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 20 OF 218 · NEWEST FIRST

• OTRNSystematic Review2026A Systematic Review of Worldwide Guidelines, Protocols, and Health Care Standards for Provision of Palliative Care Services in Progressive Neurological Disorders.Journal of nursing scholarship : an official publication of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of NursingPalliative care guidelines for progressive neurological disorders emphasize symptom management, caregiver support and early planning, but spiritual wellbeing is rarely covered and no guideline addresses all four WHO domains.
• OTQualitative2026Concrete Behaviours Expected in Interdisciplinary Teams in Home Nursing Care Inspired by Buurtzorg: Qualitative Descriptive Study.Scandinavian journal of caring sciencesHome nursing team meetings were described as well-functioning when everyone spoke, listened, asked, updated records together, and made decisions collectively. Weak meetings had unclear roles, side conversations, blame, absent staff, and poor space.
• PTOTSystematic Review2023Possible role of the botulinum toxin in the management of neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome: a systematic review.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineBotulinum toxin injections for neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome show inconsistent results. The only high-quality randomized trial found no significant improvement in pain or function compared to placebo, while lower-quality retrospective studies reported symptom relief. Current evidence does not support its use as a validated treatment.
• OTRCT2022Beyond group differences: Exploring the preliminary signals of target engagement of an executive function training for autistic children.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchAutistic children in the computer executive function training plus metacognitive coaching and caregiver check-in group showed faster lab-based stop-signal reaction time than waitlist children only when ADHD features were clinically significant. Anxiety did not change who benefited, and brain changes did not explain parent-reported outcomes.
• OTRCT2021Wearable vibrotactile stimulation for upper extremity rehabilitation in chronic stroke: clinical feasibility trial using the VTS Glove.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationWearing a vibrotactile glove three hours daily for eight weeks improved tactile perception and reduced finger spasticity compared with sham in 16 chronic stroke survivors. Some active range of motion also increased. This is a small feasibility trial.
• PTOTSLPCohort2026Impact of multidisciplinary rehabilitation on functioning and quality of life in stroke survivors: a longitudinal retrospective analysis.Journal of rehabilitation medicineStroke survivors in specialized multidisciplinary rehabilitation showed improved functional and quality of life scores up to 12 months, but overall quality of life did not improve and scores declined by 3 years. The study cannot separate rehabilitation from other care.
• OTOther2025Dementia in Intellectual Disability: An Exploratory Investigation of Comorbidity Patterns and Diagnostic Outcomes.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRMost comparisons between adults with intellectual disability with and without dementia showed no clear differences. The dementia group was more likely to have Down syndrome and less likely to have affective disorders.
• PTOTSLPCohort2026Rehabilitation needs of long COVID patients in British Columbia.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationMost people referred to a long COVID clinic needed rehabilitation by clinic criteria, especially for breathing and mental health. Many needed more than one service, so screening should ask about fatigue, breathlessness, mood, and function before choosing a single rehab pathway.
• PTOTOther2026Sex-related differences in the physical, functional, physiological, and emotional profile of adults with chronic vestibular hypofunction: a cross-sectional EXERVEST study.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesIn adults with chronic vestibular hypofunction, women and men differed in body composition, exercise capacity, visual balance, and sleep. They did not differ in depression, anxiety, dizziness handicap, activity, or fall risk. Use same-sex reference values rather than assuming one sex is worse.
• OTSystematic Review2026Setbacks to strengths: A scoping review of positive psychology constructs among veterans and service members with traumatic brain injury.Rehabilitation psychologyMost research on positive psychology after military TBI is cross-sectional and focuses on social support, resilience, and quality of life. Only 14 studies were intervention studies, so this review cannot show that any intervention works.
• PTOTRCT2026Effects of adding R-BoT + plus verticalization-based robotic locomotor training to conventional rehabilitation in patients with subacute stroke: a randomized controlled trial.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationAdding R-BoT + plus robotic stepping to conventional rehab improved walking independence more than conventional rehab alone at 4 weeks and 3 months. The robot was given with usual therapy, not alone.
• PTOTCohort2026Return to Community Living and Functional Ability Following Inpatient Rehabilitation for Hip Fracture in Patients Aged ≥65 Years: A Retrospective Descriptive Observational Study.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationMost older hip fracture patients who had lived at home returned after inpatient rehabilitation, but 18.1% returning to family and 26.3% returning to live alone had low function scores and likely needed support beyond family caregivers.
• OTCohort2026Unveiling the Impact of Occupational Therapy on Acute Care Outcomes: A Machine Learning Approach.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationOT service patterns were linked with 30-day readmission and daily-activity gains in orthopedic patients, but not with discharge to home. More total OT minutes were linked with higher readmission, so these are observational patterns, not proven treatment effects.
• OTOther2026Development and validation of a prediction model for activities of daily living dysfunction among stroke survivors: insights from the CHARLS cohort.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationThis model flags stroke survivors more likely to have current ADL difficulty using depression, older age, falls, hypertension, arthritis, lung disease, social contact, sleep and drinking. It was not tested in practice.
• PTOTPilot2026Transcutaneous spinal stimulation with upper extremity robotic training in chronic stroke and spinal cord injury: individual neurophysiological and clinical responses.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationAdding cervical transcutaneous spinal stimulation to arm robotic and grip training produced no clear group-level arm gains. Some people with chronic stroke or spinal cord injury showed individual improvements in grip, arm scores, tone, or sensation.
• PTOTSLPCohort2026Immediate changes during dysesthesia-matched transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation in refractory neuropathic pain: a retrospective observational case series.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationPain scores dropped by a median of 2 points during stimulation in this case series. However, without a control group, these changes cannot be separated from placebo effects or natural symptom fluctuation.
• OTSurvey2026Factors of family-centered care associated with state anxiety in parents of children and adolescents with disabilities.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesParents who already tend to feel anxious were more likely to feel anxious now. Parents who said they received specific information about their child and used more care facilities reported less current anxiety. These are links, not proof of benefit.
• PTOTSLPCohort2026Inpatient rehabilitation after acute injury or illness for patients with and without mental health disorders: service utilization, functional improvement, and pain.Journal of rehabilitation medicineInpatients with mental health disorders made similar functional gains and were equally satisfied, but reported more pain, used more opioids on discharge, cancelled more physiotherapy, and required far more team coordination and nurse time.
• PTOTRCT2026Tai Ji for stroke rehabilitation: a randomized controlled trial on improving upper limb function and cortico-muscular coupling in stroke patients.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationStroke patients who added Tai Ji to standard medical treatment, health education, and upper limb rehabilitation had greater upper limb motor score gains after four weeks. Because Tai Ji was extra training, its unique effect is unclear.
• OTSLPOther2026Digital Aids for Social Media in Adults With Traumatic Brain Injury: Longitudinal Evaluation Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesOnly life satisfaction rose from before to after the study in adults with TBI who used Facebook aids. Emotional support, social connection and self-esteem did not change clearly. Participants rated the aids helpful, especially focus, filter and customization.
• OTCohort2026Multidimensional Preinjury Health and 6-month Outcome After Traumatic Brain Injury in Older Adults Presenting With Mainly GCS 13-15.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationAdding pre-injury frailty and daily-function measures to existing prediction models did not improve prediction in older adults with mostly mild traumatic brain injury, although the measures were linked to worse 6-month recovery.
• PTOTRCT2026Development of virtual reality in the upper extremities function in children with Cerebral Palsy. A pilot randomized controlled trial.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationVirtual reality training did not significantly improve upper-extremity range of motion or motor function versus conventional therapy in 42 children with cerebral palsy. A younger 10 to 12 year subgroup showed better self-reported manual ability.
• PTOTSLPCohort2026Clinically interpretable prediction models of stroke functional outcomes: A national cohort study of adults in inpatient rehabilitation facilities in the US.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationIn US inpatient rehab, discharge self-care and mobility were best predicted by admission self-care and mobility, continence and length of stay. Therapy minutes had limited influence.
• OTCase Report2026Intention-driven functional electrical stimulation therapy using a wearable high-density electrode sleeve in chronic stroke: a case report.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationIn two adults with chronic stroke hand weakness, a wearable forearm sleeve supported multi-movement, intention-driven electrical stimulation during task practice; both had changes beyond small meaningful thresholds on hand function tests.
• PTOTSLPRCT2026Low-Frequency STN-DBS for Standing and Gait Initiation in Parkinson's Disease: A Double-Blinded Randomised Cross-Over Feasibility Trial.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairSwitching to low-frequency brain stimulation improved standing balance and movement initiation in Parkinson's, but caused tremor to return in 10 of 16 patients off medication. Clinical mobility scores did not change, so the benefit is only visible on specialised force-plate tests.
• PTOTRCT2026Safety, feasibility and preliminary effects of Atalante exoskeleton-assisted gait training in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a prospective ABA pilot study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationTen people with ALS completed six weeks of exoskeleton gait training safely. Objective measures showed no significant change, but participants reported high motivation and perceived benefits. This confirms feasibility and safety, not that the training preserves walking function.
• PTOTOther2026Topological data analysis of postural sway: characterizing balance control during childhood development.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationYounger children show more complex, oscillatory sway patterns than adults. Removing vision increased sway size but not its structural complexity, while standing on one leg increased both. These topological markers track balance maturation in healthy children.
• OTSystematic Review2026Effectiveness of low vision rehabilitation on visual function and quality of life in Sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesLow-vision services that provided assessment, devices, and sometimes training were associated with better distance acuity and vision-related quality of life in one of three small studies, but a reading-rate gain was not supported and evidence was low.
• PTOTSystematic Review2026Efficacy of Physical Modalities for Hemiplegic Shoulder Pain After Stroke: A Systematic Review.Journal of neurologic physical therapy : JNPTIn adults with post-stroke shoulder pain, electrical, shock-wave, or laser modalities sometimes reduced pain, especially when added to physiotherapy. Function improved less consistently, and the evidence was very uncertain, so do not treat these as proven stand-alone therapies.
• PTOTCase Report2026Ultrasound-Guided Percutaneous Distal Biceps Tenotomy for Fixed Spastic Elbow Contracture in Cerebral Palsy: Case Report and Technical Note.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationIn a 63-year-old woman with severe spastic cerebral palsy, ultrasound-guided percutaneous distal biceps tenotomy improved passive elbow extension and made hygiene and positioning easier. This single case does not show the procedure works.
• PTOTSLPCohort2026Functional recovery and mortality after intensive inpatient rehabilitation for severe acquired brain injury in older adults: a retrospective cohort study.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesOlder adults after severe acquired brain injury who had swallowing problems and diabetes at admission had poorer function at discharge. Death during inpatient rehabilitation was more common in older patients.
• OTOther2026The Influence of Sensory Processing on Executive Function in Young Autistic Children.Journal of autism and developmental disordersIn young autistic children, more sensory seeking and less responding to input were linked with greater caregiver-reported executive function difficulties, especially working memory, even after anxiety and ADHD were considered.
• PTOTSLPOther2026Market shaping for AT: scoping review and case study of an intervention.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesHearing aid prices dropped 94% in Rwanda and 96% in Iran after UNICEF added them to its supply catalogue. Wheelchair prices fell less, averaging 34% across three countries. These gains rely on bulk public procurement, not clinical assessment or fitting.
• PTOTSLPCohort2026Associations between interpreter dependency and rehabilitation outcomes and care processes following acquired brain injury: a Swedish registry-based cohort study.Journal of rehabilitation medicineInterpreter-dependent patients started rehabilitation with lower independence and quality of life but improved at the same rate as others. However, their patient experience surveys were collected significantly less often, leaving their voices missing from routine care data.
• OTSLPRCT2026The Effect of Online Parent Training With and Without Coaching Support on the Well-Being of Families of Children With Neurodisabilities: A Randomized Controlled Trial.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchCoached online parent training improved family communication scores more than self-directed training or a resource website. Self-directed training showed some benefits over control but not consistently. Effects were small and seen only in families who completed most of the program.
• OTRCT2026Efficacy of a soft robotic exoskeleton for upper-limb rehabilitation in subacute stroke inpatient rehabilitation: a randomised controlled trial.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationIn subacute inpatient stroke, adding a soft robotic glove to conventional occupational therapy did not improve upper-limb outcomes more than adding supervised GRASP with wrist support to conventional occupational therapy. Both groups improved similarly.
• PTOTSurvey2026Identifying classes with different disability profiles amongst patients with persistent neck pain.Journal of rehabilitation medicinePatients with persistent neck pain fall into three distinct groups based on which daily tasks they struggle with, rather than just how much pain they feel. One group has mild issues, one struggles specifically with reading and lifting, and one has severe limitations across almost all activities.
• PTOTPilot2026Assisted cycling in non-ambulant adults with cerebral palsy: exploratory effects and feasibility in residential care.Journal of rehabilitation medicineFatigue, sleep and quality of life did not change after assisted cycling in non-ambulant adults with cerebral palsy. The programme was feasible, and some participants reported less leg pain and constipation.
• PTOTQualitative2026Let us tell you how to train us! experiences of children and youth with the Wheelchair Skills Training Program and their preferences for training delivery: a descriptive qualitative study.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesChildren and youth using manual wheelchairs liked the Wheelchair Skills Training Program when it matched their goals, used playful practice, and built a supportive trainer relationship. They wanted flexible settings, timing, and dosage. These are experiences and preferences, not evidence that the program works.
• PTOTSLPRCT2026Transfer effects of animal-assisted therapy on socioemotional skills in adult inpatient rehabilitation after acquired brain injury: a randomized controlled trial.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesAfter six weeks, adults with brain injury who received animal-assisted occupational, speech, or physiotherapy showed more social behavior in a standardized outside-therapy task than usual therapy. Mood, thinking, motivation, quality of life and attendance did not differ. High dropouts mean this is not firm evidence.
• PTOTPilot2026Delivering Virtual Group Interventions for Youth With Persisting Symptoms After Concussion (Move&Connect-Youth) and Their Caregivers (Move&Connect-Caregivers): Fidelity and Engagement Evaluation.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesVirtual group concussion programs for youth and caregivers were mostly delivered as planned. Participants valued facilitator support and peer connection. Youth found exercises sometimes mismatched, and caregivers faced scheduling and material-access barriers. No clinical outcome results are reported here.
• OTSurvey2026Analysis of the Impact of the Use of Rehabilitation Services on Employment Outcomes for People With Disabilities: Based on Propensity Score Matching.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationPeople with disabilities in China who reported receiving rehabilitation services were more likely to be employed than comparable people who did not. This cross-sectional survey cannot show the services caused employment.
• OTSLPOther2026Autism in neurofibromatosis type 1: prevalence, phenotype and clinical implications.Molecular autismIn children with neurofibromatosis type 1, 28.1% met autism criteria and 51.5% had clinically significant autistic traits. Boys and girls were equally affected. Those below the autism threshold had similar functional difficulties, so supports may be needed without a diagnosis.
• PTOTSurvey2026Consumer Priorities for Upper-Extremity Outcome Assessments.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationStroke survivors and caregivers valued clinician-rated arm movement, strength and hand tasks over biomarkers or general disability. They preferred weekly in-person assessments during treatment.
• OTCohort2026Examining the Role of Behavioral Health Factors on Inpatient Traumatic Brain Injury Rehabilitation Outcomes Among Service Members and Veterans.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationService members and veterans improved after inpatient traumatic brain injury rehab; alcohol use before admission did not appear to reduce improvement, while tobacco use was linked to slower PTSD symptom improvement.
• PTOTCohort2026Early Gait Responsiveness as a Predictor of Functional Trajectory in Older Adults Undergoing Postacute Rehabilitation.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationIn older adults in postacute rehab, walking distance that increased faster during the first five therapy sessions predicted better discharge function. Each extra meter per session was linked to a 2.6-point higher FIM motor score. This is an observational signal, not proof that changing therapy dose improves outcomes.
• PTOTSystematic Review2026A Systematic Review of Stair Fall Risk Assessment Instruments in Older Adults.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationStair-specific tests can add useful information to fall-risk assessment in older adults, but none is complete enough to stand alone. Timed stair tests and STEPS have the best evidence; self-report stair confidence tools are less established.
• PTOTCase-Control2026Thumb Positioning Modulates Median Nerve Mobility and Morphology During Postural Changes in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Implications for Nerve Gliding Exercises.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationThumb abduction reduced median nerve excursion in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome, suggesting nerve gliding exercises should avoid overstretching the thumb during the final step to prevent neural strain.
• PTOTPilot2026Feasibility of Behavioral Intervention and Guided Stepping Training Early Post-Stroke (BIG STEPS): A Pilot Randomized Trial.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationEarly stepping training after stroke was feasible and safe, with participants averaging 6534 steps/day versus 4031 in the control group at 12 weeks. This pilot supports larger trials but does not yet prove lasting functional gains.
• OTSLPSystematic Review2026What Constitutes Effective Support and Provision Within Day Service Centres for People With Intellectual Disabilities? A Systematic Review of Qualitative Research.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRPeople with intellectual disabilities and staff valued day services that offered communication, choice, relationship-building, varied activities and community contact. These themes came from qualitative studies; the review did not test whether they improve outcomes.