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 20 OF 41 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTSLPSurvey2022Association Between Self-Reported Disability and Lifetime History of Traumatic Brain Injury With Loss of Consciousness Among Veterans and Nonveterans in North Carolina.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationVeterans and nonveterans reporting a lifetime history of traumatic brain injury with loss of consciousness had higher rates of current disability. Cognitive, independent living, and vision disabilities showed the strongest associations. This identifies a group needing careful functional assessment, but does not prove the injury caused the disability.
• OTQualitative2022"I Felt Supported by the Peers in My Group": Analyzing Experiences of Youths with Mental Health Challenges of a Supported Employment Program in Canada.Journal of occupational rehabilitationYoung adults with mental illness described a 16-week supported employment program as most helpful for building daily routines and peer connections that lasted beyond the course. They found the job application process and workplace stigma remained major barriers after the program ended, suggesting continued support is needed.
• PTOTSLPOther2023Views of in-person and virtual group exercise before and during the pandemic in people with Parkinson disease.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationPeople with Parkinson disease who moved from in-person to virtual group exercise reported maintaining or improving mobility and balance. They valued the social connection and convenience of Zoom classes, though few had been referred to the program by a doctor.
• OTOther2022Demographic Covariates, Vocational Rehabilitation Services, and Employment Outcomes of Working-Age Adults with Anxiety Disorders: A Multivariate Logistic Regression Analysis.Journal of occupational rehabilitationOnly 38.4% of adults with anxiety disorders in U.S. vocational rehabilitation records achieved competitive employment. Higher education, counseling, maintenance, or other services were linked to employment; supported employment and transportation were linked to lower employment.
• PTOTSystematic Review2022Transcranial direct current stimulation in the management of phantom limb pain: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineAnodal tDCS over the primary motor cortex significantly reduced phantom limb pain intensity in adults with amputation. Multi-session protocols (5-10 sessions) provided longer-lasting relief than single sessions. The effect was seen in both upper and lower limb amputees, regardless of how long ago the amputation occurred.
• PTOTSurvey2022Perceived impacts of COVID-19 on wellbeing among US working-age adults with ADL difficulty.Disability and health journalWorking-age adults with severe difficulty in daily activities reported much higher rates of COVID-19 infection, hospitalization, and worsened physical health than those without. They also reported more strain on family relationships, but no significant difference in financial impacts or ability to see a doctor.
• OTSLPQualitative2023Learning to flourish in a new reality: a thematic analysis of couples' experience of participation in a positive psychology intervention post-stroke.Disability and rehabilitationCouples after stroke described ReStoreD activities as giving them ways to notice feelings, slow down, spend intentional time together, and talk about difficult things. Some care-partners felt sadder seeing what they missed, so it is not a relationship fix.
• PTOTSLPNarrative Review2023Why Questionnaire Scores Are Not Measures: A Question-Raising Article.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationQuestionnaire scores are counts of behaviors, not true measures of ability. A higher score does not guarantee a patient has more of the trait being tested. Clinicians should treat raw scores as rough approximations, not precise metrics, when judging patient progress or comparing groups.
• PTOTSLPRCT2022Post stroke intervention trial in fatigue (POSITIF): Randomised multicentre feasibility trial.Clinical rehabilitationTelephone-delivered CBT for post-stroke fatigue showed no significant benefit over a leaflet at six months. Both groups improved similarly. The intervention was feasible to deliver but adherence was low, with only 59% of the intervention group attending four or more sessions.
• PTOTSLPRCT2022Barriers to Enrollment in Post-Stroke Brain Stimulation in a Racially and Ethnically Diverse Population.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairOnly 1.9% of acute stroke patients qualified for a brain stimulation trial. Most exclusions were due to strict study criteria like prior strokes or age, not safety concerns. This suggests future trials need broader eligibility to improve enrollment rates.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2022Supporting Sexual Functioning and Satisfaction During Rehabilitation after Spinal Cord Injury: Barriers and Facilitators Identified by Healthcare Professionals.Journal of rehabilitation medicineHealthcare professionals identified awkwardness and lack of training as key barriers to discussing sexual health in spinal injury rehab. They recommended normalizing the topic through standardized assessments, creating sex-focused patient resources, and actively including partners in care.
• OTSurvey2023Initial Evidence for Reliable and Valid Use of Scores on the 8-Item Econ-QOL Short Form to Measure Economic Quality of Life in Caregivers of Persons With Traumatic Brain Injury.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationThe 8-item Econ-QOL short form seems a dependable way to ask caregivers of persons with TBI about economic quality of life. It identified caregivers below or possibly below the poverty line as having worse economic well-being.
• OTSurvey2023Positive Organizational Psychology Factors as Serial Multiple Mediators of the Relationship between Organization Support and Job Satisfaction Among Peer Support Specialists.Journal of occupational rehabilitationPerceived organizational support was linked to higher job satisfaction in peer support specialists, but this link was fully explained by three workplace factors: autonomous motivation, work engagement, and organizational commitment. Direct support alone did not predict satisfaction once these factors were accounted for.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022Association Between Anxiety Symptoms, Depression Symptoms, and Life Satisfaction Among Individuals 1 Year After Spinal Cord Injury: Findings From the SCIRehab Project.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationAnxiety symptoms alone did not predict life satisfaction once depression was considered. However, depression moderated the link, meaning anxiety became significant when interacting with depression levels. Clinicians should monitor both anxiety and depression together to understand quality of life after spinal cord injury.
• PTOTCohort2022Return-to-Work Following Occupational Rehabilitation for Long COVID: Descriptive Cohort Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesOnly 53% of workers with long COVID returned to work after rehabilitation, and 93% of those who did required modified duties. Having modified duties available at admission was the strongest predictor of returning to work. Symptoms improved modestly, but function and PTSD did not.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022Factors influencing the length of stay in a unit with mixed rehabilitation and psychiatric care after a suicide attempt by jumping: a cohort observational retrospective study.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineLonger hospital stays after suicide jumps were driven by physical severity, not just psychiatric diagnosis. Patients with longer acute care stays, continence issues, or sphincter disorders stayed significantly longer. Behavioral dependence and unemployment also predicted longer stays. Arm mobility limits were linked to shorter stays.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022Translation, cross-cultural adaptation, and validation of the Italian version of the Synkinesis Assessment Questionnaire in individuals with peripheral facial palsy.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineThe Italian Synkinesis Assessment Questionnaire is reliable and valid for patients with facial palsy. A change in score must be at least 14 points to reflect true improvement, helping clinicians distinguish real recovery from measurement error.
• PTOTSLPOther2022Perceived Community Participation and Associated Factors in People With Stroke.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationCommunity participation after stroke is strongly linked to supportive environments, and moderately linked to less depression, less fatigue, and better mobility. Rehabilitation should address these non-neurologic factors and environmental barriers, not just physical function.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023Psychological and Cognitive Functioning Among Patients Receiving Outpatient Rehabilitation for Post-COVID Sequelae: An Observational Study.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationAmong patients seeking outpatient rehabilitation for post-COVID symptoms, severe anxiety, depression, PTSD, and cognitive impairment were common. Poverty and Black race were strongly linked to worse psychological and cognitive outcomes, while acute infection severity predicted depression and cognitive issues but not PTSD.
• PTOTOther2022Mental health problems among adolescents and young adults with childhood-onset physical disabilities: A scoping review.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesDepression, anxiety and social difficulties were the most common concerns mapped among adolescents and young adults with physical disabilities, but reported rates varied widely and few people received mental health care. Stigma, family caregiver mental health, and missing peer or vocational supports shaped access.
• OTSLPSystematic Review2022Strategies for enhancing social skills of individuals with intellectual disability: A systematic review.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesSome social skills interventions improved participants' skills, but gains often did not generalise. For intellectual disability, no single approach is proven, so clinicians should treat any intervention as tentative and monitor real-world use.
• OTSLPCohort2022Exploring Sensory Subgroups in Typical Development and Autism Spectrum Development Using Factor Mixture Modelling.Journal of autism and developmental disordersCaregiver reports on a sensory questionnaire separated autistic children into different patterns. Two more atypical patterns had more anxiety and sleep problems at the first visit; later differences were weaker. It did not test treatment.
• PTOTCohort2022Post-Intensive Care Syndrome Prevalence Six Months after Critical Covid-19: Comparison between First and Second Waves.Journal of rehabilitation medicineSix months after ICU for severe COVID-19, post-intensive care syndrome affected 51.5% in the first wave and 52% in the second wave, with no wave difference. Women and people with diabetes were more likely to have it, and those affected reported worse symptoms.
• OTSLPOther2023The Impact of COVID-19 Restrictions on Psychological Distress in Family Caregivers of Children with Neurodevelopmental Disability in the UK.Journal of autism and developmental disordersCaregivers of children with neurodevelopmental disabilities reported higher psychological distress than those of typically developing children. Distress was linked to child challenging behaviours and coping styles like denial and behavioural disengagement. Caregivers felt unsupported and struggled to explain pandemic rules to children.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022Post-concussive symptoms mediate the relationship between sleep problems and participation restrictions among veterans with mild traumatic brain injury.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesSleep problems link to participation restrictions in veterans with mild TBI, but the path depends on the symptom type. Cognitive symptoms mediate both social and productivity restrictions. Mood symptoms affect only social participation, while vestibular symptoms affect only productivity. Screen for sleep issues to target these specific barriers.
• OTSLPQualitative2023Clothes, Sensory Experiences and Autism: Is Wearing the Right Fabric Important?Journal of autism and developmental disordersTen autistic adults described fabrics as central to their daily comfort, not just aesthetics. They avoided abrasive textures like hessian and spandex, preferring satin and cotton. These choices helped them manage distress and maintain focus in educational settings.
• OTSurvey2023Workplace Mental Health Disclosure, Sustainable Employability and Well-Being at Work: A Cross-Sectional Study Among Military Personnel with Mental Illness.Journal of occupational rehabilitationWhether military personnel disclosed their mental illness to a supervisor did not predict their work well-being. However, those who had a positive experience with that decision, typically due to supervisor support, reported better work ability and lower burnout. Stigma remained a risk.
• OTPilot2022tDCS over the left prefrontal Cortex improves mental flexibility and inhibition in geriatric inpatients with symptoms of depression or anxiety: A pilot randomized controlled trial.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesIn older inpatients with depression or anxiety symptoms, left prefrontal tDCS plus usual physical, occupational, medical, and nursing care showed some gains in cognitive flexibility and inhibition, while working memory and attention did not clearly differ between groups. The trial was a small pilot.
• OTSLPOther2022Self-Determination in Autistic Transition-Aged Youth without Intellectual Disability.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic youth rated their self-determination skills higher than parents did, but both groups agreed that home opportunities exceeded school ones. Fewer executive function problems and less depression linked to better self-reported skills. Discrepancies mean you need both perspectives to plan transitions.
• PTOTSLPRCT2023Actor-partner effects of wellbeing, hope and self-esteem on depression in stroke survivor-caregiver dyads: A randomized controlled trial.Clinical rehabilitationNarrative therapy groups lowered depression in stroke survivors more than standard psychoeducation did. Survivors’ own wellbeing and self-esteem drove their mood, but their caregivers’ depression also tracked with how the survivor felt, so treating the pair as a unit matters.
• PTOTQualitative2022Going for gold: Sports and exercise groups for people with dementia and carers contribute to their well-being.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesPeople with dementia valued safe, non-stigmatising exercise groups for social connection and identity, while carers valued them for respite and peer support. The social and practical aspects mattered more than the physical activity itself for well-being.
• OTSLPCohort2022The Mediating Effects of Alexithymia, Intolerance of Uncertainty, and Anxiety on the Relationship Between Sensory Processing Differences and Restricted and Repetitive Behaviours in Autistic Adults.Journal of autism and developmental disordersSensory processing differences were linked to restricted and repetitive behaviours in autistic adults. This link was partly explained by difficulty identifying emotions and intolerance of uncertainty, but anxiety did not mediate the relationship with insistence on sameness.
• OTSLPCohort2022Heart Rate Variability in Children and Adolescents with Autism, ADHD and Co-occurring Autism and ADHD, During Passive and Active Experimental Conditions.Journal of autism and developmental disordersChildren with ADHD showed signs of low arousal at rest, while those with autism showed high arousal during tasks. Those with both conditions displayed both patterns. Autonomic profiles did not match diagnostic labels alone, suggesting physiological differences cut across diagnoses.
• OTCohort2023Stronger Associations Between Sleep and Mental Health in Adults with Autism: A UK Biobank Study.Journal of autism and developmental disordersSleep problems were not more common in adults with autism than matched controls. However, when sleep efficiency was poor, mental health and wellbeing suffered much more severely in the autism group. This suggests adults with autism are more sensitive to the impact of poor sleep.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022Self-awareness predicts fitness to drive among adults referred to occupational therapy evaluation.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesIn older adults referred for driving evaluation, self-awareness predicted fitness to drive better than cognitive or motor speed. Those deemed unfit significantly overestimated their driving ability, while those deemed fit rated themselves accurately. Assessing this gap helps identify drivers who do not recognize their own errors.
• OTSLPSurvey2022Self-Perceived Quality of Life in Spanish-Speaking Women with Autism Spectrum Disorders.Journal of autism and developmental disordersSpanish-speaking women with autism, formally diagnosed or self-diagnosed, rated their quality of life lower than women without autism. Their lowest areas were relationships, community connection and future security. Scores were similar to men with autism.
• OTCase-Control2022Autism interest intensity in early childhood associates with executive functioning but not reward sensitivity or anxiety symptoms.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceIn young children, intense interests are linked to difficulty shifting attention, but not to reward sensitivity or anxiety. This association held for both autistic and non-autistic children, suggesting that executive function support may help manage interest-related interference regardless of diagnosis.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2022Gastrointestinal concerns in children with autism spectrum disorder: A qualitative study of family experiences.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceParents of children with autism and gut issues often cannot rely on verbal reports of pain. They instead watch for bodily signs like distension or non-verbal behaviors such as leg crossing, irritability, or aggression to detect distress.
• OTSLPCohort2022A prospective study of associations between early fearfulness and perceptual sensitivity and later restricted and repetitive behaviours in infants with typical and elevated likelihood of autism.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceIn infants with and without a family history of autism, higher fearfulness and perceptual sensitivity at 24 months predicted more restricted and repetitive behaviours and social communication difficulties at 36 months. These early temperamental traits were not specific to repetitive behaviours alone.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2022Cognitive impairment, anxiety and depression: a map of Cochrane evidence relevant to rehabilitation for people with post COVID-19 condition.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineCochrane reviews show cognitive training, exercise, and memory rehabilitation can help thinking and mood in stroke, cancer, and dementia. Evidence quality is low to very low. These findings apply to other conditions, not directly to post-COVID-19.
• OTProtocol2022Development of a behavioural intervention for cognitive fatigability in multiple sclerosis: Protocol for a pilot and feasibility study.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesThis paper outlines a plan for an 8-week videoconference program targeting cognitive fatigability in multiple sclerosis. No patients were treated and no results are reported. It describes how researchers will test feasibility before running a larger trial.
• OTSurvey2023Workplace Adjustments for Autistic Employees: What is 'Reasonable'?Journal of autism and developmental disordersEmployees see autism awareness training as the most feasible workplace adjustment, yet few had observed it. While flexible hours and clear expectations were common, staff worried that tailored support might be seen as unfair or require resources they did not have.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023The Moderating Role of Motivation in the Real-Time Associations of Fatigue, Cognitive Complaints, and Pain With Depressed Mood Among Stroke Survivors: An Ecological Momentary Assessment Study.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationFor stroke survivors, feeling tired, in pain, or mentally slow was linked to feeling depressed in the moment. However, doing activities because they were personally meaningful, rather than out of pressure or obligation, weakened this link. Clinicians should support autonomous motivation.
• OTQualitative2023Resilience and Coping Strategies in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAdults with ASD described resilience as adjusting routines, using supports, recognising strengths, and processing trauma, while facing pressure to conform and negative assumptions about abilities.
• OTSLPCohort2022The impact of early stages of COVID-19 on the mental health of autistic adults in the United Kingdom: A longitudinal mixed-methods study.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic adults' mental health did not worsen overall during early lockdown. Anxiety and stress scores fell on average, but individual reactions varied widely. Loss of routine, uncertainty and reduced support predicted decline, while social contact and leisure activities predicted improvement.
• OTSLPSurvey2023Anxiety and Worries of Individuals with Down Syndrome During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Comparative Study in the UK.Journal of autism and developmental disordersCaregivers reported that children with Down syndrome had lower anxiety than those with other special needs, but anxiety still rose significantly during the pandemic. Children with Down syndrome worried less about boredom and finances, but more about social approach, compared to peers.
• PTOTSurvey2022Parent-report health-related quality of life in school-aged children with cerebral palsy: A cross-sectional study.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesPortuguese parents of 68 school-aged children with cerebral palsy reported clinically low quality of life in physical well-being, mood and emotions, autonomy, and bullying compared with European norms. Mobility and cognitive impairment were linked to lower scores.
• OTSLPQualitative2022Music education contributes to development and personal change in young adults with disabilities.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesYoung adults with intellectual disabilities described a three-year music education as building confidence, friendship and new skills. Teachers and staff reported increased participation and well-being. This describes what participants said about the experience. It does not test whether the programme caused these changes.
• PTOTCohort2023Associations Between Adherence to Self-Management Activities and Change in Function and Health Outcomes in the Rehabilitation of Patients with Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases.Journal of rehabilitation medicinePatients with rheumatic diseases who stuck to their self-management plans improved more in pain, fatigue, physical function, and quality of life over a year. Adherence did not predict better mental health or daily living skills. Routines were the hardest activities to keep up.
• OTRCT2023The prevalence of obesity and lifestyle behaviors of parents of youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities.Disability and health journalAbout 81% of parents of adolescents and young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities were overweight or obese, and many ate few fruits and vegetables. Higher fruit and vegetable intake was linked to lower BMI; reported activity was not.