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 198 OF 218 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTSLPPilot2026Exoskeletal-Assisted Training in Veterans With Chronic Stroke: A Pilot Study.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationAdding a knee exoskeleton to standard training was safe and feasible for veterans with chronic stroke. While the small study showed improved walking speed and stair power in the device group, these gains were not significantly different from the control group, so efficacy remains unproven.
• PTOTCohort2026Rehabilitation Dose Contributes to Improvement in Transfer and Mobility Activities Among Patients With Ischemic Stroke Who Required Assistance Before Hospitalization: A Nationwide Database Observational Study.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationFor severely dependent stroke patients, more daily rehabilitation in the first 14 days was linked to greater achievement in sitting, transfer, and wheelchair mobility at 30 days. This is an association, not proof of cause.
• PTOTCohort2026Characterizing visual compensation for proprioceptive impairments during the subacute phase of stroke.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationMost stroke survivors improved arm position sense by 26 weeks, but 22%, 13%, and 9% still could not fully compensate for errors by looking at their arm.
• PTOTOther2026Manual Dexterity in Patients with Disorder of Consciousness.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationIn 60 patients with disorders of consciousness, more hand movement was linked to minimally conscious state, while arm movement was not. Check both hands when assessing consciousness; this is an association, not proof of treatment effect.
• PTOTOther2026Feasibility of Early Assessment of Cognitive Deficits in Patients With Ventilation Sepsis: A Cross-Sectional Study.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationAmong 28 ICU patients after sepsis and ventilation, reaction-speed tests showed severe attention deficits. Early testing was inconsistent; 27 of 28 could be tested by 14 days after awakening.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Social Determinants of Health and Life Satisfaction of Children With Disabilities.Child: care, health and developmentFor school-attending children with disabilities, life satisfaction is strongly linked to the child's own subjective health and self-esteem, alongside parental depression and family strength. Social determinants like healthcare costs and school accommodations also play a role, though accommodations are associated with lower satisfaction, possibly due to stigma.
• OTOther2025Reliability and Validity of the Diagnostic Instrument on Adaptive Behaviour: A New Instrument Measuring Adaptive Behaviour in People With Moderate, Severe or Profound Intellectual Disability.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDThe DIAB separated moderate, severe, and profound intellectual disability levels clearly in 73 Dutch adults and agreed with familiar adaptive and motor measures. It may help describe skills and support needs, but its separate skill areas were not fully distinct.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2026Experiência de famílias e terapeutas com um programa de telessaúde para crianças e adolescentes com paralisia cerebral durante a pandemia de COVID-19.Developmental medicine and child neurologyFamilies and therapists initially doubted remote care for children with severe cerebral palsy but later valued video-based collaboration. Therapists moved from direct hands-on treatment to coaching parents through shared routines. This shift required building trust and adapting to home realities, not just technical fixes.
• OTCohort2026The integration of the Italian Rehabilitation Complexity Scale in the assessment of patients admitted to different levels of care in public and private accredited settings and belonging to the main rehabilitative MDCs: a national experience.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineIn 2809 rehab admissions, higher complexity scores matched lower independence scores. Using both scales together better tracked longer stays than either alone. Comorbidity scores were less helpful.
• PTOTSLPCohort2026Trajectories and Predictors of Activity Participation Among People with Parkinson Disease: A 3-Year Longitudinal Study.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationParticipation levels in people with Parkinson disease remained stable over three years, but depressive symptoms predicted immediate drops in activity. Patients with milder symptoms still lost participation over time, so monitor mood and social support in all patients, not just those with severe depression.
• PTOTRCT2026Effects of serial thermal brine hand baths on hand osteoarthritis: a randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled trial.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineFor painful hand osteoarthritis, six thermal brine hand baths over three weeks reduced pain more than sham tap water. The difference was 26.4 points on a 0 to 100 mm pain scale, above the 20 mm important difference, and lasted 12 weeks.
• PTOTSLPCase Report2026Rapid Bolus Inflow into the Esophagus in a Patient with a Tracheostomy after Surgical Treatment for Dysphagia.DysphagiaA patient with an open tracheostomy spontaneously developed a swallowing method that sucked food into the esophagus using negative pressure. This allowed him to resume a normal oral diet, though the treatment involved multiple surgeries and therapies at once.
• PTOTPilot2026Neural Effects of Low-Frequency Acupoint Electrical Stimulation Therapy on Patients With Poststroke Motor Dysfunction: A Resting-State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationPatients with subacute stroke who received low-frequency acupoint electrical stimulation showed improved motor function and daily living scores. Brain scans revealed increased activity in the right motor network and decreased activity in the left cerebellum. Changes in the right motor area correlated with better motor recovery.
• OTSLPCohort2026Traumatic Experiences, Psychological Distress and Suicide-Related Behaviors in Autistic Adults.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchAutistic adults were more likely to report self-harm, suicide plans, and attempts than non-autistic adults, even after accounting for trauma and other conditions. Higher lifetime trauma was associated with these outcomes in both groups. Childhood victimization and lack of support were frequent co-occurring factors.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2025Uncovering Core Qualities of Digital Interventions for Health Promotion: Perspectives From People With Intellectual Disabilities, Relatives, and Professionals.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDParticipants with intellectual disabilities said digital health tools should focus on social connection and confidence, not just information. They wanted apps that help them meet friends and succeed at manageable tasks, but emphasized that these tools cannot work without supportive staff and reliable internet access.
• PTOTMeta-Analysis2026Effects of video game-based interventions on executive functions and motor skills in children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesVideo games improved executive function and gross motor skills in children with neurodevelopmental disorders. Fine motor skills showed no improvement. Active games favoured gross motor and flexibility; computer games favoured working memory.
• PTOTCase Report2026Case Report: Application of extracorporeal shockwave therapy in medial epicondylitis with concomitant ulnar nerve instability: a case series with long-term follow-up.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesTwo of three patients reported large pain reductions and regained function after shockwave therapy for medial elbow tendinopathy with ulnar nerve instability. One patient saw no change. No complications occurred. These cases suggest potential benefit but do not prove efficacy.
• PTOTSLPCohort2026Clinical Determinants of Functional Independence at Discharge in Patients With Spinal Cord Dysfunction Due to Metastatic Spinal Tumors.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationIn patients with spinal metastases, only 23 of 153 achieved functional independence at discharge. Rapid tumor growth, severe motor impairment, high inflammation, and persistent pain predicted dependence. Neurologic level and spinal instability did not. Early prognostic assessment should guide goals from intensive training to supportive care.
• PTOTSLPNarrative Review2026Transcranial stimulation as a possible therapeutic proposal in long COVID.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencestDCS combined with structured rehabilitation or cognitive training reduced fatigue and improved cognition in post-COVID patients, while tDCS alone showed limited or inconsistent effects. Most studies were small, heterogeneous, and relied on concurrent therapies, so the specific contribution of stimulation cannot be isolated.
• OTSLPSurvey2026Exploring Alexithymia, Uncertainty, Anxious Arousal, and Social Anxiety as Mediators of the Relationship Between Sensory Processing Differences and Restricted and Repetitive Behaviors in Autistic Adults.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchIn autistic adults, sensory differences link to repetitive motor behaviors through anxious arousal and to insistence on sameness through intolerance of uncertainty. Social anxiety was not a mediator. Clinicians should assess these specific anxiety facets rather than assuming general social anxiety drives repetitive behaviors.
• OTRCT2026Effect of a Video-Guided Swallowing Exercise Program on Adherence in Stroke Patients with Dysphagia: A Randomized Controlled Trial.DysphagiaStroke patients given a video-guided swallowing exercise program showed significantly better adherence than those using a printed handbook, but swallowing function improved similarly in both groups. The video helped people stick with the exercises without producing greater functional gains.
• PTOTRCT2026Extending reach: hybrid robotic-functional electrical stimulation training for post-stroke upper extremity rehabilitation.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationAdding multi-muscle electrical stimulation to robot-assisted reaching training improved how far people with chronic stroke could reach and reduced arm stiffness more than robot training alone. The study was small, non-blinded, and tested only six weeks of therapy.
• PTOTPilot2026Can neurologic music therapy make the difference when using immersive virtual reality in Parkinson disease motor training? Promising findings from a secondary analysis.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesAdding music therapy to virtual reality treadmill training for Parkinson's did not improve overall balance or walking scores more than VR alone. However, the music group showed better turning speed and trunk control, suggesting music helps with timing rather than general mobility.
• PTOTSurvey2026International health professional perspectives of using the Cognitive Orientation to daily Occupational Performance approach in routine practice.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesMost clinicians trained in CO-OP used it, mainly with children with DCD, autism or ADHD. Time, service constraints and difficulty setting client-led goals limited full, confident delivery.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Utilization of Neurology and Allied Health Services by People With Parkinson's Disease in Israel: A Retrospective Observational Study.Journal of neurologic physical therapy : JNPTPeople with Parkinson's in Israel rarely used therapy services. Only about one in five used physical therapy, and speech therapy use was under 4%. Women and Arab patients were less likely to access care. Physical therapy use in early disease linked to more hospitalizations, possibly reflecting sicker patients.
• OTSystematic Review2025Barriers and Enablers of Delivering Asthma Self-Management to Those With Intellectual Disabilities: A Scoping Review.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDAsthma self-management for people with intellectual disabilities relies heavily on carers and support workers, who often lack adequate training. Standard action plans are frequently unusable, requiring easy-read formats, visual cues, and direct education for caregivers rather than just patients.
• OTSLPCohort2025Exclusion and Truancy of Autistic Adolescents in a UK Population Representative Sample.Child: care, health and developmentIn this UK sample, 25% of autistic 14-year-olds had been excluded from school and 15% reported truanting. Higher externalising behaviour scores were strongly linked to both exclusion and truancy, while other factors showed weaker or unexpected associations.
• OTSLPRCT2025Effects of Metformin on children with Fragile X Syndrome: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.Molecular autismMetformin did not significantly improve overall behavior compared to placebo, which was the main goal. However, it did significantly reduce hyperactivity and improve sleep problems in boys with Fragile X Syndrome. Safety was similar to placebo, with no serious side effects reported over six months.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2026Non-epileptic paroxysmal events in Rett syndrome: A systematic review of case-based and observational evidence.Developmental medicine and child neurologyMany paroxysmal events in Rett syndrome are non-epileptic. Misclassification is frequent. Clinicians should use video EEG or detailed phenomenological descriptions to distinguish these from seizures, avoiding inappropriate antiepileptic treatment.
• PTOTQualitative2026Mothers' Perspectives on Physical Activity Co-Participation With Young Children: Examining Thoughts and Racial Differences.Child: care, health and developmentMothers described being tired before playing with their children but energized and happy afterward. They identified compromising with the child's mood and managing transitions as unique barriers. Planning ahead and involving other family members helped them engage in physical activity together.
• OTSLPQualitative2026The voice within: an online ethnography on the experiences of Deaf students in a public high school in the Philippines during the COVID-19 pandemic.Journal of deaf studies and deaf educationDeaf students in the Philippines relied on visual communication and peer support to navigate online classes, but faced isolation and learning barriers when teachers prioritized hearing students' pacing and lacked accessible materials like captions.
• PTOTSystematic Review2026Does more rehabilitation lead to better upper limb outcomes after stroke? A systematic review.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesIncreasing upper-limb therapy dose showed a positive effect on Fugl-Meyer scores but not on Action Research Arm Test scores overall. Significant gains on the arm test only appeared when therapy time was more than doubled, suggesting a high dose is needed for functional change.
• OTCase-Control2026Anomalous Pattern of Left Hemisphere Visual Connectivity in Children With Autism: Association With Impaired Praxis.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchChildren with autism showed a left-hemisphere visual-motor connectivity pattern: weaker links between visual and motor cortex, stronger links to prefrontal cortex. Weaker visual-motor links were linked to more skilled movement errors in autism, but not in typically developing children.
• OTCohort2026Towards an understanding of disturbed sleep phenotypes after traumatic spinal cord injury.Journal of rehabilitation medicineIn Veterans with traumatic spinal cord injury, sleep problems were common but often not recorded. Sleep apnoea clustered with heart and metabolic conditions; insomnia clustered with anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2026Building Your Best Day: Disseminating the Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Children and Youth via an Interactive Website.Child: care, health and developmentYouth reported better understanding of the 24-hour movement guidelines after using the website, but parents did not. Both groups liked the guidelines but felt they were hard to follow daily due to time constraints. The site helped clarify goals but did not change intention to adopt.
• PTOTSystematic Review2025Effects of Exercise on Gait and Functional Performance in Individuals With Idiopathic Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus: A Scoping Review.Journal of geriatric physical therapy (2001)Exercise improves gait and balance in idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus, but results vary by program. Dynamic gait training reduced falls from 73% to 10%, while adding high-intensity exercise to usual care showed no overall benefit over control groups.
• OTSurvey2025Self-harm and suicidality experiences of autistic and non-autistic adults in midlife and old age.Molecular autismMiddle-aged and older autistic adults self-reported far higher rates of suicidal thoughts and self-harm than non-autistic peers. Autistic women and those aged 65+ reported the highest risks, even after accounting for depression symptoms.
• PTOTMeta-Analysis2025Effects of meeting exercise guidelines on depression and anxiety in multiple sclerosis - a systematic review and meta-analysis.Physiotherapy theory and practiceExercise meeting MS guidelines reduced depression scores by 4.46 points, exceeding the threshold for noticeable improvement. However, the effect on anxiety was not significant. The evidence is weak due to high risk of bias in most included trials.
• PTOTSLPOther2025UBE3A stabilization of β-catenin preserves synaptic proteins essential for motor and cognitive functions in Angelman Syndrome.Molecular autismIn mice modeling Angelman syndrome, a lithium diet improved motor coordination and memory by stabilizing beta-catenin. However, lithium worsened memory in healthy control mice. This is preclinical evidence for a new drug target, not a treatment recommendation for humans.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2026Meta-synthesis of qualitative studies on home-based exercise rehabilitation experiences among stroke patients: a continuity of care perspective.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesStroke survivors described home exercise as failing when discharge guidance stopped and succeeding when nurses, family, or peers provided ongoing feedback. Clinicians should treat the first weeks post-discharge as a high-risk gap requiring active follow-up, not just education.
• OTPilot2026Feasibility study of the assessment of upper limb function in children with Unilateral Cerebral Palsy using an end-effector robotic device.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA robotic upper limb assessment was feasible in 28 children with unilateral cerebral palsy: all completed it, and children and clinicians rated it acceptable. The robot gave movement data linked to hand function, but it is not yet a clinical measure.
• PTOTSLPPilot2026Body-weight supported treadmill or total body recumbent stepper for mobility-adapted cardiopulmonary exercise testing in multiple sclerosis patients with varying disability.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesPeople with multiple sclerosis achieved similar peak oxygen uptake on both a recumbent stepper and a supported treadmill, but more met criteria for a maximal test on the stepper. Half could not finish the treadmill due to leg symptoms. The stepper may be more reliable for assessing fitness in those with mobility disability.
• PTOTSLPOther2026Swallowing and QoL Outcomes, Patient Experience and Treatment Related Priorities in Recurrent Oropharyngeal Cancer (rOPC)- a Mixed Method Study.DysphagiaSwallowing function deteriorated over six months despite patient-reported scores appearing stable. Patients prioritised survival over function, but shifted focus to quality of life when cure became unlikely. Treatment decisions must account for this dynamic, ensuring patients understand the functional trade-offs before choosing curative paths.
• OTSurvey2026Use and preferences of advanced driver assistance systems by drivers with homonymous visual field loss.Disability and rehabilitation. Assistive technologyDrivers with homonymous visual field loss preferred blind spot, lane departure, and pedestrian warnings over GPS. They felt these systems helped compensate for their vision loss. Using more of these features was linked to driving more often and avoiding fewer situations.
• PTOTSLPCohort2026Comparing people with persisting post-concussion symptoms from an emergency department-based research sample with patients in a clinical rehabilitation sample: an explorative, retrospective analysis.Journal of rehabilitation medicinePatients referred to rehab for post-concussion symptoms had worse function and lower return-to-work than those tracked from emergency departments. Emergency-based studies do not represent the severity of patients seeking specialist care. Assess functional participation, not just symptom counts.
• PTOTSLPOther2026Antipsychotic Use Among Intellectually Disabled Individuals With Rare Genetic Variants That Confer Risk for Schizophrenia.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRIn 11 patients with rare genetic variants and psychosis, most responded to standard atypical antipsychotics. Side effects were frequent, with extrapyramidal symptoms affecting five individuals. This small chart review offers preliminary safety data but cannot confirm efficacy or guide dosing.
• OTCohort2026Young People With and Without Intellectual Disability Accessing Mental Health Services: Evaluating Psychosocial Functioning Outcomes Using Electronic Health Records.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRYoung people with intellectual disability in mental health services often remained impaired at discharge: 80% were still impaired, versus 45% of matched peers. Their lower starting functioning and comorbidities were linked to outcomes.
• PTOTSLPOther2026Physiological changes of cortisol and oxytocin following manual therapy: a scoping review.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesEvidence on whether manual therapy changes stress or bonding hormones is inconsistent. Thrust manipulation often increased cortisol, while massage more often decreased it. Oxytocin data is scarce and mixed, so these hormonal shifts should not be presented to patients as a proven mechanism of pain relief.
• PTOTSLPCase Report2026Hyperbaric oxygen therapy for post-partum bell's palsy associate with anti-phospholipid syndrome: a case report, literature review, and mechanistic insights.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesOne postpartum woman with antiphospholipid syndrome and steroid-resistant Bell's palsy recovered fully after 12 hyperbaric oxygen sessions. Her facial function score rose from 33% to 100%. No other treatments were added during this period.
• PTOTOther2026Simplifying rehabilitation control of lower-limb exoskeletons in five ambulation modes via dataset-driven state-machine calibration.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationIn 19 healthy adults, a state-machine exoskeleton controller provided more assistance, faster walking speeds, and lower perceived difficulty than a transparent controller across five ambulation modes. The system required manual calibration but showed kinematic patterns closer to natural walking.