TOPIC

Mental health research

Everything we have read on mental health. Each paper is summarised from the full article rather than its abstract, so the limitations are in there too, and the funding wherever the paper declares it.

2,018 PAPERS · PAGE 13 OF 41 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTSLPOther2020Spirituality and outcomes in caregivers of persons with traumatic brain injury (TBI).Rehabilitation psychologyCaregivers with a stronger sense of life purpose and meaning coped better with the stress of caring for someone with severe brain injury. This existential well-being buffered the negative impact of the patient's disability on the caregiver's mental health more effectively than religious well-being did.
• OTSLPOther2020Assessing vigilance in caregivers after traumatic brain injury: TBI-CareQOL Caregiver Vigilance.Rehabilitation psychologyA new 6-item questionnaire measures the constant alertness caregivers of people with brain injury feel. It takes less than a minute to complete and reliably scores how much vigilance is impairing the caregiver's quality of life, distinguishing those caring for individuals with more severe disability.
• PTOTOther2020Financial difficulty in community-dwelling persons with lower limb loss is associated with reduced self-perceived health and wellbeing.Prosthetics and orthotics internationalPeople with lower limb loss who struggle to pay bills reported much greater difficulty working and doing daily activities due to physical and emotional problems. Financial difficulty was not linked to differences in physical function, pain, vitality, or mental health scores.
• PTOTSLPCohort2020Severity of Traumatic Brain Injury in Older Adults and Risk of Ischemic Stroke and Depression.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationIn older adults with traumatic brain injury, high injury severity was associated with a much higher risk of ischemic stroke but not depression. Stroke risk was 6.68 times higher in the severe group. This suggests monitoring for stroke, not mood, based on injury severity.
• OTSystematic Review2020Return to Work for Mental Ill-Health: A Scoping Review Exploring the Impact and Role of Return-to-Work Coordinators.Journal of occupational rehabilitationEvidence on return-to-work coordinators for mental health is sparse. Coordinators did not consistently improve return-to-work rates and sometimes took longer than conventional care. Their specific strategies are poorly described, and no study checked if mental health itself improved.
• PTOTQualitative2020Examining daily physical activity in community-dwelling adults with stroke using social cognitive theory: an exploratory, qualitative study.Disability and rehabilitationStroke survivors valued independence above all else. They built confidence by mastering small tasks. They managed barriers by planning and tracking steps. Family support helped, but overprotectiveness was a major barrier. Therapists should help patients negotiate boundaries with family to maintain autonomy.
• OTCohort2020The Predictive Value of Return to Work Self-efficacy for Return to Work Among Employees with Cancer Undergoing Chemotherapy.Journal of occupational rehabilitationBelief in one's ability to return to work did not predict actual return to work in employees with cancer undergoing chemotherapy. Once sex and treatment intent were accounted for, this self-efficacy score added no predictive value. Sex and palliative treatment were the stronger predictors.
• OTQualitative2020Severity of military traumatic brain injury influences caregiver health-related quality of life.Rehabilitation psychologyCaregivers of service members with moderate, severe, or penetrating brain injury described higher stress, less personal time, and family strain than caregivers of those with mild or uncertain severity. This was in 30 caregivers.
• PTOTSLPOther2020Factors associated with depressive symptoms of carepartners of stroke survivors after discharge from rehabilitation therapy.Topics in stroke rehabilitationStroke caregivers with more depressive symptoms provided less autonomy support to survivors during home exercises. Depression was also linked to higher fatigue, worse family functioning, and more survivor memory problems. These associations were found in a small group of mostly white, educated spouses.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2020Job Crafting Among American Workers with Disabilities.Journal of occupational rehabilitationWorkers with disabilities reported lower rates of job crafting than the general population, particularly in social and task domains. However, those with higher education or adult-onset disabilities showed specific patterns of engagement, suggesting tailored strategies are needed to support workplace adaptation.
• OTQualitative2021Disclosure, Privacy and Workplace Accommodation of Episodic Disabilities: Organizational Perspectives on Disability Communication-Support Processes to Sustain Employment.Journal of occupational rehabilitationWorkplace support staff often label episodic disabilities as performance issues when symptoms are invisible or unpredictable. They struggle to balance privacy laws with the need for health information, leaving supervisors and co-workers excluded from accommodation plans and creating interpersonal tension.
• PTOTSLPCohort2020Relationship Satisfaction and Depression After Traumatic Brain Injury: An Actor-Partner Interdependence Model of Patients and Caregivers in Mexico and Colombia.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationHigher relationship satisfaction during hospitalization predicted lower depression two months later for both patients and caregivers. Caregiver depression at two months also predicted lower relationship satisfaction at four months. These links were strongest when patients reported high satisfaction.
• OTSurvey2020Do emotional distress and functional problems in persons with traumatic brain injury contribute to perceived sleep-related impairment in caregivers?Rehabilitation psychologyCaregivers of service members and veterans with traumatic brain injury reported more sleep impairment than civilian caregivers. In civilian dyads, patient thinking and arm function were linked to caregiver sleep impairment; in military dyads, patient anger was linked.
• PTOTOther2020Digital Phenotyping to Quantify Psychosocial Well-Being Trajectories After Spinal Cord Injury.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationSmartphone surveys and GPS tracking were feasible in 43 wheelchair users with spinal cord injury, but newly injured adults dropped out more. Depression was linked to lower social participation; community mobility relationships varied by person.
• PTOTSLPRCT2020Biopsychosocial intervention for stroke carers (BISC): results of a feasibility randomised controlled trial and nested qualitative interview study.Clinical rehabilitationA biopsychosocial intervention for stroke carers was feasible but not tested for efficacy. Carers valued peer support and flexibility, but struggled to attend group sessions due to competing demands. One-to-one delivery had better attendance.
• PTOTOther2020Health literacy, health outcomes, and the caregiver role in traumatic brain injury.Rehabilitation psychologyTwenty-one percent of TBI caregivers had low health literacy. These caregivers reported more burden, less satisfaction with the relationship, and poorer physical health, but no differences in mental health or caregiving ideology.
• PTOTSLPMeta-Analysis2021Effectiveness of non-pharmacological interventions for treating post-stroke depressive symptoms: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Topics in stroke rehabilitationNon-drug therapies slightly reduced post-stroke depression overall. Music therapy and psychosocial therapy showed small-to-medium benefits, while exercise and multifactorial interventions did not. These effects were small, so these therapies should complement, not replace, standard care.
• PTOTSLPCohortEvaluating the Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Relationships Predicting Suicidal Ideation Following Traumatic Brain Injury.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationSuicidal thoughts after brain injury were linked to depression, substance misuse, and injury severity. Injury severity predicted these thoughts even when depression was absent. Screen all patients for suicidal thoughts, not just those with diagnosed depression.
• PTOTSLPCohort2021Emerging health challenges for children with physical disabilities and their parents during the COVID-19 pandemic: The ECHO French survey.Annals of physical and rehabilitation medicineDuring lockdown, rehabilitation services were massively interrupted, leaving parents to deliver therapy at home. This caused a heavy mental load for families and led to negative effects on children's morale, behavior, and physical activity levels.
• OTSurvey2021Loneliness, social support, social isolation and wellbeing among working age adults with and without disability: Cross-sectional study.Disability and health journalWorking-age adults with disability reported more loneliness, less support and more isolation than adults without disability. Loneliness was linked to lower life satisfaction, worth, happiness and wellbeing, more strongly than low support or isolation.
• PTOTSLPCohort2021Ecological Momentary Assessment of Social Interactions: Associations With Depression, Anxiety, Pain, and Fatigue in Individuals With Mild Stroke.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationIn 48 people with mild stroke, higher momentary fatigue and depressed mood were linked to lower social confidence and satisfaction. Better social interactions predicted lower fatigue and mood symptoms hours later, while social success unexpectedly predicted increased pain at the next check-in.
• OTCohort2020Sleep Problems and Trajectories of Restricted and Repetitive Behaviors in Children with Neurodevelopmental Disabilities.Journal of autism and developmental disordersChildren with autism or developmental delay who had more parent-reported sleep problems at age 4 showed higher sameness, ritual, and compulsive behavior trajectories through early childhood. This was a link, not proof that poor sleep caused the behaviors.
• PTOTSLPCohort2021Tolerability and psychological effects of a multimodal day-care rehabilitation program for persons with Huntington's disease.Journal of rehabilitation medicinePeople with Huntington's disease who completed an 8-week multimodal day-care rehabilitation programme reported less anxiety and depression and better self-rated health. The study was small and uncontrolled, so it cannot show the programme caused these changes.
• PTOTRCT2021The effect of an integrated multidisciplinary rehabilitation programme for patients with chronic low back pain: Long-term follow up of a randomised controlled trial.Clinical rehabilitationAt one year, an integrated multidisciplinary rehabilitation programme did not reduce back-specific disability more than a four-week inpatient programme for chronic low back pain. Both groups improved, but the integrated programme was not shown to be superior.
• PTOTOther2021Subgroups of Long-Term Sick-Listed Based on Prognostic Return to Work Factors Across Diagnoses: A Cross-Sectional Latent Class Analysis.Journal of occupational rehabilitationLong-term sick-listed workers fell into four distinct groups based on return-to-work factors, not their medical diagnosis. One group had low symptoms and high work ability. Another had high anxiety and low self-efficacy. A third had poor scores across all areas. The fourth had pain and poor workplace adjustments.
• PTOTSLPCohort2021Distress, Work Satisfaction, and Work Ability are Mediators of the Relation Between Psychosocial Working Conditions and Mental Health-Related Long-Term Sickness Absence.Journal of occupational rehabilitationWorkers facing high emotional demands and work-family conflict were more likely to go on long-term mental health sick leave. This link was driven by distress. Supportive resources like learning opportunities and co-worker support lowered this risk, mediated by work satisfaction and ability.
• OTCohort2021Cognitive and emotional symptoms in patients with first-ever mild stroke: The syndrome of hidden impairments.Journal of rehabilitation medicineOne year after mild stroke, 67% of 117 patients had at least one abnormal cognitive test score and 43% had at least one abnormal emotional score. Only 18% had no detectable deficit.
• OTQualitative2021Roles, Facilitators and Challenges of Employment Support Specialists Assisting Young People with Mental Health Conditions.Journal of occupational rehabilitationEmployment support specialists, including occupational therapists, described roles beyond job placement, such as profiling, coaching, employer education and disclosure decisions. They viewed client-centered relationships, support networks and employer understanding as key, while stigma and limited jobs constrained placements.
• OTQualitative2020Experiences of service users with a mild intellectual disability or borderline intellectual functioning with Flexible Assertive Community Treatment: A qualitative study.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDFifteen people with mild intellectual disability or borderline intellectual functioning described FACT as helpful because teams stayed involved, were available, respected autonomy, and helped with practical needs. Some were disappointed about housing or felt restricted.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2021Impact of COVID-19 on people with physical disabilities: A rapid review.Disability and health journalPeople with physical disabilities faced major disruptions to care, including suspended physiotherapy and transportation barriers. While some reported worse sleep and mood, others showed resilience or even improved sexual satisfaction. No single consistent pattern of harm emerged across the small number of studies.
• OTCohort2020Atypical Development of Attentional Control Associates with Later Adaptive Functioning, Autism and ADHD Traits.Journal of autism and developmental disordersA plateaued parent-reported attention trajectory between 10 and 25 months was associated with higher autism and ADHD traits and lower adaptive functioning at age 3. Most infants later diagnosed with autism showed typical attention development.
• PTOTSLPOther2021Strategies for Research, Practice, and Policy for Autism in Later Life: A Report from a Think Tank on Aging and Autism.Journal of autism and developmental disordersA think tank of 27 people, including autistic adults, identified gaps in care for aging autistic individuals. They recommended adapting existing community programs and training long-term care staff, rather than creating new silos, to address sensory and social needs.
• OTSLPCohort2020Work, living, and the pursuit of happiness: Vocational and psychosocial outcomes for young adults with autism.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceYoung adults with autism and lower verbal IQ had worse work, living, friendships, and daily living skills than higher-IQ autistic and never-ASD adults. Higher-IQ autistic adults were similar to never-ASD adults, except poorer daily living skills and quality of life.
• OTSLPOther2021Brief Report: Social Anxiety in Autism Spectrum Disorder is Based on Deficits in Social Competence.Journal of autism and developmental disordersHigh-functioning adults with autism reported social anxiety levels comparable to those with social anxiety disorder, but showed significantly greater deficits in social competence and information processing. This suggests autistic social anxiety stems from fundamental social skill deficits rather than fear of negative evaluation alone.
• PTOTSLPNarrative Review2020Parents' knowledge of their child with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities: An interpretative synthesis.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDParents of children with profound disabilities describe knowing their child through a physical, intuitive bond. This knowledge is hard to transfer via written logs but can be shared by showing caregivers how to interact or by telling stories, helping them understand the child's needs.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2021The impact of injury: The experiences of children and families after a child's traumatic injury.Clinical rehabilitationInjured children and parents describe discharge as a time when hidden problems surface. Late-onset fatigue, fear of re-injury, and coordination gaps leave families feeling abandoned. Therapists should proactively manage activity restrictions and screen for post-traumatic stress symptoms after hospital discharge.
• PTOTSLPOther2021Identification of Functional Limitations and Discharge Destination in Patients With COVID-19.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationIn patients with COVID-19 matched for age and comorbidities, physical health deficits and being single, divorced or widowed were associated with discharge to an institution rather than home. Rehabilitation therapy was provided to a minority of patients overall.
• OTSurvey2020Dimensions of group home culture as predictors of quality of life outcomes.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDTwo staff-perceived culture dimensions predicted resident outcomes. Better team leadership linked to higher engagement. Staff focus on well-being linked to more community participation. Culture did not predict choice or domestic tasks. These are associations, not proof that changing culture improves outcomes.
• OTCase-Control2020Sensory profiles in adults with and without ADHD.Research in developmental disabilitiesAdults with ADHD reported different sensory processing than matched adults, even after accounting for anxiety or depression. They missed weak stimuli more, were more sensitive to detail, and sought more sensation, but did not report more avoidance.
• OTSLPMeta-Analysis2020The relationship between intolerance of uncertainty and anxiety in autism: A systematic literature review and meta-analysis.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceIntolerance of uncertainty is strongly linked to anxiety in autistic children and young adults. This association is as strong as in neurotypical people. Targeting uncertainty tolerance may help treat anxiety in this group, though current evidence is correlational.
• PTOTSLPOther2021Differential effects of deployment and nondeployment mild TBI on neuropsychological outcomes.Rehabilitation psychologyVeterans with mild TBI during deployment showed lower attention and processing speed than those with non-deployment TBI. However, all group scores remained in the average range. Most veterans with deployment TBI had intact cognition, though PTSD drove stronger behavioral health symptoms.
• OTQualitative2021The meaning of social support for persons with serious mental illness: A family member perspective.Rehabilitation psychologyFamily members said support for someone with serious mental illness meant validating feelings, respecting choices, joining community activities, managing health, and helping with daily living. These are described supports, not proven outcomes.
• OTSLPSurvey2020Short report: Social communication difficulties and restricted repetitive behaviors as predictors of anxiety in adults with autism spectrum disorder.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAmong 742 autistic adults, self-reported repetitive sensory-motor and routine or insistence-on-sameness behaviors were linked to anxiety symptoms. Social communication difficulties were not once these behaviors were considered.
• OTSLPOther2020Autism spectrum disorder/Takiwātanga: An Integrated Data Infrastructure-based approach to autism spectrum disorder research in New Zealand.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceNew Zealand linked data identified 9555 children and young people with autism. The identified group had much higher co-occurring intellectual disability and disruptive behaviours than non-autistic children, but the method likely undercounts cases.
• PTOTSLPRCT2021Return-to-work self-efficacy after occupational rehabilitation for musculoskeletal and common mental health disorders: Secondary outcomes of a randomized clinical trial.Journal of rehabilitation medicineAdding a workplace meeting to standard rehabilitation did not improve return-to-work self-efficacy more than the standard programme alone. However, patients who ended rehabilitation with higher self-efficacy scores had fewer sick leave days in the following year.
• PTOTSLPCohort2020Factors related to physical and mental components of quality of life in the community-dwelling frail older persons.Journal of physical therapy scienceDeclines in physical quality of life were linked to reduced lung function, while declines in mental quality of life were linked to depression and swallowing problems. Therapists should monitor breathing capacity, mood, and swallowing to protect overall well-being.
• PTOTSLPRCT2020A web-based daily care training to improve the quality of life of mothers of children with cerebral palsy: A randomized controlled trial.Research in developmental disabilitiesMothers of children with severe cerebral palsy who added a 12-week web-based care training to routine occupational therapy reported better physical health quality of life and less musculoskeletal pain. Anxiety, depression, and stress did not improve more than with routine care alone.
• OTSLPCase-Control2020Service use by youth with autism within a system-driven implementation of evidence-based practices in children's mental health services.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceYouth with autism in public mental health services received more total claims and longer care than matched peers. They received less psychotherapy but more case management, medication, and crisis services. Behavioral parent training was their most common primary evidence-based practice.
• OTSLPOther2021Assessing Irritability in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Using the Affective Reactivity Index.Journal of autism and developmental disordersThe ARI effectively measures irritability in children with autism. Noncompliance was a stronger predictor of irritability than anxiety. Anxiety only increased irritability in children who did not have high levels of noncompliance.
• OTOther2021Family network typologies of adults with intellectual disability: Associations with psychological outcomes.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDAdults with intellectual disabilities living in supported accommodation fall into four distinct family network types. Those with the smallest, least supportive networks reported the lowest satisfaction with personal relationships and community, yet also displayed the fewest behavioural problems.