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 50 OF 218 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTOther2019Assessment of the effects of a group intervention program used in home-dwelling elderly individuals to promote home exercise and prevent locomotive syndrome.Journal of physical therapy scienceOlder adults who attended every group session showed better walking stride and leg strength at follow-up. Those who missed sessions did not. The study had no comparison group, so it cannot show the program caused the improvements.
• OTQualitative2018Play, Playfulness, and Self-Efficacy: Parental Experiences with Children on the Autism Spectrum.Occupational therapy internationalParents of children on the autism spectrum described play encounters as easier when they followed the child's interests and let the child lead. They felt competent when play brought joy, but found pretend play harder to sustain.
• OTMeta-Analysis2018Cognitive Rehabilitation of Adaptive Behavior in Children with Neurodevelopmental Disorders: A Meta-Analysis.Occupational therapy internationalCognitive rehabilitation programs improved adaptive behavior in children with neurodevelopmental disorders, with a moderate overall benefit across 6 randomized trials of 544 children. The programs differed, so this supports trying cognitive rehabilitation, not one specific method.
• OTSurvey2018Self-reported health conditions and related driving reduction in older drivers.Occupational therapy in health careMusculoskeletal conditions were the most common self-reported reason older drivers reduced driving in the past year. Women were more likely than men to report reducing driving because of health problems. Ask about joint pain, arthritis, and hip or knee replacement.
• OTNarrative Review2018An overview and critique of the Test of Visual Perception Skills - fourth edition (TVPS-4).Hong Kong journal of occupational therapy : HKJOTThe TVPS-4 reliably identifies specific visual perception deficits in children and young adults, but its US-based norms may mislead clinicians outside the United States. It also lacks data on how well it detects change after treatment or scores at extreme high or low ends.
• PTOTQualitative2018Development of the Pediatric Disability Inventory-Patient Reported Outcome (PEDI-PRO) measurement conceptual framework and item candidates.Scandinavian journal of occupational therapyYouth with developmental disabilities could describe difficult functional tasks when tied to familiar everyday situations, such as shopping or working at a job. Researchers used this to draft PEDI-PRO items. The measure is not yet validated.
• OTSystematic Review2018A Systematic Review of Translation and Cross-Cultural Adaptation of Instruments for the Selection of Assistive Technologies.Occupational therapy internationalThe Quebec questionnaire appeared in three of five included assistive technology questionnaire adaptations. Many quality checks were good or excellent, but none was fully checked, so use a version with published adaptation.
• OTSLPCohort2019The Persistence of Self-injurious and Aggressive Behavior in Males with Fragile X Syndrome Over 8 Years: A Longitudinal Study of Prevalence and Predictive Risk Markers.Journal of autism and developmental disordersSelf-injury and aggression were common in males with fragile X syndrome and often persisted for 8 years. Higher repetitive behavior predicted persistent self-injury, while higher impulsivity predicted persistent aggression.
• PTOTOther2019What is the impact of user affect on motor learning in virtual environments after stroke? A scoping review.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationVirtual reality and active video gaming stroke studies often mention motivation, enjoyment, engagement, immersion, or presence, but only 50 of 155 measured them. No study tested whether these experiences were connected to motor learning, so their impact remains unknown.
• PTOTSLPOther2019Sleep problems contribute to post-concussive symptoms in service members with a history of mild traumatic brain injury without posttraumatic stress disorder or major depressive disorder.NeuroRehabilitationIn service members with remote mild TBI, sleep problems were linked to post-concussive symptoms mainly when PTSD or depression was absent. Daytime dysfunction and nighttime disruptions were associated with somatosensory symptoms, not cognitive or balance symptoms.
• OTSLPRCT2019Neurocognitive Driving Rehabilitation in Virtual Environments (NeuroDRIVE): A pilot clinical trial for chronic traumatic brain injury.NeuroRehabilitationDriving simulator performance did not improve more than the wait list after NeuroDRIVE. Working memory, visual search, and self-reported physical functioning did improve more in the treated group, in a small chronic TBI pilot.
• PTOTCohort2019The Association of Motor Skills and Adaptive Functioning in XXY/Klinefelter and XXYY Syndromes.Physical & occupational therapy in pediatricsMales with XXY and XXYY syndromes show specific motor weaknesses in manual dexterity and coordination, with XXYY being more severe. Visual motor skills correlate with adaptive functioning, meaning motor deficits likely impact daily living tasks like dressing and handwriting.
• OTSLPOther2019More Than IQ: Executive Function Explains Adaptive Behavior Above and Beyond Nonverbal IQ in Youth With Autism and Lower IQ.American journal on intellectual and developmental disabilitiesIn 100 youth with autism and lower IQ, parent-reported monitoring of behavior and its effect on others was linked to better communication and, less strongly, socialization after accounting for age and nonverbal IQ. Daily living skills did not show this link.
• OTCohort2019Anti-Hypertensive Medication Use and Factors Related to Adherence Among Adults With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.American journal on intellectual and developmental disabilities49.5% of 1,573 adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities had blood pressure prescriptions on hand for at least 80% of days. Supervised living, Medicaid waiver services, and primary care visits were linked with better adherence.
• PTOTOther2018Cross-Cultural Adaptation, Validity, and Reliability of the Patient-Rated Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire for Thai Patients.Occupational therapy internationalThe Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire is now available in Thai and works reliably for hand injury patients. Scores stay consistent over time, and most domains are internally sound. The aesthetics section is less reliable, so interpret those specific scores with caution.
• OTSurvey2018Evidence-Based Practice in Primary Care Occupational Therapy: A Cross-Sectional Survey in Sweden.Occupational therapy internationalMost Swedish primary care occupational therapists use guidelines frequently, but few search or read research. Lack of time was the biggest barrier. Feeling able to treat by evidence and easy guideline access went with frequent use.
• OTQualitative2018Through the Looking Glass: Parental Group Experiences Observing Sensory Motor Therapy.Occupational therapy internationalParents who watched their children's sensory motor group therapy behind a one-way mirror described feeling supported, less alone, and better able to copy therapist strategies at home. They valued comparing their child with peers and discussing observations with therapists.
• OTSystematic Review2018Occupational Therapy for Adults with Overweight and Obesity: Mapping Interventions Involving Occupational Therapists.Occupational therapy internationalAdults with overweight or obesity in programmes involving occupational therapists often lost weight: eight of 11 studies reported weight loss. Most programmes were multidisciplinary, so occupational therapy alone cannot be separated.
• PTOTPilot2019Post-tuberculosis health-related quality of life, lung function and exercise capacity in a cured pulmonary tuberculosis population in the Breede Valley District, South Africa.The South African journal of physiotherapyCured pulmonary TB patients reported poor quality of life, walked 294.1 m on average, and 48% had abnormal lung function. Mental health scores were worse than physical health scores.
• PTOTCohort2019End-point kinematics using virtual reality explaining upper limb impairment and activity capacity in stroke.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationMovement speed and smoothness from a virtual pointing task tracked some upper limb impairment and activity capacity after stroke, but only partly matched standard clinical scores. Use them as added information, not as a replacement.
• OTSurvey2019Mood Disorders in High-Functioning Autism: The Importance of Alexithymia and Emotional Regulation.Journal of autism and developmental disordersIn adults with autism, autistic symptoms were not directly linked to depression, but were linked to depression and anxiety through difficulty identifying emotions and poorer emotion regulation. This is association, not proof of treatment.
• PTOTSLPOther2019Neurosensory stimulation outdoors enhances cognition recovery in cognitive motor dissociation: A prospective crossover study.NeuroRehabilitationWithin the same individually chosen therapy, outdoor sessions had more voluntary behaviors than indoor sessions on seven items, mainly auditory, visual, motor and swallowing. Communication and attention did not differ. The outdoor setting cannot be separated from the therapy.
• PTOTSLPCohort2019Loss in services precedes high school exit for teens with autism spectrum disorder: A longitudinal study.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchSpeech therapy and occupational therapy declined before and at high school exit for young people with autism. Unmet needs rose at exit. Physical therapy changed little, and service loss differed by intellectual disability status.
• PTOTRCT2019Combining Fluoxetine and rTMS in Poststroke Motor Recovery: A Placebo-Controlled Double-Blind Randomized Phase 2 Clinical Trial.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairCombining low-frequency rTMS with fluoxetine improved hand function speed significantly more than either fluoxetine or placebo alone. However, the fluoxetine-only group actually performed worse than the placebo group. The benefit likely came from rTMS overcoming potential negative effects of the drug, not from synergy.
• PTOTSLPOther2019Comparison of foot kinetics and kinematics during gait initiation between young and elderly participants.Journal of physical therapy scienceElderly participants walked slower with shorter strides and showed significantly lower foot joint movement, moment, and power during gait initiation compared to young participants. The reduction in mechanical output was most pronounced in the toe and midfoot joints.
• OTOther2019Egocentric video: a new tool for capturing hand use of individuals with spinal cord injury at home.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA head-mounted video system detected hand-object interactions in nine people with cervical spinal cord injury. Its interaction counts and durations tracked human observer labels moderately well, but it was tested in a simulated lab, not real homes.
• OTOther2019Reliability of Informant-Report Measures of Executive Functioning in Children With Down Syndrome.American journal on intellectual and developmental disabilitiesMany school-age children with Down syndrome were rated by parents and teachers as having clinically concerning executive functioning, especially working memory and monitoring. Their ratings did not agree strongly, so home and school views are both useful.
• OTCohort2018Prediction of changes in functional ability of inpatients with schizophrenia using logarithmic and linear regression modelling.Hong Kong journal of occupational therapy : HKJOTFor inpatients with schizophrenia, functional ability ratings by occupational therapists at therapy start and one month predicted discharge scores better with a curved recovery model than with a straight line.
• OTSurvey2018Facilitators and Barriers of Assistive Technology and Learning Environment for Children with Special Needs.Occupational therapy internationalStudents with different disabilities saw the same assistive technology and school environment as help or barrier. Wheelchairs were seen as helpful for students with physical disability, while slopes were seen as barriers for students with visual disability. Check each child's needs before choosing equipment.
• OTCase-Control2019Differences in the occupational therapy goals of clients and therapists affect the outcomes of patients in subacute rehabilitation wards: a case-control study.Journal of physical therapy scienceClients whose goals matched their therapist's had higher motor function at discharge. However, total independence scores were not significantly different. Clients who felt they received a clear explanation of goals had higher total function scores, regardless of whether the goals actually matched.
• OTSLPQualitative2019Mapping the Autistic Advantage from the Accounts of Adults Diagnosed with Autism: A Qualitative Study.Autism in adulthoodAutistic adults described focus, memory, attention to detail and honesty as helpful, but the same traits often caused problems depending on context, control and others' views.
• OTOther2018Temporal differences in eye-hand coordination between children and adults during manual action on objects.Hong Kong journal of occupational therapy : HKJOTEight-year-olds rely more on vision than adults when handling objects. They keep their eyes on the task longer because their touch-based feedback system is less developed. This suggests therapists should assess somatosensory processing, not just visual-motor skills, in children with coordination difficulties.
• OTQualitative2018Perspectives of caregivers and volunteers on Stepping Stones for people with dementia.Hong Kong journal of occupational therapy : HKJOTCaregivers and volunteers described Stepping Stones as a comfortable group where people with dementia made friends, felt accepted, and did graded activities. Caregivers valued the parallel support group and having a shared topic at home.
• OTOther2018Reliability and validity of the self-reported Activities of Daily Living Scale for people with mental illness.Hong Kong journal of occupational therapy : HKJOTA shortened self-reported daily living scale appears to classify people with mental illness into four independence levels. It was not tested in severe illness, and six original items were dropped.
• OTPilot2018Effect of occupation-based interventions in patients with haematopoietic malignancies undergoing chemotherapy: A pilot randomised controlled trial.Hong Kong journal of occupational therapy : HKJOTPatients with haematopoietic malignancies undergoing chemotherapy who received occupation-based therapy using the ADOC activity tool had better emotional well-being and overall quality of life than those receiving impairment-based therapy. Strength, balance, walking and daily activities did not improve clearly.
• OTRCT2018A Feasibility RCT Evaluating a Play-Informed, Caregiver-Implemented, Home-Based Intervention to Improve the Play of Children Who Are HIV Positive.Occupational therapy internationalA caregiver-led home play programme did not improve playfulness scores more than standard one-on-one therapy. The main finding was that children with HIV struggled most with shared control and pretend play, despite being motivated to engage.
• PTOTOther2019The "Beam-Me-In Strategy" - remote haptic therapist-patient interaction with two exoskeletons for stroke therapy.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationFifteen therapists used two linked exoskeleton robots to feel simulated stroke impairments in their own arms. They reliably distinguished healthy from severely affected movement patterns. This haptic feedback let them assess range of motion and muscle tone remotely, though accuracy varied by task.
• PTOTSLPCohort2019Complexity based measures of postural stability provide novel evidence of functional decline in fragile X premutation carriers.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationIn young female premutation carriers, standard balance measures showed no difference from controls. Complexity analysis suggested lower sway adaptability during a working memory task, but this did not reach significance. A strong link between genetic repeat length and sway complexity was observed.
• PTOTSurvey2019Self-Efficacy, Self-Regulation, Social Support, and Outcomes Expectations for Daily Physical Activity in Adults with Chronic Stroke: A Descriptive, Exploratory Study.Occupational therapy in health careAmbulatory chronic stroke survivors reported high confidence and positive expectations for daily physical activity, but low use of self-regulation and social support. These patterns point to planning, routines, and social help as possible areas for support.
• OTOther2019Work-related injuries within a large urban public school system in the Mid-Western United States.Work (Reading, Mass.)No significant overall injury trend change was found for 2014 and 2015. Slip, trip and fall and combative situations were most common among 598 reported school district injuries, and facility workers had the most severe injury burden.
• OTOther2019Effects of the Computer Desk Level on the Musculoskeletal Discomfort of Neck and Upper Extremities and EMG Activities in Patients with Spinal Cord Injuries.Occupational therapy internationalIn 12 wheelchair users with spinal cord injury, self-rated neck and arm discomfort changed with desk height by injury level: higher desk lowered discomfort for C6, lower desk lowered discomfort for T2-T6. EMG muscle activity did not change.
• OTOther2019Slip resistance and wearability of safety footwear used on icy surfaces for outdoor municipal workers.Work (Reading, Mass.)Only one of 45 winter footwear models tested reached the 7-degree slip-resistance threshold on ice. The others did not meet this threshold, and no single model combined slip resistance with warmth, comfort, weight, and cost needs.
• OTOther2019Investigation of observational methods assessing workload of static working postures based on surface electromyography.Work (Reading, Mass.)OWAS and EN 1005-4 posture ratings matched some muscles but not others in 24 young adults holding static postures. OWAS did not track deltoid muscles; EN 1005-4 shoulder zones tracked erector spinae and lower trapezius.
• OTSurvey2019Active Ageing Level and Time Use of Elderly Persons in a Thai Suburban Community.Occupational therapy internationalOlder adults in a Thai community school had moderate active ageing overall. Those with higher active ageing spent more time in leisure, social activities, and outdoors with others. Rest and sleep took the largest part of the day.
• OTOther2019Upper Extremity Function Assessment Using a Glove Orthosis and Virtual Reality System.OTJR : occupation, participation and healthA sensor-equipped glove tracking hand movements during virtual tasks correlates strongly with the Wolf Motor Function Test in stroke survivors. This suggests the software can validly monitor upper limb motor status during therapy without requiring separate clinical assessments.
• OTCase Series2019Vocational evaluation and vocational guidance for young people with a history of drug abuse.Work (Reading, Mass.)In 17 young people recovering from drug use, many were ready for entry-level work but were unclear about career choices. Detailed vocational assessment gave concrete strengths and gaps to guide job planning.
• PTOTRCT2019Forced, Not Voluntary, Aerobic Exercise Enhances Motor Recovery in Persons With Chronic Stroke.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairIn 40 adults with chronic stroke, forced aerobic cycling plus upper limb task practice improved Fugl-Meyer scores by 11 points, versus 6 with voluntary cycling plus task practice and 9 with education plus task practice. The forced group improved most.
• OTSystematic Review2019Effectiveness of paediatric occupational therapy for children with disabilities: A systematic review.Australian occupational therapy journalTop-down, activity-based interventions like CO-OP and CIMT have strong evidence for children with disabilities, while bottom-up approaches like NDT and sensory integration lack it. Parent-led home programs are as effective as therapist-delivered care.
• OTSLPCohort2019Can the stroke impact scale 3.0 detect cognitive impairments in patients with a recent stroke?Journal of physical therapy scienceAfter stroke rehab, 41 older survivors using the Stroke Impact Scale reported trouble with memory, concentration and everyday problem solving, and many reported low mood items. The scale flagged concerns, but the study did not prove it detects cognitive impairment.
• OTOther2019Canadian Occupational Performance Measure Supported by Talking Mats: An Evaluation of the Clinical Utility.Occupational therapy internationalFor six clients with cognitive and communication problems after brain injury, adding Talking Mats to the COPM helped most identify and rate daily activity problems, especially early steps. One client was less engaged and reflective. Use it selectively.