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 26 OF 218 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTOther2017Gait, dual task and history of falls in elderly with preserved cognition, mild cognitive impairment, and mild Alzheimer's disease.Brazilian journal of physical therapyA dual-task Timed Up and Go test separated mild Alzheimer's disease from preserved cognition and mild cognitive impairment. Usual walking speed did not separate the groups. More people with mild cognitive impairment or mild Alzheimer's disease reported falls, but not more falls each.
• PTOTOther2017A Screening Tool to Identify Spasticity in Need of Treatment.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationExperts and 20 patients with spasticity helped develop a 13-item patient questionnaire. Most patients completed and interpreted items as intended. It is a screening aid, not a replacement for clinical evaluation.
• PTOTCohort2017Patient Satisfaction and Prognosis for Functional Improvement and Deterioration, Institutionalization, and Death Among Medicare Beneficiaries Over 2 Years.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationMedicare beneficiaries in the top quartile for satisfaction with access to care were less likely to functionally deteriorate, be institutionalized, or die over two years. High satisfaction with care coordination was linked to lower institutionalization risk only.
• OTRCT2016Rehabilitation of hemineglect of the left arm using movement detection bracelets activating a visual and acoustic alarm.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationLeft-arm movement improved in three tasks only while alarms were active during seven days of occupational therapist-guided bimanual task practice with wrist alarm bracelets in nine stroke patients with arm neglect. No lasting benefit was seen after the alarms were switched off.
• OTCase-Control2017Reduced GABA and altered somatosensory function in children with autism spectrum disorder.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchChildren with autism had lower GABA in the brain area handling touch and movement. They detected weak touch less well and did not show the normal change after prior touch. Lower GABA was linked to a smaller effect of weak prior touch on detection.
• PTOTCohort2017Nested Cohort Study to Identify Characteristics That Predict Near-Term Disablement From Lung Cancer Brain Metastases.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationIn lung cancer patients with brain metastases, whole-brain radiation, cerebellar tumors, and new or expanding lesions predicted sharp drops in mobility. These factors flag patients who need immediate rehabilitation referral to prevent disablement.
• PTOTOther2017Linear and nonlinear analysis of postural control in frailty syndrome.Brazilian journal of physical therapySway measures did not separate frail, pre-frail, and non-frail older adults after sitting and rising. Frail participants had more falls and longer TUG and sit-to-stand times, so the clinical findings were clearer than the lab findings.
• PTOTOther2017Hip, knee, and ankle kinematics during activities of daily living: a cross-sectional study.Brazilian journal of physical therapyHealthy adults used far more hip and knee motion for self-care than for walking or stairs. Crouching and getting out of the bath required up to 101 degrees of hip flexion and 149 degrees of knee flexion, exceeding typical post-surgery limits.
• OTOther2016Workplace Interventions to Prevent Disability from Both the Scientific and Practice Perspectives: A Comparison of Scientific Literature, Grey Literature and Stakeholder Observations.Journal of occupational rehabilitationWorkplace interventions, often including changes to job design, work organization, or case management, showed strong evidence for quicker first return to work and less cumulative sick absence, mainly in musculoskeletal conditions. Evidence was weak or absent for mental health and cancer.
• OTSLPOther2016Cognitive and Adaptive Skills in Toddlers Who Meet Criteria for Autism in DSM-IV but not DSM-5.Journal of autism and developmental disordersToddlers who met DSM-IV autism criteria but not DSM-5 had milder cognitive and adaptive deficits than DSM-5 toddlers, but still had lower socialization scores than toddlers with other delays.
• PTOTSLPCohort2016Sociodemographic Disparities in Intervention Service Utilization in Families of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersFamilies using public insurance received fewer weekly hours of individual therapy than those with private insurance. Non-English speaking families also received fewer hours. Children of Black mothers entered classroom services earlier than White children, though this may reflect differences in prior diagnoses or childcare needs rather than superior access.
• OTSLPRCT2016A Replication and Extension of the PEERS® for Young Adults Social Skills Intervention: Examining Effects on Social Skills and Social Anxiety in Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersYoung adults with autism who completed this 16-week social skills group showed better social skills knowledge, empathy, and fewer problem behaviors than those on a waitlist. They also reported more social interactions. However, the group did not significantly reduce loneliness or social anxiety compared to waitlist controls.
• PTOTNarrative Review2016On the assessment of coordination between upper extremities: towards a common language between rehabilitation engineers, clinicians and neuroscientists.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationClinicians and engineers currently use incompatible definitions and metrics for upper-limb coordination, preventing standardized assessment. This review proposes a common taxonomy to align terminology, aiming to bridge the gap between clinical functional measures and robotic assessment tools.
• PTOTRCT2016Technology-assisted stroke rehabilitation in Mexico: a pilot randomized trial comparing traditional therapy to circuit training in a Robot/technology-assisted therapy gym.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationRobot gym therapy matched traditional therapy for arm function but improved leg movement scores more. The groups differed sharply in age, with the robot group much younger. The robot gym allowed one therapist to supervise six patients at once, potentially doubling daily treatment volume.
• OTSLPCohort2016The Role of Executive Function in Independent Living Skills in Female Adolescents and Young Adults With Fragile X Syndrome.American journal on intellectual and developmental disabilitiesYoung women with Fragile X Syndrome scored higher on a performance-based independent living test than matched controls, but caregiver-reported daily skills showed no difference. Phonemic verbal fluency predicted performance-based independence, but earlier executive function did not predict later outcomes.
• OTCase-Control2017Dyspraxia in ASD: Impaired coordination of movement elements.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchChildren with ASD were less accurate copying gestures. The difference was largest when the gesture required several movement parts to happen at once.
• OTCohort2017Milestone achievement in emerging adulthood in spina bifida: a longitudinal investigation of parental expectations.Developmental medicine and child neurologyParents of children with spina bifida lowered expectations over time, especially when the child had lower cognitive ability. Those expectations did not predict adult milestones, and adults with spina bifida achieved fewer milestones than peers.
• PTOTSurvey2017Using the World Health Organization's Disability Assessment Schedule (2) to assess disability in community-dwelling stroke patients.The South African journal of physiotherapyCommunity stroke survivors 6 to 12 months after stroke reported severe to extreme difficulty walking long distances, self-care, household tasks and community participation. No demographic group showed a clear pattern of participation restrictions.
• OTCase Report2017Motor skill changes and neurophysiologic adaptation to recovery-oriented virtual rehabilitation of hand function in a person with subacute stroke: a case study.Disability and rehabilitationA person with subacute stroke completed eight one-hour VR hand training sessions over two weeks while continuing occupational, physical, and speech therapy. She gained pinch force, hand scores, and brain map changes, but this case cannot show the training caused them.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2017What environmental factors influence resumption of valued activities post stroke: a systematic review of qualitative and quantitative findings.Clinical rehabilitationEnvironmental factors reported to help stroke survivors resume valued activities included adapted equipment, accessible transport, home changes, information and social support. Negative attitudes, long distances and unstable conditions were reported to hinder them. Evidence is mostly qualitative.
• OTOther2016Reputation Management in Children on the Autism Spectrum.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic children did not change their generosity when observed, unlike typical peers who were unaffected by observation. However, many autistic children did protect their reputation when explicitly told a poor game score would be seen. This suggests a gap between automatic social awareness and deliberate self-presentation.
• PTOTSurvey2016Evaluation of upper extremity neurorehabilitation using technology: a European Delphi consensus study within the EU COST Action Network on Robotics for Neurorehabilitation.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationEuropean experts agreed on four face-to-face upper-limb assessments per programme, separate from treatment and lasting up to three hours, using technology data plus validated clinical measures. They did not agree on many specific measures.
• PTOTOther2016Quantifying dimensions of physical behavior in chronic pain conditions.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationWearable sensors showed that pain intensity relates to overall physical behavior, not just activity amount. Patients with moderate to severe pain moved less and had lower movement complexity. A global composite score captured this link, though individual metrics did not.
• PTOTSLPCohort2017Two-year follow-up of outcomes related to scarring and distress in children with severe burns.Disability and rehabilitationSeverely burned children saw pain, itch, and mobility improve over two years, but distress about facial scarring and foot function persisted in nearly half. Girls reported more pain and sleep problems than boys. Body image concerns remained high throughout the study period.
• OTOther2017Perception of Life as Stressful, Not Biological Response to Stress, is Associated with Greater Social Disability in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAdults with autism spectrum disorder without intellectual disability reported more everyday stress and stressful life events than matched volunteers. Their perceived stress, not most biological stress responses, tracked with greater social disability. This is association, not proof stress causes disability.
• PTOTSLPOther2017Comparison of abdominal muscle activity and peak expiratory flow between forced vital capacity and fast expiration exercise.Journal of physical therapy scienceHealthy young men blew faster and activated deep abdominal muscles more strongly during fast expiration exercises than during standard forced vital capacity tests. This suggests fast expiration may better target speed-specific muscle activation, though clinical effects remain untested.
• PTOTSLPCohort2017Characteristics of patients with hemiparetic stroke who yield highly reliable muscle strength measurements.Journal of physical therapy scienceStroke patients with a Functional Independence Measure cognitive score of 19 or higher produced consistent muscle strength measurements. Below this threshold, results were too variable to trust. Clinicians should check this score before relying on dynamometer data for treatment planning.
• PTOTPilot2017Telehealth monitor to measure physical activity and pressure relief maneuver performance in wheelchair users.Assistive technology : the official journal of RESNAA wheelchair sensor under the user's own cushion correctly classified 225 of 240 lab pressure relief attempts and detected 2112 pushes when the push-rim measured 2162, but it was not tested in real-world use or for health outcomes.
• OTNarrative Review2016Sustaining Work Participation Across the Life Course.Journal of occupational rehabilitationWorkplace disability prevention has little research to guide practice. Supervisor support, accommodations and flexible work are associated with staying employed, but interventions have not shown clear work retention effects.
• PTOTSurvey2017Cross-Sectional Assessment of Factors Related to Pain Intensity and Pain Interference in Lower Limb Prosthesis Users.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationIn lower limb prosthesis users, problematic pain was common. More painful sites were linked to worse pain and more interference. Back and residual limb pain showed the strongest links.
• OTOther2017Brief Report: Which Came First? Exploring Crossmodal Temporal Order Judgements and Their Relationship with Sensory Reactivity in Autism and Neurotypicals.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAdults with autism showed no significant difference from neurotypical adults in judging which sensory cue came first across sight, sound and touch. Some reported sensory reactivity linked to task bias or timing, but the overall pattern was not consistent.
• PTOTSurvey2017Quality and Equity in Wheelchairs Used by Veterans.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationNo racial difference was found in wheelchair quality among Veterans with spinal cord injury or limb loss. Older age and lower income were associated with lower-quality chairs. Specialty-clinic prescription was associated with better manual chairs.
• OTSLPRCT2017Effects of expiratory muscle strength training on swallowing function in acute stroke patients with dysphagia.Journal of physical therapy scienceAdding expiratory muscle strength training to traditional swallowing therapy showed greater improvement in functional dysphagia, vallecular residue, and penetration-aspiration scores than traditional therapy alone in acute stroke patients with dysphagia. Pyriform residue did not differ.
• PTOTPilot2017Effects of repeated vibratory stimulation of wrist and elbow flexors on hand dexterity, strength, and sensory function in patients with chronic stroke: a pilot study.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn 10 patients, vibration to wrist and elbow flexors did not beat traditional physical therapy. Both groups improved hand dexterity, but grip strength was not shown to improve and sensation was unchanged.
• PTOTCohort2017Plantar pressure differences among adults with mild flexible flatfoot, severe flexible flatfoot and normal foot when walking on level surface, walking upstairs and downstairs.Journal of physical therapy scienceSevere flexible flatfoot caused significantly higher midfoot pressure than normal feet on level ground and stairs. Mild flatfoot looked like normal feet on level ground and stairs, but showed different arch pressure when walking downstairs. All feet had higher pressure walking down stairs than up or on level ground.
• PTOTOther2016Robot-assisted and conventional therapies produce distinct rehabilitative trends in stroke survivors.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationDifferent patterns of arm outcome change emerged after robot-assisted and conventional therapy. The original trial's main Fugl-Meyer difference was significant but small, so this secondary analysis describes how scores moved together, not superiority.
• PTOTCase-Control2016A robot-based behavioural task to quantify impairments in rapid motor decisions and actions after stroke.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationEighty-two percent of people with stroke were impaired on more than five robot task measures, and all but one person with neglect was impaired. Distractor errors appeared even when MoCA scores were normal.
• OTOther2016Learning to use a body-powered prosthesis: changes in functionality and kinematics.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationFunctional daily-task scores improved with repeated testing in all groups, including controls, but training transfer was weak. Indirect grasping practice reached objects faster and used the least grip force among training groups.
• OTOther2016Sensory Responsiveness in Siblings of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.Journal of autism and developmental disordersUnaffected siblings of children with autism did not show atypical sensory scores compared with controls, although the sibling and control groups were small. Children with autism did show more atypical sensory scores.
• OTNarrative Review2016New Business Structures Creating Organizational Opportunities and Challenges for Work Disability Prevention.Journal of occupational rehabilitationWorkers in temporary jobs, small firms, telework and lone roles often face weaker safety support, unclear employer liability and harder return to work. Occupational therapists should check these structures before assuming standard workplace accommodations are available.
• OTOther2016Do children and adolescent ice hockey players with and without a history of concussion differ in robotic testing of sensory, motor and cognitive function?Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationIce hockey players aged 10 to 14 with a history of concussion performed similarly to players without a history on robotic tests of reaching, position sense, bimanual movement, attention, and decision making. The tests did not separate the groups.
• PTOTSLPCohort2017Disability Stages and Trouble Getting Needed Health Care Among Medicare Beneficiaries.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationMedicare beneficiaries with greater activity limitations reported significantly more trouble accessing needed health care. Financial barriers were the most common reason overall, while transportation and home health care difficulties were especially cited by those with more severe physical limitations.
• OTSurvey2017Disability stage and receipt of recommended care among elderly medicare beneficiaries.Disability and health journalOlder Medicare beneficiaries with the most severe activity limitations received recommended care much less often, especially after hospitalization: 43% versus 76% for those with no limitations. Therapists should ask whether severely limited patients missed follow-up and preventive care.
• OTCohort2017Social participation and its relation to internalizing symptoms among youth with autism spectrum disorder as they transition from high school.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchStructured social activities dropped significantly after high school, while unstructured time with friends stayed stable. Youth with more internalizing symptoms in high school became more socially isolated after exit. Prior structured participation predicted gains in unstructured social contact later.
• PTOTOther2017Validation of the shoulder36 for the activities of daily living with shoulder disorders.Journal of physical therapy scienceShoulder36 scores tracked closely with QuickDASH scores for most shoulder disability domains. Patients completed it easily, but the sports domain was not validated well in this small group.
• OTCohort2017Activity Limitation Stages Are Associated With Risk of Hospitalization Among Medicare Beneficiaries.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationHigher ADL and IADL limitation stages were associated with higher risk of a first hospitalization in the next year among older Medicare beneficiaries living in the community. Baseline stage was not associated with second, third, or fourth hospitalizations.
• PTOTRCT2017Changes of gait parameters following constrained-weight shift training in patients with stroke.Journal of physical therapy scienceA 10 mm shoe lift on the unaffected side forced weight onto the paretic leg. This improved walking speed and step length more than standard care. The 5 mm lift did not show significant improvement over the control group.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2017Traumatic brain injury caregivers: A qualitative analysis of spouse and parent perspectives on quality of life.Neuropsychological rehabilitationParents describe returning to parenting a child and fear for the future, while partners report losing intimacy and the stress of making decisions alone. Both groups feel isolated and overwhelmed. These distinct burdens mean you should assess parents and spouses separately rather than treating all caregivers as one group.
• PTOTRCT2017Effects of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation on chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy symptoms (CIPN): a preliminary case-control study.Journal of physical therapy scienceActive TENS did not reduce numbness, tingling, or interference with daily life more than placebo TENS over 45 days in 24 cancer patients with chemotherapy-induced neuropathy. This small randomized trial does not support active TENS as an add-on.
• OTSLPCohort2017Predictors of Parent Responsiveness to 1-Year-Olds At-Risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersParents of 12-month-olds at risk for autism who were less responsive to sensory input and communicated less tended to talk less and play more physically. This shift may reduce verbal language input during a critical period for communication development.