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 28 OF 218 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTSurvey2017Interrelationship among the health-related and subjective quality of life, daily life activities, instrumental activities of daily living of community-dwelling elderly females in orthopedic outpatients.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn older women attending orthopedic clinics, less pain, better general health, more energy, better social life, and better mental health went with greater happiness. Happiness did not track daily activity or practical independence. Physical function tracked daily and practical activities, and energy tracked practical activities.
• PTOTSystematic Review2017The effectiveness of robotic-assisted gait training for paediatric gait disorders: systematic review.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationRobotic gait training in children with gait disorders has weak, inconsistent evidence. The combined randomised evidence did not show a clear walking-speed advantage over physiotherapy or exercises; small studies reported better standing or walking, but bias and mixed protocols limit confidence.
• PTOTCohort2017Predictive validity of the functional independence and difficulty scale in community-dwelling Japanese older adults.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn community-dwelling Japanese older adults who were independent in basic activities, lower scores on the Functional Independence and Difficulty Scale predicted future decline in instrumental activities and multiple falls. The Barthel Index did not predict these outcomes.
• PTOTSLPCohort2016Dyspraxia and autistic traits in adults with and without autism spectrum conditions.Molecular autismAdults with dyspraxia but no autism reported significantly more autistic traits and lower empathy than controls. In adults already diagnosed with autism, having dyspraxia did not increase these social difficulties. Dyspraxia is 8.69 times more common in autistic adults than in the general population.
• PTOTSLPCohort2017Characterization of Cancer Patients in Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities: A Retrospective Cohort Study.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationCancer patients in inpatient rehabilitation gained an average of 23.5 points on an 18 to 126 functional independence scale, and 72% went to community rather than acute care. It did not compare them with cancer patients who did not receive inpatient rehabilitation.
• PTOTCohort2017Effect of platelet concentration on clinical improvement in treatment of early stage-knee osteoarthritis with platelet-rich plasma concentrations.Journal of physical therapy scienceBoth a low-concentration and a high-concentration platelet-rich plasma kit reduced knee pain and stiffness by more than half in patients with early osteoarthritis. The higher platelet count offered no additional clinical benefit over the lower one at six months.
• OTRCT2017Training Parents of Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder to Advocate for Adult Disability Services: Results from a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.Journal of autism and developmental disordersParents who completed this 12-week advocacy training knew more about adult disability services and felt more empowered than wait-list controls. In-person group attendance was linked to higher confidence and empowerment, while knowledge gains occurred regardless of whether parents attended live or watched recordings.
• OTQualitative2017The Occupational Transition Process to Upper Secondary School, Further Education and/or Work in Sweden: As Described by Young Adults with Asperger Syndrome and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersYoung adults with Asperger syndrome or ADHD described transition as long and uneven. Early goal setting, work placements with on-the-job support, and help with home life mattered; day centres could help or feel remote.
• OTOther2017Environmental impact on young children's participation in home-based activities.Developmental medicine and child neurologyCaregivers who saw their home environment as more supportive reported greater child involvement in home activities. Functional limitations and performance were linked to involvement mainly through perceived support, not directly.
• OTSLPCohort2017The Longitudinal Effects of Parenting on Adaptive Behavior in Children with Fragile X Syndrome.Journal of autism and developmental disordersIn children with fragile X syndrome, more responsive mothers were linked to better growth in communication, socialization, and daily living, and to less decline among children who lost skills. Behavior management showed little benefit. This is an association, not proof that parent training causes change.
• PTOTPilot2017Northwestern University Flexible Subischial Vacuum Socket for persons with transfemoral amputation: Part 2 Description and Preliminary evaluation.Prosthetics and orthotics internationalTwo transfemoral amputees reported better socket comfort with the NU-FlexSIV subischial socket than their conventional ischial containment sockets, while maintaining comparable gait speed and stability. This preliminary report suggests the design is feasible and comfortable, but does not prove it improves function.
• PTOTOther2017Does the Finger-to-Nose Test measure upper limb coordination in chronic stroke?Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationIn chronic stroke, finger-to-nose test time tracked shoulder-elbow timing, went with arm impairment and activity, and a 10.6-second cut-off separated mild from moderate-to-severe impairment.
• OTCase-Control2017Social and Non-social Hazard Response in Drivers with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersDrivers with autism did not differ significantly from matched controls in simulated hazard responses. Controls reacted faster to social hazards, but the group difference was not significant.
• PTOTCase Report2017Effects of daily living occupational therapy and resistance exercise on the activities of daily living and muscular fitness in Guillain-Barré syndrome: a case study.Journal of physical therapy scienceAfter 12 weeks of combined daily living occupational therapy and elastic band resistance exercise, a man with Guillain-Barré syndrome increased his independence score from 54 to 79 points and showed higher muscle strength. This describes a case, not a proven treatment.
• PTOTCase Report2017Improved functional independence measure facilitates return to home after paralyzed upper-limb training: a case report.Journal of physical therapy scienceThe FIM score rose from 71 to 105 in one stroke patient who received occupational therapy, affected upper-limb training, physiotherapy, and a fixed walker with knee support over four months. She returned home. This is one person, not proof the package works.
• PTOTSLPRCT2017Improving Prospective Memory in Persons With Parkinson Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairTeaching people with Parkinson's to visualize specific 'when and what' cues improved memory for one-off tasks more than simple repetition. Both strategies helped, but the visualization method showed a stronger effect on difficult, non-repeated tasks.
• OTSurvey2017Family adaptation to cerebral palsy in adolescents: A European multicenter study.Research in developmental disabilities31.8% of parents of adolescents with cerebral palsy had clinically significant stress. Behavioural problems and how severe the child's motor problems were were linked to more distress; family functioning, positive attitude and caregiving breaks were linked to less.
• PTOTCohort2017The comparison of clinical features and quality of life after total knee replacement.Journal of physical therapy sciencePain scores fell from 7.00 to 2.59 on a 0-10 scale after total knee replacement, and knee function and quality-of-life scores were higher at six and twelve months. Only 33 of 63 patients had twelve-month data.
• PTOTOther2017The added value of kinematic evaluation of the timed finger-to-nose test in persons post-stroke.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationPersons post-stroke completed the finger-to-nose test slower, with less smooth, less straight and less accurate pointing and more trunk and shoulder-blade movement. Even when their time matched controls, these movement differences remained.
• PTOTCase-Control2017Kinesthetic deficits after perinatal stroke: robotic measurement in hemiparetic children.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationChildren with hemiparetic CP from perinatal stroke have measurable kinesthetic deficits. Arterial strokes caused more severe impairments than venous ones. Vision did not compensate for these deficits. Clinical sensory exams often missed the robotic deficits.
• OTSLPOther2017Correlates of Adaptive Functioning in Minimally Verbal Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder.American journal on intellectual and developmental disabilitiesMilder social-communication symptoms were linked with better adaptive skills in minimally verbal children with autism, but nonverbal mental age and chronological age explained more. Repetitive behaviours did not add this information after accounting for age and nonverbal mental age.
• OTRCT2017The effect of self-management education following mild stroke: an exploratory randomized controlled trial.Topics in stroke rehabilitationSelf-management education after mild stroke produced some reported changes, but compared with control the benefit was minimal. In 71 randomized participants, it did not support adding this program.
• OTCohort2017Rehospitalization in the First Year Following Veteran and Service Member TBI: A VA TBI Model Systems Study.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationVeterans and Service Members after inpatient TBI rehabilitation were readmitted often: 164 of 401 had at least one hospitalization within a year, and inpatient rehabilitation was the leading reason. Longer post-traumatic amnesia and delayed command following were associated with rehospitalization.
• OTSLPQualitative2017Qualitative Analysis of Parental Observations on Quality of Life in Australian Children with Down Syndrome.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBPParents of children with Down syndrome described quality of life as health, feelings, being heard, communication, movement, routines, independence, relationships, activities, nature, and services. These domains applied across childhood and adolescence.
• OTCohort2017Emotion socialization and internalizing behavior problems in diverse youth: A bidirectional relationship across childhood.Research in developmental disabilitiesIn families of children with or without intellectual disability, supportive parenting reactions were related to later child internalizing problems differently by ethnicity and parent gender. Higher supportive reactions were related to more problems for Anglo mothers and Latino fathers, and fewer for Latina mothers.
• PTOTOther2017Weight compensation characteristics of Armeo®Spring exoskeleton: implications for clinical practice and research.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationSpring tension and module length change how much the Armeo Spring unloads or loads the arm. Shorter modules give greater weight compensation. Therapists can use these properties to match settings to arm weight and task goals.
• OTMeta-Analysis2017A Meta-Analysis and Critical Review of Prospective Memory in Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersRemembering to do something at a set time was a major difficulty for people with autism spectrum disorder. Remembering when a cue appears was less clear, with mixed evidence and study problems.
• OTSLPQualitative2017The Experiences of Fathers Who Have Offspring with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersFathers of children with ASD described a path from frustration and guilt toward acceptance. They also focused on independence, fighting services, and varied support. Ask fathers what they need; do not assume one support model fits.
• OTPilot2017Immune biomarkers for the diagnosis of mild traumatic brain injury.NeuroRehabilitationIn 28 people, blood immune-gene patterns separated all 9 TBI patients from all 19 controls, and white blood cell ratios changed over 48 hours. This was a small pilot, not a tested clinical triage test.
• PTOTSLPPilot2017Development and assessment of a hand assist device: GRIPIT.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationFour people with spinal cord injury wrote with GRIPIT, a manual glove that tightens a wire to form a tripod grasp. They reported better writing sensation, less fatigue and clearer letters than with a penholder or their own hand, but found it fiddly to put on.
• PTOTPilot2017Treatment diary for botulinum toxin spasticity treatment: a pilot study.International journal of rehabilitation research. Internationale Zeitschrift fur Rehabilitationsforschung. Revue internationale de recherches de readaptationTen patients using a paper diary between botulinum toxin injections reported feeling more involved in their care. Most found it worth the time, though some struggled with instructions. The diary helps track spasticity effects but has not yet been proven to improve clinical outcomes.
• OTMeta-Analysis2017Planning Skills in Autism Spectrum Disorder Across the Lifespan: A Meta-analysis and Meta-regression.Journal of autism and developmental disordersPeople with autism spectrum disorder performed worse on planning tasks than typically developing people, across 50 studies. The difficulty did not vary clearly by age, task format, or intelligence. Missing studies may mean the gap is smaller.
• PTOTSystematic Review2017Interactive wearable systems for upper body rehabilitation: a systematic review.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationMost included wearable upper-body rehab systems track motion and give visual feedback, but only three had clinical trials. Do not assume they improve movement or function; evidence is still mainly technical and usability.
• OTRCT2017The effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on depression, visual perception, and activities of daily living in stroke patients.Journal of physical therapy scienceThe rTMS group had lower depression scores and higher visual perception and ADL scores over 4 weeks, but the control group also improved by week 8. All 44 stroke patients with unilateral neglect also received conventional rehabilitation, so rTMS was not shown to work alone.
• OTSLPCase Report2017Developmental Regression, Depression, and Psychosocial Stress in an Adolescent with Down Syndrome.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBPIn an adolescent with Down syndrome and intellectual disability, function improved after antidepressant treatment, CPAP for sleep apnea, and school environment change. No single component can be credited.
• PTOTRCT2017Competitive and cooperative arm rehabilitation games played by a patient and unimpaired person: effects on motivation and exercise intensity.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationCompeting with an unimpaired person raised arm movement speed. It also raised enjoyment mainly in patients who liked competition. Cooperating did not raise movement speed. Competition was not more stressful than exercising alone.
• PTOTOther2017Nonlinear mixed-effects model reveals a distinction between learning and performance in intensive reach training post-stroke.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationDuring intensive reach training after stroke, movement slowing can hide learning. In 16 people, a method that separated learning from fatigue-like worsening predicted one-month reach gains, while total performance change did not.
• PTOTSLPCohort2017Trajectories of Functional Change After Inpatient Rehabilitation for Traumatic Brain Injury.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationMost TBI patients improved after inpatient rehab, but 8% stayed low and gained little. Older age was linked to a lower motor group, while Black or Hispanic ethnicity and longer wait were linked to lower groups. This flags prognosis, not proof of treatment.
• PTOTOther2017Stroke Lesions in a Large Upper Limb Rehabilitation Trial Cohort Rarely Match Lesions in Common Preclinical Models.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairICARE did not show a difference in its main motor outcome between rehabilitation groups. The analyzed strokes were small, and common cortical models captured 16% of participants; a subcortical model captured 33%.
• OTSLPCohort2017In pursuit of neurophenotypes: The consequences of having autism and a big brain.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchBoys with autism and very large brains were more likely to have IQ under 70 and low language by age 5, while autism severity scores were similar.
• OTSLPRCT2017Problem-Solving After Traumatic Brain Injury in Adolescence: Associations With Functional Outcomes.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationMaladaptive problem-solving style was associated with worse everyday functioning and self-reported impairment in adolescents after TBI. Severe and moderate TBI did not differ on problem-solving measures. The total problem-solving score was higher despite lower rational problem-solving.
• PTOTRCT2017Rehabilitation of hand function after spinal cord injury using a novel handgrip device: a pilot study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationGrip strength and independence scores did not show clear improvement, but task accuracy rose from 9.01% to 21.7%. The weekly handgrip protocol was feasible in 17 chronic cervical SCI subjects.
• PTOTOther2017Differences in attention, hand dexterity, and lower extremity activities in the presence or absence of a time limit.Journal of physical therapy scienceHealthy college students scored higher on a trail-making task and completed more pegboards and sit-to-stand cycles when their own previous time was imposed as a limit. This tested simple tasks in healthy adults, not stroke rehabilitation.
• PTOTOther2017Effects of measurement posture and stimulation intensity on the nociceptive flexion reflex (RIII reflex).Journal of physical therapy scienceSitting required less electrical current to trigger the leg withdrawal reflex than lying prone. However, participants reported feeling more pain in the prone position despite needing stronger stimulation. The reflex muscle response size depended only on how strong the stimulation was, not on the body position used.
• OTOther2017The Psychometric Properties of a New Measure of Sensory Behaviors in Autistic Children.Journal of autism and developmental disordersParents' reports on the Sensory Behavior Questionnaire captured sensory behaviors and their daily-life impact in autistic children. Scores separated autistic children from typical peers and added information beyond the Short Sensory Profile.
• OTCohort2017Participation in recreational activities buffers the impact of perceived stress on quality of life in adults with autism spectrum disorder.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchIn adults with autism, higher perceived stress was linked to lower quality of life. The link was weaker for adults taking part in recreational activities at least weekly; social activities did not show this pattern.
• PTOTCase Report2017Overground vs. treadmill-based robotic gait training to improve seated balance in people with motor-complete spinal cord injury: a case report.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationOverground robotic gait training (Ekso) engaged trunk muscles and improved seated balance in three people with motor-complete spinal cord injury. Treadmill-based training (Lokomat) did not engage trunk muscles or improve seated balance.
• OTSLPOther2017Emotion Perception Mediates the Predictive Relationship Between Verbal Ability and Functional Outcome in High-Functioning Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersIn high-functioning adults with autism, better emotion perception and verbal fluency were linked with better adaptive functioning. Emotion perception was part of the link between verbal ability and everyday functioning.
• OTPilot2017Body-Machine Interface Enables People With Cervical Spinal Cord Injury to Control Devices With Available Body Movements: Proof of Concept.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairWith practice, eight people with cervical spinal cord injury learned to move a computer cursor using remaining shoulder movements, becoming faster and more accurate in a small proof of concept study.
• OTSurvey2017Disparities in receipt of family planning services by disability status: New estimates from the National Survey of Family Growth.Disability and health journalIn a national survey, women with disabilities reported receiving any family planning service less often than women without disabilities, especially those aged 25-44, unmarried, with prior births, non-Hispanic Black, or lower income.