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 29 OF 41 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTSLPQualitative2024Impact of disability-based discrimination in healthcare on parents of children with medical complexity.Developmental medicine and child neurologyParents of children with medical complexity reported that disability-based discrimination in healthcare erodes trust, increases caregiving burden through forced advocacy, and harms parental mental health. Racism and poverty-based discrimination compound these effects.
• OTOther2024Suicide risk in transition-aged autistic youth: The link among executive function, depression, and autistic traits.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAbout one-third of autistic transition-aged youth reported lifetime suicidal thoughts. Depression and everyday executive-function challenges each tracked suicide risk separately. Screening should assess mood and executive-function difficulties.
• OTSLPCohort2025Friendship in Autism Spectrum Disorder Is Related to Diverse Developmental Changes Between Toddlerhood and Adolescence.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAdolescents with ASD who had friends did not show worsening social communication severity and had larger gains in socialization and daily living skills. Those without friends showed worsening social communication severity. School setting, ADHD, and anxiety did not separate the groups.
• OTCohort2024Measurement invariance of the parent-reported Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire in autistic adolescents.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceThe parent-reported Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire did not work as a stable measure of emotional and behavioural difficulties in autistic UK teenagers, or as a comparable measure with non-autistic teenagers. Use it cautiously and alongside autism-specific tools.
• OTSLPOther2025Intolerance of Uncertainty and Anxiety (but not Alexithymia) Mediate the Association Between Autistic Traits and Quality of Life.Journal of autism and developmental disordersIntolerance of uncertainty and anxiety, but not difficulty identifying emotions, explained the link between autistic traits and lower quality of life. This suggests therapists should target coping with uncertainty and anxiety management to improve wellbeing, rather than focusing solely on emotional awareness.
• PTOTSLPOther2024Adverse childhood experiences, subsequent negative life events, and their impact on health in occupational rehabilitation patients: a mixed-methods study.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesHalf of occupational rehab patients reported childhood adversity. Those with past abuse faced more adult victimization, financial strain, and relationship conflicts. These patients reported higher anxiety and depression scores than those without childhood trauma, but physical pain complaints did not differ between the groups.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2024How healthcare systems are experienced by autistic adults in the United Kingdom: A meta-ethnography.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic adults in the UK described healthcare professionals often misunderstanding their needs, leading to misdiagnosis or inadequate support. They reported that reducing processing demands through clear, written information, quiet environments, and predictable appointments helped them engage with services.
• OTSystematic Review2025Applicability and Psychometric Properties of General Mental Health Assessment Tools in Autistic People: A Systematic Review.Journal of autism and developmental disordersBroad mental health screeners for autistic people have uneven evidence. Among commonly used tools, the Aberrant Behavior Checklist was best supported; ASEBA and SDQ were less consistent. Match the tool to age, ability, and informant.
• OTOther2025Health, Wellbeing and Empowerment E-workshops for Mothers of Children with Disabilities: A Non-randomised Comparison Study.Journal of autism and developmental disordersMothers of children with disabilities who took part in an online health and wellbeing package reported more health promoting activities than controls. The package combined Zoom workshops, a closed social media group, a website, and an e-workbook, so one part cannot be credited.
• OTQualitative2024Caregiver-centred empowerment for families raising autistic children: A qualitative case study from Argentina.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceIn Argentina, caregivers of autistic children said empowerment meant learning rights, finding peer support and creating local solutions. Poverty, insurance barriers and weak policy implementation often blocked access to services and support.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2025Community Priorities for Outcomes Targeted During Professional Supports for Autistic Children and their Families.Journal of autism and developmental disordersCommunity priorities for autistic children focus on wellbeing and understanding, not changing autistic traits. Practitioners rated reducing sensory seeking and social skills training as inappropriate more often than parents did. All parent-focused outcomes were considered appropriate and medium-to-high priority.
• PTOTSLPRCT2024Therapeutic singing and expiratory muscle strength training in Parkinson's disease: a mixed methods comparison.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesExpiratory muscle strength training and therapeutic singing produced no significant differences in quality of life, depression, or anxiety in people with Parkinson's disease. Both interventions were highly adhered to, but quality of life scores worsened over time regardless of treatment.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2025COVID-19 Pandemic Experiences of Families in Which a Child/Youth Has Autism and Their Service Providers: Perspectives and Lessons Learned.Journal of autism and developmental disordersFamilies and providers described navigating unclear essential service designations and rapid shifts to virtual care. While some found virtual options flexible, providers struggled to engage children remotely. Parents reported increased stress and isolation, though some adapted by using online tools to maintain connections.
• OTSLPOther2025Correlates of Impairment and Growth in Families of Young Autistic Children.Journal of autism and developmental disordersParent-reported child emotion dysregulation, sleep problems, and inflexibility linked to family life impairment more strongly than autism traits alone. Child sleep issues and parent depression drove parental exhaustion, while communication and behavior difficulties hindered community access and childcare.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Chronic conditions among transgender Medicare beneficiaries: Variation by race, ethnicity, and Medicaid dual-enrollment.Disability and health journalTransgender adults on disability Medicare have very high rates of chronic conditions, especially those also on Medicaid. Mental health and cardiovascular issues affect over 80% of this group. Clinicians should expect complex, overlapping health needs rather than isolated conditions.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Motivation in veterans with an acute/subacute ischemic stroke did not improve cognition and functional motor recovery but reduced deaths.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineVeterans with higher motivation showed no better motor or cognitive recovery than those with lower motivation. However, the less motivated group had significantly more deaths. Do not assume low motivation predicts poor functional gains, but consider it a potential mortality risk marker.
• OTOther2024Probing heterogeneity to identify individualized treatment approaches in autism: Specific clusters of executive function challenges link to distinct co-occurring mental health problems.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic children grouped into three parent-reported executive function profiles. Behavior and emotion regulation profile had more anxiety, depression symptoms, and aggression; cognitive regulation profile had more attention problems. Profiles did not differ in overall executive function severity.
• PTOTSLPOther2025Associations between Social Experiences and Psychological Health for Autistic Youth with Low IQ.Journal of autism and developmental disordersFor autistic youth with low IQ, having enough social activity matters more than how much. Higher victimization linked to lower quality of life and depression. Time with friends was the most common unmet need. Being ignored was frequent, but victimization was the stronger predictor of poor mental health.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2025'Nothing About Us, Without Us': Research Priorities for Autistic Girls, Women and Gender Diverse People in Australia.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic girls, women and gender diverse people in Australia prioritise research on trauma, adult support, and sensory needs over biological studies. They reject traditional therapy that ignores sensory overload and ask for clinicians who listen without gaslighting.
• PTOTSLPCohort2024The inequity of education, health and care plan provision for children and young people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRIn England, children and young people with intellectual and developmental disabilities were less likely to have an education, health and care plan if they lived in more deprived areas or outside London, despite below national expected attainment scores and high emotional and behavioural difficulties.
• OTSLPQualitative2024'Autism is the Arena and OCD is the Lion': Autistic adults' experiences of co-occurring obsessive-compulsive disorder and repetitive restricted behaviours and interests.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic adults describe repetitive behaviours as intrinsic and soothing, while OCD feels like an unwanted intruder that exploits routines and interests. This distinction helps therapists differentiate symptoms, but the study reports experiences, not treatment outcomes.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2025Physical Activity for Anxiety for Autistic People: A Systematic Review.Journal of autism and developmental disordersPhysical activity interventions show mixed results for anxiety in autistic people. While some studies found reductions in anxiety symptoms, others showed no significant difference compared to control groups. Evidence is limited by small sample sizes and varied measurement methods.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Adverse Childhood Experiences and Health Outcomes Among Transition-Age Autistic Youth.Journal of autism and developmental disordersTransition-age autistic youth report far more adverse childhood experiences than non-autistic peers, especially bullying. Higher ACE counts link to poor general health, anxiety, depression, and physical conditions. Screening for community-based adversity like bullying is essential to identify those at risk.
• PTOTSLPCase-Control2025The Relationship Between Fatigue and Quality of Life in the Turkish Mothers of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersMothers of children with autism reported significantly greater fatigue impact on their daily functioning and lower quality of life than mothers of typically developing children. Their own perceived quality of life and physical mobility were the strongest predictors of this fatigue, rather than how disruptive they found their child's specific behaviors.
• OTSLPCohort2025Mind the Gap: Executive Function Is Associated with the Discrepancy Between Cognitive and Adaptive Functioning in Autistic Children Without Cognitive Delay.Journal of autism and developmental disordersEmotional control problems were linked to a larger gap between autistic children's cognitive ability and everyday social skills, even when cognition was average. The study was cross-sectional, so it cannot show that improving emotional control would close that gap.
• OTSLPCohort2025Predicting Intervention Use in Youth with Rare Variants in Autism-Associated Genes.Journal of autism and developmental disordersYouth with rare autism-associated genetic variants mostly receive speech and occupational therapy, but few receive behavioral therapy. Younger age and lower IQ predict occupational therapy use, while formal ASD diagnosis predicts behavioral therapy. Co-occurring conditions predict lower speech therapy intensity and higher use of alternative therapies.
• OTSurvey2024Evaluating client functioning in a harm reduction program in South Africa: insights from a tool derived from the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesClients in a South African harm reduction program reported unmet needs: 93.6% could not always meet financial needs, 79.6% did not always feel safe, and 75% reported stress, poor free-time use, lack of support, and money as most pressing. 63.5% always felt positive about COSUP.
• PTOTSLPOther2025Satisfaction, effectiveness, and usability of telerehabilitation for Parkinson's disease patients.Journal of rehabilitation medicineParkinson's patients rated telerehabilitation highly for convenience and emotional support, yet their overall quality of life significantly worsened over 6 months. Only 19 of 56 reported improved quality of life. The programme helped maintain exercise routines but did not stop symptom progression.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2024The meaning of autistic movements.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic adults describe movement as a way to regulate senses and emotions. Stimming and exercise serve the same functions but face stigma. Clinicians should explore how patients use movement for well-being rather than suppressing it.
• OTSLPCohort2024Description and predictors of self-determination in males and females with fragile X syndrome on the verge of adulthood.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRCaregivers rated young adults with fragile X syndrome as having low ability to set and pursue their own goals, but many chances at home. School chances varied. Lower everyday skills and poorer social communication were linked to less goal-setting ability and fewer school chances.
• OTPilot2025ENGAGE-TBI: adaptation of a community-based intervention to improve social participation after brain injury.Brain injuryAdapting a community-based stroke participation programme for brain injury was feasible in a small pilot. Participants showed improved social participation and mental health, but social isolation and physical health did not change. It cannot show the programme works.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Trajectories of positive affect in autistic individuals during the transition to adulthood.Autism : the international journal of research and practicePositive affect in autistic adults followed varied paths, not just one. Lower positive affect linked to more autism features and less daily living skill. Higher positive affect tied to work, friends, and independent living. Caregiver reports matched self-reports less as adults gained independence.
• PTOTSurvey2025Model of Fear of Movement/(Re)injury Runs Clockwise From Catastrophizing: Evidence From a Sample of Outpatients With Chronic Nonspecific Low Back Pain.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationHigher pain catastrophizing scores tracked with greater fear of movement, disability, depressive symptoms, and pain in 180 outpatients with chronic nonspecific low back pain. This does not prove catastrophizing caused these symptoms.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Relationship between physical activity and depressive symptoms in stroke survivors: a cross-sectional study of 1,140 individuals.Journal of rehabilitation medicineStroke survivors who did more than 75 minutes of vigorous or 150 minutes of moderate activity per week had lower odds of depressive symptoms. However, exceeding 300 minutes of moderate activity weekly removed this benefit. The study cannot prove exercise prevented the depression.
• PTOTSLPCohort2024Characterizing associations between emotion dysregulation, anxiety, and repetitive behaviors in autistic youth with intellectual disability.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchIn 150 autistic youth with intellectual disability, higher anxiety predicted greater intensity of all four repetitive behavior types. Emotion dysregulation specifically predicted more insistence on sameness at high levels. Youth with no words showed more restricted interests than those with single words.
• PTOTSLPOther2025Neonatal therapy principles during transition from neonatal intensive care unit to home: A modified Delphi study.Developmental medicine and child neurologyExperts agreed that four intervention principles are essential for NICU-to-home transitions: building caregiver-child relationships, optimizing development, sharing education, and enriching environments. They stated these must be delivered together, not in isolation. This reflects expert opinion, not tested efficacy.
• OTSurvey2024Poor face recognition predicts social anxiety in autism: A short report.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic adults with poor face recognition reported more social anxiety than those with average face recognition. Many said not recognising people made social interaction and friendships harder. This does not prove face recognition causes anxiety.
• OTSLPQualitative2025(Re)thinking about self-harm and autism: Findings from an online qualitative study on self-harm in autistic adults.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic adults in online forums described self-harm as tied to sensory overload, meltdowns, and harmful stimming, not only conventional cutting. They said professionals misread their communication, making help-seeking unsafe.
• PTOTSLPOther2025Barriers to healthcare predict reduced health-related quality of life in autistic adults without intellectual disability.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic adults in Germany reported significantly lower health-related quality of life than the general population. The number of barriers they experienced in accessing healthcare was the strongest predictor of poor mental quality of life and a key predictor of poor physical quality of life.
• OTSLPQualitative2025Parental experiences of raising an autistic child in Ireland: A qualitative thematic analysis.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceParents found navigating support services more stressful than caring for their child. They relied on peer groups and partners to cope. They appreciated individual therapists but felt parent training courses substituted for direct care. Lack of central post-diagnosis information forced many to pay privately.
• OTQualitative2025The experiences of autistic adults who were previously diagnosed with borderline or emotionally unstable personality disorder: A phenomenological study.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceTen autistic adults previously labelled with BPD/EUPD said the label was stigmatising and often followed self-harm or shutdowns that were misread. They described autism diagnosis as validating and relieving, and said it helped them get workplace or study adjustments, though autism stigma remained.
• OTSLPOther2024"I'm Trying to Reach Out, I'm Trying to Find My People": A Mixed-Methods Investigation of the Link Between Sensory Differences, Loneliness, and Mental Health in Autistic and Nonautistic Adults.Autism in adulthoodAutistic adults reported more loneliness, distress, anxiety, depression, and sensory differences than nonautistic adults. But loneliness was linked to distress similarly in both groups. Qualitative accounts described practical barriers, yearning for connection, and needing solitude after overwhelm.
• OTSLPCase-Control2024Changes in Autism and Co-Occurring Conditions from Preschool to Adolescence: Considerations for Precision Monitoring and Treatment Planning.Journal of autism and developmental disorders85.5% of children diagnosed with autism in preschool still had it by adolescence. Children with autism also gained ADHD, DD, sensory integration and speech-language conditions more often than children with other developmental or mental health diagnoses.
• OTSLPPilot2025The development, feasibility and acceptability of Empower-Autism: A new psychoeducational and psychotherapeutic programme for caregivers of children recently diagnosed with autism.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceCaregivers of recently diagnosed autistic children found a group mixing autism psychoeducation and ACT feasible: 14 of 19 in-person attended at least 3 of 5, 8 of 10 online attended at least 6 of 10, and satisfaction was high, but content felt too much.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2025Effectiveness of rehabilitation interventions in patients with colorectal cancer: an overview of systematic reviews.Journal of rehabilitation medicineExercise and prehabilitation improve fitness and quality of life, but evidence for fatigue and mental health is weak. Nutritional supplements cut surgical infections, while acupuncture speeds gut recovery. Results vary widely because studies used different doses and timelines, so no single best rehabilitation method was identified.
• PTOTSLPCohort2024Do maternal and paternal education protect against developmental delays?Research in developmental disabilitiesMaternal education is associated with lower odds of developmental delays in children's second and third years, but not the first. Paternal education shows a similar trend only when maternal education is not considered, suggesting maternal factors are the primary driver.
• PTOTSLPOther2024A 3D approach to understanding heterogeneity in early developing autisms.Molecular autismData-driven clustering of early development scores splits autism into two distinct types. Type I shows profound delays and slower growth in language and motor skills. Type II shows relative strengths and faster development. This distinction holds across independent datasets and predicts different brain biology.
• PTOTSLPOther2024Phenome-wide profiling identifies genotype-phenotype associations in Phelan-McDermid syndrome using family-sourced data from an international registry.Molecular autismChildren with larger 22q13 deletions in Phelan-McDermid syndrome had more severe motor delays, feeding problems, and medical issues like kidney defects. However, they showed less verbal speech, self-care, and social interaction. They were also less likely to have autism or ADHD diagnoses than those with smaller deletions.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2025Efficacy of non-invasive brain stimulation interventions on cognitive impairment: an umbrella review of meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationrTMS improved language and executive function scores in people with dementia or mild cognitive impairment, but evidence quality was low and effects varied widely between patients. tDCS showed no consistent benefit for global cognition, attention, or mood symptoms.
• OTOther2025Outcomes from a Driving and Community Mobility Intervention Designed for Novice Drivers with Autism from the Perspective of the Participants and Their Parents.Journal of autism and developmental disordersParticipants and parents reported better perceived driving and community mobility knowledge and skills after an occupational therapy bootcamp, but perceived executive-function changes were mostly absent and parents rated their child's driving anxiety as higher afterward.