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 217 OF 218 · NEWEST FIRST

• OTOther2026Critical Reflection on the Use in Canada of the Canadian Model of Occupational Performance and Engagement.Occupational therapy internationalThis is one academic's opinion piece proposing three tweaks to the CMOP-E, a theoretical model taught in Canadian OT programmes. It is not a research study and provides no evidence to change how you assess or treat a patient.
• OTSystematic Review2026Occupational Therapy Group Interventions Within the Area of Time Use and Occupational Balance: A Scoping Review.Occupational therapy internationalThirteen occupational therapy group interventions for time use and occupational balance were mapped across 31 studies, but most came from Scandinavia, few had manuals, and most studies never named a primary outcome. No single intervention is ready to adopt as standard.
• OTQualitative2026Exploring Challenges: A Qualitative Study on Occupational Therapy in Acute Psychiatric Inpatient Settings.Occupational therapy internationalA qualitative study from Iran's largest psychiatric hospital identifies five systemic barriers to occupational therapy in acute wards. Sedated patients, safety vigilance, understaffing, poor space, and other staff not understanding OT's role. It does not test whether OT works.
• OTQualitative2026The perspectives of parents/carers on a new parental education occupational therapy intervention.The British journal of occupational therapyParents of children with neurodevelopmental disorders found a proposed OT parental-education programme useful and wanted skills in self-regulation and supporting their child, but flagged time, cost, stigma, and inclusivity as design requirements. This is a views study, not evidence the programme works.
• PTOTSLPCohort2026Fragile X Syndrome in Adulthood: A Study of Electronic Health Records.American journal on intellectual and developmental disabilitiesAdults with Fragile X have substantially more cardiac, metabolic, and neurological medical encounters than age-matched peers without the diagnosis. Black and White adults with FXS had nearly identical health profiles. First population-based study to document this in Black adults.
• OTPilot2026Optimizing Teacher-Occupational Therapist Collaboration: A Multimethod Knowledge Translation Initiative.Child: care, health and developmentA small pilot of virtual OT–teacher collaboration training showed mixed results: some self-set goal scores improved, but the broader collaboration-attitude scale barely moved. Too small and self-selected to tell whether this works for most school teams.
• OTQualitative2026How does it feel to be helped using minimal cognitive assistance following a traumatic brain injury?Australian occupational therapy journalFive adults with TBI described how they experienced a therapist's minimal prompting during meal prep. They generally liked being given time to think before getting more direct help. This is what 5 people said after two sessions, not proof the approach improves function.
• OTCase Report2026Cognitive-Functional Intervention for Adults With ADHD (Cog-Fun-A): An Extreme Case Series Analysis.OTJR : occupation, participation and healthThree adult men with ADHD received 15 weekly OT sessions; two improved meaningfully, one barely changed. The authors point to motivation, routine stability, and self-attribution as possible differentiators. With three people and no statistical testing, this cannot establish whether the treatment works.
• OTSLPOther2026Parenting Stress in Families of Children With ASD and DD: A Multidimensional Perspective.American journal on intellectual and developmental disabilitiesParents of 3-to-5-year-olds with autism and with other developmental delays reported similar stress levels across three measures. What predicted stress was not the diagnosis but a mix of the child's behavior, adaptive skills, and family circumstances like income and siblings with problems.
• OTSurvey2026Factors Influencing the Multicultural Competence of Occupational Therapists in South Korea.Occupational therapy internationalA survey of 153 Korean occupational therapists found that ethnocultural empathy was the strongest predictor of cultural competence, followed by English proficiency, openness, and self-esteem. The study is correlational. It identifies what is associated with competence, not what training will change.
• OTOther2026The Psychometric Properties of the Cone Evasion Walk Test in Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis.Occupational therapy internationalThe Cone Evasion Walk Test is a reliable, well-tolerated obstacle-avoidance walking test for knee OA patients. A change of more than 2.02 seconds between sessions is likely real. It adds multidirectional turning to what the TUG already measures.
• OTOther2026Promoting Participation in African High Schools: A Scoping Review.Occupational therapy internationalNone of the 15 school-based occupational therapy studies for adolescents reviewed were conducted in Africa, and most were not suitable for the African context. Four showed some promise but none addressed spirituality. A gap the authors flag as critical.
• OTSurvey2026Testing the applicability of the Parenting Occupations and Purposes Framework in an Irish context.Australian occupational therapy journalA parenting-occupation framework (POP) held up when 44 Irish parents logged their daily tasks in real time. Every category appeared, though a few new examples (faith activities, waiting, volunteering) needed adding. No demographic factor predicted which tasks a parent did more.
• OTOther2026Wearable Biosensors in Youth With Autism With High Behavioral Acuity: Supportive Practices, Acceptability, and the Importance of Nonverbal Signs of Assent to Research Participation.American journal on intellectual and developmental disabilities77 hospitalized youth with autism and high behavioral needs: 76.6% ultimately wore a wrist biosensor with individualized supports, but minimally speaking youth were less likely to accept it. Covering the device with a sweatband was the most common accommodation.
• PTOTPilot2026Improved cognitive flexibility after high-intensity interval training (HIIT) in individuals with Parkinson's disease: a pilot randomized controlled trial.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesIn a 3-week pilot with 10 Parkinson's patients per group, high-intensity interval cycling showed an advantage over steady-state cycling on one cognitive flexibility test but not on four others. Both groups improved equally on motor and balance scores. Too small to change practice, but it supports a larger trial.
• OTQualitative2026'Doing dying well': Positive narratives of specialist palliative care occupational therapy from Ireland-based practitioners.The British journal of occupational therapyNine Irish palliative care OTs described their work as helping clients keep doing the things that matter to them (getting dressed, attending a wedding, showing art) rather than preparing for death. These are practitioner themes, not evidence of what works.
• OTQualitative2026Occupational Therapists as Social Prescribers: Insights from Swedish Primary Care.Scandinavian journal of occupational therapyTen Swedish OTs say social prescribing for lonely older adults fits their assessment skills well, but finding local activities, getting time in primary care, and addressing participation barriers are the real bottlenecks. The model needs a dedicated coordinator for the activity landscape.
• OTQualitative2026'An Embodied Journey Towards Recovery': A Grounded Theory of Mental Health Service Users' Experiences of a Nature-based Intervention.Scandinavian journal of occupational therapyParticipants described recovery as working 'body-up' through senses and whole-body experience, not through talk. They described low-demand staff, nature and contact with horses as letting them lower their guard, feel emotions again, and carry new strategies home.
• PTOTQualitative2026Goal Setting During Telerehabilitation in Japan: Qualitative Study of Occupational Therapists' and Physical Therapists' Experiences Using Reflexive Thematic Analysis.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesNine Japanese therapists described remote goal setting as a distinct practice, not a lesser one: they lost touch and whole-body observation but gained coaching roles, home visibility, and continuity as a goal. Structure remote sessions around what you cannot do, not just what you can.
• OTSurvey2026Access to employer-supported paternity leave and workers' self-rated mental health - United States, 2024.Work (Reading, Mass.)A nationally representative U.S. survey found that workers without paternity leave access, or without employer support for it, reported worse mental health. The association is observational and may reflect overall workplace quality rather than the leave policy itself.
• OTSLPCohort2026Addressing Common Problems in Autism Research: Cohort Development and Sample Description for a Participatory, Real-World, Longitudinal Study of Outcomes in Autistic Adults.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceThree ways of recruiting autistic adults (health systems, disability services, community) produced very different groups in age, support needs, health, and independence. Free, accessible outcome measures for autistic adults are now available for clinicians to use.
• OTSystematic Review2026Scoping Review of Occupational Therapy for Distal Radius Fractures, Including Complications.Occupational therapy internationalA scoping review found only five studies of occupational therapy for wrist fractures, and those focused almost entirely on range of motion and grip strength rather than on the daily activities and participation that occupational therapists are trained to address.
• PTOTMeta-Analysis2026Brain-computer interface for upper limb functional recovery post-stroke: a meta-analysis of improvement in upper limb motor function and changes in neurophysiological markers.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationBCI training added to standard stroke rehab improved upper limb movement scores across 16 trials. The benefit was clearest in the subacute phase; in chronic stroke it did not reach significance. Consider BCI as an adjunct for subacute upper limb rehab, not a replacement.
• OTQualitative2026Systemic Barriers and Emotional Complexities in the Transition to Adulthood: The Lived Experience of Parents of Individuals With Intellectual Disabilities in Italy.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDSeventeen Italian parents of adults with intellectual disabilities describe a 'total void' after school ends: no clear employment path, fragmented services, and they must coordinate everything alone. The emotional toll (exhaustion, frustration, powerlessness) runs alongside pride and determination.
• OTQualitative2026Understanding Factors That Influence the Recruitment and Retention of Male Occupational Therapists in Aotearoa New Zealand.Occupational therapy internationalNineteen male OT students and clinicians in New Zealand identified the profession's unclear public image and its association with women as the main barriers to recruiting men, and the hands-on, practical work and the chance to make a difference as the main draws.
• OTOther2026Nurturing Opportunities: Assessing the Challenges and Engagement of Young Persons With Disabilities in Ghana's Agribusiness Sector.Occupational therapy internationalIn Ghana, only 28 of 53 employed young people with disabilities work in agribusiness. The main barriers are structural. Farms are physically inaccessible, credit is denied, training excludes them, and stigma persists. This is an environmental and policy problem, not a patient problem.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2026Inclusion of Participants With Limited English Proficiency in Autism Research.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchA systematic review of 1,007 autism studies found that only 19% included participants with limited English proficiency, and just 18% of randomized trials did, meaning most intervention evidence may not apply to your LEP patients.
• OTSurvey2026Influences on students' decisions to study occupational therapy at a regional Australian university: A mixed methods study.Australian occupational therapy journalA survey of 134 OT students at one regional Australian university found 80.6% did not understand what occupational therapists do before enrolling. Personal connections were the main way they learned about the profession. This is a workforce and visibility finding, not a clinical one.
• OTQualitative2026Experiences of Teachers and Occupational Therapists in Identifying Activity Problems Among Primary School Students With Developmental Difficulties in Indonesia: A Focus Group Interview.Occupational therapy internationalA qualitative study of 15 Indonesian teachers and OTs found that students with developmental difficulties struggle not just academically but with self-care and religious routines. The structured identification process described likely reflects well-resourced private schools, not the broader system.
• OTSystematic Review2026Occupational Therapy in Return-to-Work Processes After Stroke: A Scoping Review of Ongoing Therapeutic Support and Implications for Work-Treatment Balance.Occupational therapy internationalAcross 58 studies of stroke survivors returning to work, therapeutic support was variably integrated with employment. OT roles extended beyond individual rehab into employer liaison and workplace adjustment. Fatigue was the second most common barrier but was rarely measured.
• OTOther2026Understanding the Impact of Living Situation and Social Satisfaction on Depression and Substance Use in Autistic Young Adults Without Intellectual Disability.Autism in adulthoodAmong autistic young adults without intellectual disability, living alone was associated with more social satisfaction and fewer depressive symptoms; living with peers was associated with more alcohol and cannabis use. Cross-sectional design means these are associations, not cause-and-effect.
• OTPilot2026Feasibility of a Home-Based Occupational Positioning Program for Children With Spastic Cerebral Palsy: A Preliminary Study.Occupational therapy internationalA home-based positioning program for children with spastic cerebral palsy was feasible (high attendance, high satisfaction, no dropouts) but with only 5 children and no control group, it cannot tell you whether the program actually improves function.
• PTOTSystematic Review2026Embodied robots in rehabilitation-oriented interventions for older adults with disability or cognitive impairment: a scoping review.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesA scoping review mapped 11 robot-rehabilitation studies for older adults. The evidence is too small and too varied to say robots improve function. It's a landscape map, not proof of benefit. Four of five physical-rehab studies were done in Chinese hospitals.
• PTOTOther2026Cortical neuromodulation by vibration-induced illusion of movement is observed in older individuals, but not in individuals with acute stroke: a cross-sectional fNIRS study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationVibrating the triceps tendon to create an illusion of arm movement produced no measurable brain response in people with acute stroke, while healthy adults showed clear cortical activation. The technique may not engage expected neural pathways early after stroke.
• OTQualitative2026'Let's Just Hope for the Best': A Photovoice Study Exploring the Impact of Covid-19 Restrictions on Children With Intellectual Disabilities in the UK.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDThirteen children with mild or moderate intellectual disabilities described lockdown as a time of anxiety, lost routines, and fear of the virus. They found comfort in sensory activities, special interests, and family time. Their unease continued after restrictions ended, especially around returning to school.
• OTQualitative2025Psychosocial Support for Clubhouse Members and Staff in Hawai'i: A Maslowian Perspective on Wellness.Occupational therapy in mental healthA qualitative study of 15 Clubhouse members and staff in Hawai'i described how the Clubhouse model supported needs from meals to purpose, and how pandemic closure caused acute isolation for members who relied on it as their main social connection.
• PTOTOther2026Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator modulator therapy and lived experiences in South Africa: A mixed-methods study.The South African journal of physiotherapyThirty-seven South Africans on CFTR modulator therapy reported major improvements in breathing, treatment burden, exercise, and attendance. Findings are self-reported and retrospective, so the size of change may be exaggerated, but the direction is consistent across every domain.
• OTOther2026Validity and Reliability of the Turkish Version of the My Family's Accessibility and Community Engagement (MyFACE) Tool.Occupational therapy internationalA 9-item questionnaire asking families of disabled children about community access barriers now has a validated Turkish version. It produces a single score and can be used in Turkish-speaking settings to identify which barriers (transport, stigma, physical access) are limiting a family's participation.
• PTOTQualitative2026Experiences and perceptions of occupational therapy and physiotherapy practice education in research settings.Australian occupational therapy journalStudents who completed a research-based OT or PT placement reported it was more client-facing than they feared and left them more confident with research. But most students and educators had never considered the option. The gap is awareness and accreditation confidence, not the quality of the experience.
• PTOTSurvey2026Strengthening School-Based Support Systems for Children and Youth With Developmental Coordination Disorder: A National Survey of Canadian Parents.Child: care, health and developmentA national survey of 488 Canadian parents of children with DCD found only 17% had a school-based therapist and 75% paid for therapy out of pocket. Assume the school system is not providing adequate motor support and advocate for services.
• OTSurvey2026Experiences and Perceptions of Interprofessional Collaboration Among Spanish Optometrists and Occupational Therapists: A Cross-Sectional Study.Occupational therapy internationalA survey of 138 Spanish optometrists and 148 occupational therapists found that collaboration between the two professions is rare, informal, and dependent on individual initiative. Where it does occur, satisfaction is high, but clear referral pathways and organisational support are largely absent.
• OTSurvey2026A profile of occupational therapy practice in Australia for people diagnosed with borderline personality disorder.Australian occupational therapy journalSixty-three Australian occupational therapists described how they work with people diagnosed with BPD. Trauma-informed care and occupation-based approaches dominated, but time constraints, funding gaps, and fragmented services were the top barriers to delivering consistent, evidence-based practice.
• OTSystematic Review2026Lived Experiences of Occupational Therapy Students From Under-Represented Backgrounds in Professional Educational Programs: A Scoping Review.Occupational therapy internationalA scoping review of 24 qualitative studies found that diverse OT students most commonly report isolation, imposter syndrome, and lack of faculty support. The most cited supports were same-background mentorship, holistic admissions, and visible diverse faculty. No intervention was tested.
• PTOTMeta-Analysis2026The short-term efficacy of heat therapy for osteoarthritis of the hands: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Journal of rehabilitation medicineHeat therapy for hand osteoarthritis reduces short-term pain and improves grip strength, but does not improve overall hand function scores. Multimodal approaches (paraffin, mud baths) outperformed simple heat. Based on 9 trials with 627 patients.
• OTPilot2026Evaluating the suitability of the Perceive, Recall, Plan and Perform System of Task Analysis (PRPP-A) for assessing work-related cognitive difficulties in women after breast cancer: A comparison with Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB).Australian occupational therapy journalIn 12 women after breast cancer, a structured cognitive interview (PRPP-A) tracked with computerised neuropsychological tests and flagged attention and planning difficulties that were linked to reduced work. Too small to change practice, but a starting point for OTs assessing work-related cognitive change.
• OTOther2026Best Practices for Supporting Occupational Therapy Students With Disabilities During Clinical Education: Results From a Three-Round Delphi Study.Occupational therapy internationalA Delphi consensus panel of OT educators, clinicians, and disabled students and practitioners agreed on 53 recommended practices for supporting disabled OT students on clinical placements. These are expert recommendations, not tested interventions. No study here shows they improve outcomes.
• OTPilot2026Quantifying Electric-Powered Wheelchair (EPW) Driving Performance Using Jerk Metrics: A Pilot Study.Hong Kong journal of occupational therapy : HKJOTIn 7 wheelchair users, a sensor-based 'jerk' score tracked the Wheelchair Skills Test, suggesting it could add an objective measure to EPW assessment. Training improved scores in all four completers, but with only 4 people the change could not be confirmed. A pilot, not proof.
• OTCohort2026Investigation of Minimal Clinically Important Difference of the Extended Barthel Index in Inpatients With Acute to Subacute Stroke in China.Hong Kong journal of occupational therapy : HKJOTIn stroke inpatients, a 4-point gain on the 64-point Extended Barthel Index is the smallest improvement a patient notices; 6 points is what a family member would call meaningful. A 2-point drop is what a therapist would call slight decline.
• PTOTOther2026Clinical factors associated with motor imagery ability in individuals with subacute stroke.Journal of rehabilitation medicineIn 40 subacute stroke patients, motor recovery, proprioception, and working memory together were associated with motor imagery ability, but no single factor independently predicted it. Cross-sectional design; associations only, not causation.
• OTOther2026Psychometric Properties of the Occupation-Based Practice Assessment.Hong Kong journal of occupational therapy : HKJOTA tool for measuring how occupation-based your OT practice is shows good overall agreement between raters, but the engaged participation subscale is less consistent. Tested only on evaluations in ICU and ED, not interventions.