue injuries after stroke. When it is, clinicians consistently use a linear probe at 5–7 MHz with the patient sitting. The most common findings are biceps tendon effusion and supraspinatus tears.
• PTOTCase Report2025Case Report: Rehabilitation assessment and exercise using cardiopulmonary exercise test after coronavirus-disease pneumonia.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesTwo men with persistent respiratory distress after severe COVID-19 improved their exercise tolerance and oxygen needs after rehabilitation guided by cardiopulmonary exercise testing. They completed a multi-component programme including respiratory training and prone positioning, so the specific contribution of the testing protocol cannot be isolated.
• OTPilot2025Application and adaptation of the Virtual Eggs Test for assessing hand dexterity in subjects with stroke: a pilot study.Archives of physiotherapyNine stroke survivors completed the hand dexterity test with their affected arm. It was feasible and mostly comfortable, but timing was unreliable and the most fragile test objects were hard to detect as broken.
• OTSLPOther2025Consensus on high-priority outcomes to be used in the evaluation of services for autistic adults: Results from a "CBPR-Nested Delphi Process".Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic adults, service providers, and researchers agreed on 15 self-reported outcomes for evaluating adult autism services. They also found most existing questionnaires were too hard, too vague, or unable to capture access to communication.
• OTQualitative2025Using Grief for Good: The Transformative Effect of Participatory Action Research for Parents With Intellectual Disability Who Have Experienced Child Removal.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDParents with intellectual disability who lost custody described the group process as a rare non-judgmental space to share grief. This shared experience helped them turn personal loss into collective advocacy, though the study reports their subjective experience rather than measured clinical outcomes.
• PTOTOther2025Validation of a Novel device for Assessing Neck Muscle Strength.Archives of physiotherapyThe NOD handheld dynamometer matches the standard Multi-Cervical Unit for measuring neck extension strength. It is less accurate for neck flexion, where the device tends to underestimate force compared to the fixed unit.
• OTOther2025Grab Bar Grasp Location During Bathtub Exit and Sit-to-Stand Transfers: Biomechanical Evaluation.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesGrasp height varied with bar angle and was related to body height. During a simulated balance disturbance, younger adults grasped lower on the vertical bar than during normal exit. No age difference was observed.