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 27 OF 218 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTSLPPilot2016Global cognitive function and processing speed are associated with gait and balance dysfunction in Parkinson's disease.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationIn 14 people with Parkinson's, lower global cognitive scores correlated with slower walking and more sway. Processing speed specifically linked to turning difficulty. No control group and tiny sample mean these associations are hypotheses, not evidence of cause.
• OTOther2016Drawing Firmer Conclusions: Autistic Children Show No Evidence of a Local Processing Bias in a Controlled Copying Task.Journal of autism and developmental disordersCopying accuracy was similar in autistic and typical children. Both groups were less accurate when corners were skewed, and there was no sign of a detail-focused copying bias.
• PTOTPilot2016Quantifying selective elbow movements during an exergame in children with neurological disorders: a pilot study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationIn 33 children with neurological disorders, an airplane exergame measured isolated elbow movement. Scores matched therapists' judgments and trunk/strength measures, but did not worsen when the game became harder.
• PTOTSLPCohort2017Effects of taekwondo intervention on cognitive function and academic self-efficacy in children.Journal of physical therapy scienceTaekwondo training improved Stroop Color-Word scores and self-confidence in children, but did not significantly change most other cognitive or self-efficacy measures. The study lacked an active exercise control, so benefits cannot be separated from general physical activity.
• PTOTOther2017Abnormal Joint Moment Distributions and Functional Performance During Sit-to-Stand in Femoroacetabular Impingement Patients.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationPeople with symptomatic hip impingement took 0.6 seconds longer to stand up, put less relative load on the knee, trended toward more hip effort, and loaded more slowly, without clear weight-bearing asymmetry.
• PTOTOther2017Discriminative and predictive validity of the short-form activities-specific balance confidence scale for predicting fall of stroke survivors.Journal of physical therapy scienceThe short-form ABC scale predicted falls in stroke survivors with high accuracy. A score of 45.42 or lower indicated a higher risk of multiple falls. This shorter tool performed better than the full 16-item scale and takes less time to administer.
• PTOTMeta-Analysis2017Is there a difference in physical activity levels in patients before and up to one year after unilateral total hip replacement? A systematic review and meta-analysis.Clinical rehabilitationPooled physical activity did not significantly change after unilateral total hip replacement. The 6-minute walk was also unchanged overall, and one older-only study changed the result.
• OTSLPOther2016Brief Report: Prevalence of Self-injurious Behaviors among Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder-A Population-Based Study.Journal of autism and developmental disorders27.7% of 8-year-old children with autism spectrum disorder in selected areas of the United States had documented self-injury, and prevalence varied widely by site. Ask about head banging, hair pulling, arm biting, eye poking, and skin scratching, especially with cognitive or adaptive delays.
• PTOTRCT2016Enhanced Medical Rehabilitation: Effectiveness of a clinical training model.NeuroRehabilitationTraining four therapists in Enhanced Medical Rehabilitation improved or maintained use of 18 engagement techniques, and 13 of 18 items increased. Adherence was variable and below the 90% goal for many techniques. This tested therapist behavior, not patient recovery.
• OTPilot2016Matching Task Difficulty to Patient Ability During Task Practice Improves Upper Extremity Motor Skill After Stroke: A Proof-of-Concept Study.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationThe tasks practiced were about as hard as participants could manage. In 10 people with chronic stroke, 200 repetitions were feasible, and after the program they performed functional tasks faster and used less trunk movement.
• PTOTOther2017Motor Learning in Stroke: Trained Patients Are Not Equal to Untrained Patients With Less Impairment.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairStroke patients could train to match the pre-training performance of less impaired untrained people, but they plateaued. The untrained groups still had more room for rapid gains. Matching performance after training does not mean matching ability to improve further.
• PTOTSLPCohort2017Correlations between slow-rate repetitive nerve stimulation and characteristics associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in Chinese patients.Journal of physical therapy scienceSlow repetitive nerve stimulation showed abnormal electrical drops in 54% of ALS patients, mostly in neck muscles. Those with these drops progressed faster. However, the test was less sensitive than in myasthenia gravis, limiting its standalone diagnostic value.
• PTOTCohort2017Associations Between Foot Placement Asymmetries and Metabolic Cost of Transport in Hemiparetic Gait.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairIn stroke survivors, how far feet are placed ahead of the trunk predicts metabolic cost better than overall step length asymmetry. Targeting foot placement symmetry, not just step length, may improve walking economy.
• PTOTRCT2017Guided Training Relative to Direct Skill Training for Individuals With Cognitive Impairments After Stroke: A Pilot Randomized Trial.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationNo overall difference in functional independence between guided and direct training after stroke, but guided scores were higher at 3, 6, and 12 months while direct scores were higher at discharge.
• PTOTNarrative Review2016Workplace Outcomes in Work-Disability Prevention Research: A Review with Recommendations for Future Research.Journal of occupational rehabilitationWorkplace disability prevention research often misses what employers actually care about. Scientists focus on health mechanisms and long-term recovery, while employers prioritize immediate costs, production disruption, and staffing impacts. Researchers need to measure outcomes that resonate with business goals, such as productivity and presenteeism, to secure employer engagement.
• OTSLPRCT2016A randomized problem-solving trial for adolescent brain injury: Changes in social competence.Rehabilitation psychologyA web-based problem-solving program did not improve social competence overall. However, it helped specific subgroups: younger teens with moderate injuries and older teens with severe injuries showed gains on parent-rated social skills. These improvements did not extend to measures of actual social participation.
• PTOTSLPCohort2016Unmet Health Services Needs Among US Children with Developmental Disabilities: Associations with Family Impact and Child Functioning.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBPUnmet health service needs were not linked to children's behavioral problems the next year, but they were common, especially therapy and respite needs, and linked to family financial and employment impacts.
• OTOther2016Association Between Executive Function and Problematic Adolescent Driving.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBPPerformance-based executive function scores were unrelated to self-reported crashes, tickets, or being pulled over in 46 drivers. Some self-reported executive difficulties, especially planning and inhibition, were associated with crashes or police contact.
• OTSLPCase Series2017The Cognitive and Behavioral Phenotypes of Individuals with CHRNA7 Duplications.Journal of autism and developmental disordersChildren with CHRNA7 duplications often had speech or language delay, lower IQ scores, and reduced adaptive skills. Speech delay affected 11 of 18, and five scored below 70 on IQ testing. This is a pattern, not evidence that a treatment works.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2017The danger zone: Systematic review of the role of HMGB1 danger signalling in traumatic brain injury.Brain injuryHMGB1 levels in blood and spinal fluid rise after brain injury and predict death or severe disability. Animal studies show blocking HMGB1 reduces brain swelling and improves movement. These are biomarker and preclinical findings, not tested treatments for patients.
• PTOTSLPRCT2017Effectiveness of an Educational Intervention on Reducing Misconceptions Among Ethnic Minorities With Complicated Mild to Severe Traumatic Brain Injury.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationA one-hour home visit by a bilingual educator cut misconceptions about brain injury recovery. This reduction held at one month for English speakers but faded for Spanish speakers, who may need booster sessions to keep the gains.
• OTSLPQualitative2017The meaning of participation for children in Malawi: insights from children and caregivers.Child: care, health and developmentRural Malawian children and carers described participation as helping at home, chatting and playing. Children with disabilities were often kept near home, not expected to do chores, and faced barriers from community attitudes and parents who denied them chances.
• OTSLPSystematic Review2016Computerized Cognitive Rehabilitation of Attention and Executive Function in Acquired Brain Injury: A Systematic Review.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationComputerized attention and executive training after acquired brain injury was often reported to improve test scores, but no standard program, control, or dose emerged, so it does not tell therapists which treatment to use.
• PTOTNarrative Review2016Implementation Science and Employer Disability Practices: Embedding Implementation Factors in Research Designs.Journal of occupational rehabilitationWorkplace return-to-work programs for musculoskeletal injuries often stall because of employer and organizational factors, not just clinical care. Therapists should expect and address leadership, culture, readiness, and modified-duty barriers before assuming a good treatment will be adopted.
• OTPilot2016Feasibility and Potential Benefits of a Web-Based Intervention Delivered Acutely After Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Adolescents: A Pilot Study.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationAdolescents with mild head injury using a web-based program combining symptom monitoring, anticipatory guidance, psychoeducation, activity pacing and cognitive-behavioral principles saw daily symptom scores fall by 2.0 points per day early on, but no control group means benefit cannot be attributed.
• OTSLPCohort2016Effects of Depression and Antidepressant Use on Cognitive Deficits and Functional Cognition Following Severe Traumatic Brain Injury.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationIn severe TBI, depression was not linked to worse cognitive test scores, but people with depression reported more everyday cognitive limitations. Antidepressant use was linked to worse cognitive scores, not necessarily causing them.
• OTSLPCohort2017The salience of the self: Self-referential processing and internalizing problems in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchYouth with autism showed reduced self-positivity and weaker memory for self-relevant information. However, positive self-views protected against anxiety and depression in all children, but only if they had strong memory for self-relevant details.
• OTCohort2017Changes in Food Selectivity in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersParents of 18 children with autism reported fewer refused foods and less difficult mealtime behavior after about 6.4 years, but food variety did not increase and more children were overweight or obese.
• PTOTCase Report2017The effects of neck and trunk stabilization exercises on cerebral palsy children's static and dynamic trunk balance: case series.Journal of physical therapy scienceEleven children with cerebral palsy did better on sitting trunk-control scores after eight weeks of twice-weekly sessions that included neck and trunk stabilization. But there was no control group, so this cannot show the exercises caused the gain.
• PTOTSLPOther2017Factors Associated with Self-Injurious Behaviors in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Findings from Two Large National Samples.Journal of autism and developmental disordersSelf-injury in children with autism is linked to sleep problems, sensory issues, aggression, anxiety, and lower adaptive skills. It is also associated with younger age and lower socioeconomic status. These findings support asking about self-injury when these other behaviors or factors are present.
• PTOTCase Report2017Reduced foot pain after spasticity control with alcohol block in a patient with chronic hemiparetic stroke: a case report.Journal of physical therapy scienceA 58-year-old woman with chronic stroke and severe foot pain from a Tailor's bunion reported pain dropping from 8/10 to 1/10 after alcohol nerve blocks reduced her ankle spasticity. The block was combined with stretching, so the independent effect of the alcohol injection remains unclear.
• PTOTSLPOther2017Are heart rate dynamics in the transition from rest to submaximal exercise related to maximal cardiorespiratory responses in COPD?Brazilian journal of physical therapyIn 15 men with moderate-to-severe COPD, how much heart rate variability changed from standing rest to a six-minute walk correlated with how far they walked. A stronger shift in autonomic balance predicted longer distance. This is an observational link, not proof that heart rate tests can replace walking tests.
• OTRCT2016Benefits of virtual reality based cognitive rehabilitation through simulated activities of daily living: a randomized controlled trial with stroke patients.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationStroke patients who used virtual reality daily living tasks improved more on a global cognitive test than patients doing conventional paper tasks. The study was small, and assessors knew which treatment was given. Use it as a signal, not proof.
• OTSLPCohort2017Mid-childhood outcomes of infant siblings at familial high-risk of autism spectrum disorder.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism Research15 of 42 high-risk siblings met autism criteria at age 7; they had lower adaptive behaviour and more ADHD and anxiety than low-risk controls. The 24 high-risk siblings without autism had typical-range IQ and language but more separation anxiety.
• PTOTRCT2017The Effect of Peripheral Nerve Stimulation on Shoulder Biomechanics: A Randomized Controlled Trial in Comparison to Physical Therapy.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationBoth peripheral nerve stimulation and physical therapy improved shoulder strength and range of motion in stroke patients, but neither treatment was superior to the other for these biomechanical changes. Since PNS previously reduced pain more than PT, the pain relief likely stems from mechanisms other than improved shoulder mechanics.
• PTOTSurvey2017Prevalence and factors associated with neck pain: a population-based study.Brazilian journal of physical therapyAbout one in five adults reported neck pain in the past year. It was more common in those who were widowed or separated, had low income or education, worked while sitting and leaning, or had two or more other diseases.
• PTOTOther2017Tele-Assessment of the Berg Balance Scale: Effects of Transmission Characteristics.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationRemote balance assessment works if you use high-definition video with slow motion and capture both frontal and lateral views. Standard-definition or single-view setups caused significant rating failures, particularly for transfers, standing with eyes closed, feet together, and reaching forward.
• OTCase-Control2017Ensemble perception of color in autistic adults.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchAutistic adults were better than typical adults at spotting which individual colors had appeared in a brief set. They judged average color similarly overall, but were less accurate for four-color sets.
• PTOTCohort2017Does Corticospinal Tract Connectivity Influence the Response to Intensive Bimanual Therapy in Children With Unilateral Cerebral Palsy?Neurorehabilitation and neural repairCorticospinal tract pattern did not predict who improved more after intensive bimanual therapy, with lower extremity training at one site. Children with ipsilateral and contralateral patterns improved similarly on several hand function and daily activity measures.
• PTOTCohort2016Physical activity outside of structured therapy during inpatient spinal cord injury rehabilitation.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationDuring inpatient spinal cord injury rehabilitation, activity outside PT and OT was low. Half of the time was sedentary leisure. Wrist and hip accelerometers showed more movement by discharge, but self-report did not detect it.
• PTOTOther2017Posture-Dependent Corticomotor Excitability Differs Between the Transferred Biceps in Individuals With Tetraplegia and the Biceps of Nonimpaired Individuals.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairThe transferred biceps in people with tetraplegia is more electrically excitable at rest in an overhead reach posture than in healthy controls. This suggests therapists should test which posture works best for each patient rather than assuming a standard position.
• OTSurvey2017Sensory Clusters of Adults With and Without Autism Spectrum Conditions.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAdults with autism spectrum conditions fell into low, intermediate, and high sensory reactivity groups. The high group reported both overreacting and underreacting to senses, plus strong sensory interests and motor clumsiness. Screen adults for these patterns rather than assuming uniform sensory problems.
• PTOTRCT2017Application of massage for ankle joint flexibility and balance.Journal of physical therapy scienceA ten-minute calf massage improved ankle flexibility and single-leg balance in 32 healthy young adults. Both massage techniques were equally effective. The study did not include older adults or patients, so it does not prove massage prevents falls or helps those with balance problems.
• PTOTRCT2017Does Task-Specific Training Improve Upper Limb Performance in Daily Life Poststroke?Neurorehabilitation and neural repairTask-specific training did not increase upper limb use in daily life for 78 people with chronic stroke, despite improvements in clinic capacity. Neither the amount of practice nor gains in test scores predicted better real-world performance. Clinic gains did not carry over to home.
• PTOTCohort2016Physical activity and walking performance: Influence on quality of life in ambulatory children with cerebral palsy (CP).Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineParent-reported physical activity was linked to higher physical and total quality-of-life scores. Walking at a higher pace was linked only to the physical score. Neither was linked to the psychosocial score, and older age was linked to lower scores.
• OTCohort2017Functional Goals and Predictors of Their Attainment in Low-Income Community-Dwelling Older Adults.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationLow-income older adults fully attained 73.5% of their home-based functional goals. Attainment was higher for transferring and stairs, but lower for walking and community tasks. Participants were more likely to succeed if they were ready to change, had severe pain, or had home hazards.
• OTCase-Control2017Analysis of muscle fiber conduction velocity during finger flexion and extension after stroke.Topics in stroke rehabilitationIn stroke survivors, the finger-extensor muscle showed lower electrical signal speed in the affected hand than the unaffected hand, while the finger-flexor muscle did not. This suggests a possible fast-twitch fiber or activation problem in extensors. It is not proven.
• PTOTOther2017Environmental barriers and social participation in individuals with spinal cord injury.Rehabilitation psychologyHigher perceived environmental barriers are linked to lower social participation and employment in people with spinal cord injury. Barriers related to assistance and services show the strongest negative association with participation. However, the overall effect is small, and the study cannot prove that removing barriers will improve outcomes.
• PTOTOther2017Exercising daily living activities in robot-mediated therapy.Journal of physical therapy scienceChronic post-stroke patients showed better arm movement, grip function and independence scores after six weeks of robot-assisted daily-living training; spasticity did not change and Barthel Index did not clearly improve.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2017The experience of patients with ABI and their families during the hospital stay: A systematic review of qualitative literature.Brain injuryPatients described inpatient rehab as prison-like due to lack of privacy and boredom. Families wanted to help with care but felt ignored or feared intruding. Both groups needed specific, consistent information at distinct times during the stay to feel prepared for discharge.