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 179 OF 218 · NEWEST FIRST

• OTCase-Control2025Oculomotor deficits in children with sensory processing difficulties.The British journal of occupational therapyChildren with sensory processing difficulties made more errors on anti-saccade tasks and showed less accurate vertical eye tracking. They had faster reaction times for correct anti-saccades. No differences were found in basic saccade timing or amplitude.
• PTOTOther2025Cross-sectional differences of physical and psychosocial measures in low back pain according to pain chronification risk groups.Journal of rehabilitation medicinePatients with low back pain at high risk of chronification had significantly worse physical strength and higher pain than those at low risk. High-risk patients were also more likely to refuse or be excluded from strength testing, suggesting physical deconditioning and fear are linked.
• OTCohort2025A connectome-based functional magnetic resonance imaging study of visuospatial analogical reasoning in stroke.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineIn stroke patients, stronger functional connectivity between the posterior cingulate and left inferior parietal cortex correlated with poorer visuospatial reasoning scores. Patients with this high connectivity also took longer to solve problems, suggesting effortful compensation rather than efficient processing.
• PTOTOther2025ABILHAND-kids young CP: a measure of manual ability in young children with cerebral palsy aged 2 to 7.Journal of rehabilitation medicineA new 17-item caregiver questionnaire measures manual ability in children with cerebral palsy aged 2 to 7. It covers daily tasks like dressing and eating with high precision, filling the gap for younger children before standard school-age tools apply.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2025An Ongoing Process: The Implementation of an Intervention for People With Profound Intellectual and Multiple Disabilities Over Time.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDProfessionals supporting people with profound disabilities kept using the programme's broad goals and vision years after training. But they often skipped the specific short-term goals and cross-team collaboration the method requires. This gap between big-picture agreement and daily precision is where the intervention drifts.
• OTOther2025An exploratory study on the relationship between personal recovery and social functioning in outpatients with schizophrenia.Hong Kong journal of occupational therapy : HKJOTIn 98 outpatients with schizophrenia, better interpersonal functioning correlated with greater reliance on others and willingness to ask for help. Other social functioning areas, like daily activities and work, showed no such link to personal recovery.
• PTOTOther2025Impact of work and environmental factors on quality of life in community-dwelling spinal cord injury individuals in South Korea using latent profile analysis.Journal of rehabilitation medicineSpinal cord injury patients with fewer bowel and spasticity problems, who worked, and who faced less stigma and financial strain were more likely to report high quality of life. Physical accessibility barriers did not significantly affect these outcomes in this Korean sample.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2025Exploring Early Childhood Development Interventions for Building Human Capital in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Scoping Review.Child: care, health and developmentNutrition-focused interventions in Sub-Saharan Africa consistently reported growth benefits, but multidimensional programs showed mixed results. Early learning and responsive caregiving interventions were scarce, leaving gaps in evidence for developmental outcomes beyond physical growth.
• PTOTCohort2025Trajectories of Physical Disabilities Over 6 Months in Patients With Long COVID.Physical therapyOver six months, adults with long COVID saw small improvements in fatigue and walking distance that did not reach clinical significance. Their physical capacity remained substantially lower than controls. Baseline fatigue and daily step count predicted quality of life six months later.
• OTProtocol2024Using intervention mapping to develop an occupational therapy informed intervention for adolescents experiencing mental health difficulties.The British journal of occupational therapyThis paper outlines how a new occupational therapy intervention for adolescent mental health was designed using Intervention Mapping and MOHO theory. It describes the programme structure but reports no patient outcomes because the intervention has not yet been tested.
• OTSurvey2024Is the Morriston Occupational Therapy Outcome Measure (MOTOM) an appropriate tool for reablement services?The British journal of occupational therapyStaff using the MOTOM in one reablement service found it helpful for goals, team overview and checking progress, but said scoring was inconsistent, training lacking, and it did not suit everyone. Most goals were self-care.
• OTSurvey2025Supporting parents with disability and other challenges through occupational therapy: What is needed?Australian occupational therapy journalMost occupational therapists working with adults see parenting within their scope, but institutional rules, training gaps, resources, assessments and role beliefs limit support. They asked for system change, training and clearer recognition of occupational therapy’s parenting role.
• PTOTPilot2025Development and validation of a sliding type continuous passive motion automation device for evaluation and rehabilitation of frozen shoulder: a pilot study.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesIn 12 patients with frozen shoulder, a new robotic device produced similar range of motion gains to manual therapy but faster external rotation recovery than heat alone. It objectively measured joint stiffness, though the intervention group had twice the session frequency.
• OTQualitative2025Primary care occupational therapist's methods of outcome evaluation: Do they align to value-based healthcare?The British journal of occupational therapyPrimary care occupational therapists in Wales used varied evaluation methods, including patient stories and case examples, but validated outcome tools were inconsistent and cost was least considered.
• PTOTPilot2025German Transcreation of the International Standards to Document Remaining Autonomic Function After Spinal Cord Injury (Second Edition): A Feasibility Study in Individuals With Subacute Phase Spinal Cord Injury/Disease (SCI/D).Topics in spinal cord injury rehabilitationA German version of the autonomic function assessment for spinal cord injury took a median of 39 minutes and was feasible in subacute inpatients. However, questions about sexual function were frequently skipped, with orgasm and ejaculation items marked 'not tested' in 58% and 69% of cases respectively.
• PTOTOther2025Biomechanical of bilateral heel rise, and its association with balance, functional mobility, and walking speed in older adults.Archives of physiotherapyHow fast and high older adults rise on their toes predicts how quickly they walk and stand up, but does not predict how long they can balance on one leg. Assessing heel rise speed is useful for mobility screening, not for static balance.
• OTOther2025The Adaptation and Translation of a Transition Readiness Scale for Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersThe adapted Transition Readiness Scale reliably measures autonomy and social skills in autistic young adults, including Spanish speakers. Higher readiness scores linked to less depression and better quality of life, offering a culturally responsive tool for planning adult services.
• OTSLPQualitative2025"Everyone Uses Different Skills and Resources to Live Independently": A Brief Report on Autistic Young Adults' Perspectives on Independence and Daily Living Skills.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic young adults described independence as making their own choices with desired supports, not doing everything alone. They identified barriers like inaccessible transportation and executive functioning challenges. Clinicians should align support plans with the patient's specific goals rather than normative standards.
• OTQualitative2025Risk and Protective Factors for Burnout Among Parents of Children With Complex Care Needs: Parents' Perspectives.Child: care, health and developmentParents of children with complex care needs described burnout as building from many pressures: care bureaucracy, poor support, guilt, perfectionism, financial strain, and no option to stop caring. Some said they felt protected by asking help, setting boundaries, and seeing their situation as stable.
• OTSystematic Review2025Trauma-informed or sensory-based practices in preschool settings: A scoping review.Australian occupational therapy journalOnly 18 studies exist on trauma-informed or sensory-based practices in preschools. Most involved educators rather than therapists, and few measured child outcomes. This maps a gap in evidence for occupational therapy interventions rather than confirming what works.
• PTOTPilot2025Investigating the orthotic effect of a passive gravity-compensated exoskeletal device on upper-limb function in people with multiple sclerosis: a pilot cross-sectional study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationIn thirteen people with severe multiple sclerosis disability, a passive arm exoskeleton improved functional scores and endurance. In those with mild impairment, it slowed movements and reduced performance. The device helps only when gravity is a major barrier to movement.
• PTOTSLPOther2025What do people search online about sciatica? What answers do they get from Dr. Google? A mixed analysis of Italian web-based data.Archives of physiotherapyTop Italian web pages on sciatica are hard to read and rarely cite science. They push rest and drugs while missing key guidelines like exercise and avoiding routine imaging. Clinicians must actively correct these online misconceptions during patient education.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2025Scoping Review on the Use of Navigation Services to Improve Accessibility of Programming for People With Intellectual Disabilities.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDFamilies described navigation support as making access to services ten times easier by handling fragmented systems. Navigators reduced wait times and improved provider collaboration. Benefits were greatest for those facing language barriers or poverty, though navigator burnout and unclear roles remain common challenges.
• PTOTSystematic Review2025Identifying Issues in Effective Motor Imagery Training Practice in Children With Developmental Coordination Disorder: A Scoping Review.Occupational therapy internationalMotor imagery training studies in children with developmental coordination disorder varied in tasks, dose, and imagery checks. Some reported motor skill gains, but no standard method exists, and this scoping review could not confirm effectiveness.
• OTSurvey2025Occupation-Based Practice Among Iranian Occupational Therapists: A Cross-Sectional Survey.Occupational therapy internationalIranian occupational therapists reported high interest in occupation-based practice but used it less frequently, with environmental barriers and moderate knowledge limiting implementation. Government-employed therapists and those with doctoral degrees or more experience scored higher on implementation.
• OTCohort2025Access to Outpatient Occupational Therapy Services After Inpatient Psychiatric Hospitalization in the Veterans Health Administration.The American journal of occupational therapy : official publication of the American Occupational Therapy AssociationOnly 13% of Veterans received outpatient occupational therapy after psychiatric discharge. Having daily living limitations did not predict access. Instead, Black and Hispanic Veterans, and those at lower-quality facilities, were less likely to receive services, suggesting access is driven by nonclinical factors.
• PTOTOther2025Discriminant Validity of the Electronic Activity Card Sort (ACS3) Among Adults With Traumatic Brain Injury and Multiple Sclerosis.The American journal of occupational therapy : official publication of the American Occupational Therapy AssociationBoth groups reported significant declines in life participation compared to pre-injury or pre-illness baselines. Adults with multiple sclerosis retained fewer activities overall and in instrumental daily living and leisure domains than those with traumatic brain injury. Social participation scores did not differ between the groups.
• PTOTOther2025Efficacy of Hand Arm Bimanual Intensive Therapy in Improving Real-World Bimanual Performance and Identifying Predictors for Therapy Success in Children with Unilateral Cerebral Palsy.Physical & occupational therapy in pediatricsIn children with unilateral cerebral palsy, 30 hours of bimanual therapy increased real-world affected-hand use and self-reported performance, but one movement measure did not change. No control group.
• OTSystematic Review2025The role of occupational therapists in acute mental health inpatient settings: A systematic scoping review.Australian occupational therapy journalOccupational therapy interventions in acute mental health inpatient units are associated with improved engagement, reduced distress, and less reliance on restrictive practices like seclusion. Evidence is limited to small, non-randomised studies, so these findings describe potential roles rather than proven effects.
• PTOTSLPOther2025An Evaluation of International Standards for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury (ISNCSCI) Performance Within the Canadian SCI Network.Topics in spinal cord injury rehabilitationMost spinal cord injury exams in this Canadian registry were done within a week, but nearly half were incomplete. Missing sensory and rectal tests led to significantly higher classification errors compared to full exams, risking inaccurate diagnosis and prognosis.
• PTOTOther2025Psychological and Physical Predictors of Perceived Effort in Elastic Band Training: A Velocity-Based Approach.International journal of sports physical therapyFor healthy young adults with resistance training experience, perceived effort reported after the first repetition of an elastic band squat accurately tracked the actual load. Clinicians can use this single-rep check to adjust band tension in real time without waiting for the set to finish.
• PTOTCohort2025American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale Grade E Conversion After Spinal Cord Injury: Incidence, Conversion Characteristics, and Impact of Age on Functional Independence.Topics in spinal cord injury rehabilitationNormal spinal injury test scores did not mean normal daily function. Only 49.3% were fully independent at first conversion, and adults over 70 had the lowest independence.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Relationship Between Visual Functions and Independence in ADLs and IADLs Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults.The American journal of occupational therapy : official publication of the American Occupational Therapy AssociationContrast sensitivity predicted independence in dressing, toileting, bathing, laundry, shopping, cooking, and medication management. Near vision predicted independence in eating and most other IADLs. Distance vision predicted independence only in shopping and money management. Screen contrast sensitivity, not just acuity.
• PTOTSLPOther2025Perceptions of Barriers, Facilitators, and Outcomes of Aerobic Exercise in Community Fitness Facilities by Adults With Intellectual Disability.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDMost adults with intellectual disability in gyms reported skill and physical barriers to treadmill walking and bike pedalling, but all identified facilitators. Perceived benefits correlated with better performance, yet perceived facilitators unexpectedly linked to more sitting and worse post-training results.
• PTOTOther2025International Standards for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury: Case Examples Reinforcing Concepts From the 2019 Revision.Topics in spinal cord injury rehabilitationSeven hypothetical spinal cord injury cases show how 2019 ISNCSCI rules change classification when zones of partial preservation and conditions not caused by the spinal cord injury are documented. They clarify when to add a * tag and when levels become not determinable.
• OTSLPQualitative2025'It's Really Who They Are and What They Want': Staff Perspectives on Supporting Autonomy for Autistic Adults With Intellectual Disabilities.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDStaff at an autism transition program said autonomy support depends on knowing each person deeply, creating a safe environment, and teaching skills like self-advocacy and recognizing internal body signals. They noted that low pay and high turnover make it hard to build the relationships needed for this work.
• PTOTQualitative2025Peer-mentorship among people with lower limb amputations living in small communities.Australian occupational therapy journalEight people with lower limb amputations in small Canadian communities described peer mentorship as filling a gap clinical care could not. Mentors provided practical strategies for daily tasks and emotional validation through shared lived experience. The relationship often evolved into a lasting friendship that supported long-term adjustment and resource navigation.
• OTSLPCase Series2025Exploring Self-Reported Quality of Life in Developmental Language Disorder.Perspectives of the ASHA special interest groupsFive young people with DLD reported good general life satisfaction but specific barriers in school and health services. Those with higher nonverbal ability or better language skills sometimes reported poorer well-being, possibly due to masking challenges in unsupportive environments.
• PTOTCohort2025Model-Based Prediction of Motor Scores From Sensory Scores in the International Standards for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury (ISNCSCI): Implications on Motor Levels in Segments Without Clinically Testable Key Muscles.Topics in spinal cord injury rehabilitationThe current rule that motor level follows sensory level in spinal cord injury segments without testable muscles is validated by data. Predicted motor scores matched the actual classification in most cases, confirming the standard clinical approach is accurate.
• OTSurvey2025Universal alcohol prevention in the workplaces - does it matter?Work (Reading, Mass.)Workplace procedures, training, and clear guidance from managers were linked to employees feeling more responsible and comfortable addressing a colleague's alcohol use. A written policy alone showed no such association. High frequency of employer-provided alcohol was linked to more tolerant views on safe drinking limits.
• OTSurvey2025Convergent Validity of the Feeding and Eating in AutiSm Together Assessment (FEAST).The American journal of occupational therapy : official publication of the American Occupational Therapy AssociationCaregiver reports on FEAST lined up with two established feeding questionnaires for overall mealtime challenge severity. Its sensory, oral motor, and gastrointestinal subscales showed weaker links with the comparison tools. OTs can use it for feeding assessments.
• OTOther2025Building consensus on prescribing self-directed occupational therapy activities: A Delphi study.Australian occupational therapy journalAustralian occupational therapists agreed recommendations for prescribing self-practice, but the consensus came from 20 survey responses and 3 focus-group therapists. These are expert recommendations, not tested interventions.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Early Employment Outcomes in Autistic and Non-autistic Youth: Challenges and Opportunities.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic youth secured fewer first jobs, especially paid ones, and were concentrated in entry-level retail roles. They rarely received workplace support despite high need. Executive functioning difficulties predicted poorer employment outcomes, while personal networks helped both groups find work.
• PTOTSLPOther2025International Standards for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury: Classification Questions and Cases.Topics in spinal cord injury rehabilitationConsensus guidance clarifies how to classify spinal cord injuries when patients have had tendon transfers, use spinal cord stimulation, or have nontraumatic causes. It specifies when to mark exams as intact or incomplete and how to document prior levels.
• OTQualitative2025Similar but different: A qualitative study of occupational therapists' transformational experiences during practice education.Australian occupational therapy journalOccupational therapists recalled placement moments, including ordinary tasks and bullying, as experiences that challenged them, stayed emotionally vivid, took years to process, and shaped their later supervision of students.
• PTOTRCT2025Sustainability of a rehabilitation self-management program ('My Therapy') 6 months post implementation.Australian occupational therapy journalSix months post-trial, 41% of patients received the self-management program. Therapists valued it but lacked time and confidence with unmotivated patients. Reach dropped from 68% during the trial, suggesting ongoing support is needed to sustain practice changes.
• OTPilot2025Feasibility and acceptability of a self-management intervention supporting return to work for women with breast cancer.The British journal of occupational therapyAll ten women who joined this six-week online return-to-work programme finished it, and every one said the format was acceptable. The study tested whether the intervention could be delivered, not whether it improved work outcomes.
• PTOTSLPPilot2025Dual-Task Predictors in Graduate Healthcare Students with Athletic Backgrounds.International journal of sports physical therapyConcussion history did not predict worse dual-task performance or academic scores in 32 graduate students. Unexpectedly, those with no reported concussion history had higher dual-task costs. More years in contact sports predicted lower undergraduate GPA, but the study was underpowered and relied on self-report.
• OTSLPSystematic Review2025Effectiveness of Sound-Based Interventions for Improving Functional Outcomes in Children: A Systematic Review of the Evidence.Occupational therapy internationalSound-based music therapies, including Safe and Sound Protocol, were reported to improve children's language, listening, behaviour and emotional regulation, but the evidence was small, mixed and too limited to prove benefit.
• PTOTOther2025Automated assessment of upper limb spasticity in stroke patients with fusion of multichannel surface electromyography features.Journal of rehabilitation medicineA machine learning model using muscle sensors classified spasticity severity in 40 stroke patients with 78.7% overall accuracy. It distinguished mild from severe cases well but failed to separate moderate grades, meaning it cannot yet replace clinical assessment.