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 31 OF 41 · NEWEST FIRST

• OTSLPCohort2025Understanding depression in autism: the role of subjective perception and anterior cingulate cortex volume.Molecular autismDepression in adults with autism was linked to how they perceived their own symptoms and social life, not to what clinicians observed. Larger anterior cingulate cortex volume associated with both self-reported depression and subjective social difficulties.
• PTOTSLPCase Series2025Pathogenic variants in chromatin-related genes: Linking immune dysregulation to neuroregression and acute neuropsychiatric disorders.Developmental medicine and child neurologyEight children with rare chromatin gene variants experienced sudden loss of skills after infections. Clinicians noted that antibiotics and immune treatments helped some children recover previous abilities, though this is not proof that these treatments work for other patients.
• OTOther2025Sexual Health Literacy Among Adults With Intellectual Disabilities: A Scoping Review.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRNo included study focused on sexual health literacy. Adults with intellectual disabilities had limited reliable sexual education and little privacy or choice, because assumptions of vulnerability, non-sexuality and incompetence restricted their relationships.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Musculoskeletal Pain as a Risk Factor for Poor Dizziness Outcomes: A Longitudinal Study Among Patients With Persistent Vestibular Dizziness.Physical therapyMore body pain sites and higher pain intensity predict worse dizziness and disability over 12 months in patients with persistent dizziness. This link is strongest in those with psychological distress. Screen for widespread pain and mood issues, as these patients recover less.
• PTOTQualitative2025Caregiver Experiences of a Peer Mentor Family Physical Activity Programme in England: A Qualitative Interview Study.Child: care, health and developmentCaregivers valued weekly volunteer contact for emotional support and accountability more than for activity plans alone. Teens often disengaged, so family-wide participation was inconsistent. Volunteers provided practical help and confidence building, filling gaps in parenting support during pandemic restrictions.
• OTOther2025Lessons Learned From the Integration of Ambient Assisted Living Technologies in Older Adults' Care: Longitudinal Mixed Methods Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesOlder adults living alone reported feeling safer and calmer after ambient sensors were installed in their homes. However, some experienced fewer in-person caregiver visits and felt isolated. The technology improved perceived security but risked reducing the human connection they valued most.
• OTOther2025Responsiveness and minimal important differences of common disability measures in people with depression and anxiety disorders.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesAmong adults with depression or anxiety, the 12-item WHODAS tracked meaningful improvement best. A 3-point change may be the smallest worth noting. SDS and SOFAS needed 4 and 6 points, but did not track improvement as well under stricter criteria.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Association between older people's health literacy and sociodemographic aspects, functioning, happiness, and perception of the COVID-19 pandemic: a preliminary study.CoDASIn 37 older adults, lower health literacy was linked to less education and more difficulty with cognition and self-care. It was also associated with feeling less calm. However, health literacy did not influence how they perceived the pandemic or their overall happiness.
• PTOTNarrative Review2025Integration of resistance exercise into a multimodal approach to prehabilitation for patients with sarcopenia prior to surgery: a narrative review.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesPre-surgery resistance training for sarcopenia lacks standardised protocols, but evidence supports 4-6 weeks of multi-set exercises performed 2-3 times weekly. Safety requires supervised, patient-specific programming, ideally combining isotonic movements with nutritional optimisation including high protein intake.
• OTCohort2025Child Well-Being and Family Quality of Life During the COVID-19 Pandemic.Child: care, health and developmentChildren visiting the ER for mental health showed no difference in well-being between early and late pandemic phases. However, their families reported significantly lower quality of life later in the pandemic, specifically regarding parenting, family interaction and material well-being.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2025Navigating the Impact of Discrimination: Exploring the Experiences of Sex/Gender Minoritised Youth With Disabilities.Child: care, health and developmentSex/gender minoritised youth with disabilities reported hiding their identities to avoid discrimination in school, work and healthcare. They coped by finding safe community spaces and practising self-advocacy, but faced compounded barriers due to intersecting ableism, racism and gender bias.
• OTQualitative2025Weathering the Storm: Climate-Related Weather Event Experiences of Families of Children With Medical Complexity.Child: care, health and developmentFamilies of children with medical complexity relied on informal peer networks and out-of-pocket spending to manage extreme heat, wildfires and flooding. Formal government supports were absent, forcing parents to stockpile supplies and alter daily routines to protect their children's health.
• OTSLPQualitative2025Meaningful Engagement: Exploring Principles and Actions to Build Client and Caregiver Engagement Within a Community-Based Dual Diagnosis Service.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDClients and caregivers in a dual diagnosis service said engagement depends on being greeted by name, spoken to directly, and given accessible summaries of appointments. They valued early conversations about who should attend meetings and how much say they wanted in care decisions.
• OTSLPCohort2025Correlates of self-reported life satisfaction among autistic youth with and without intellectual disability.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic youth with ID reported higher life satisfaction than those without ID, though not significantly. Support needs, parent stress, and social participation linked to satisfaction in youth with ID, while self-determination mattered more for youth without ID.
• PTOTSLPOther2025Association Between Physical, Social, and Attitudinal Environments and Quality of Life in Adolescents With Cerebral Palsy: Insights From the SPARCLE Cross-Sectional Study.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationSupportive attitudes from teachers, therapists, and classmates were linked to better school quality of life. However, physical accessibility and home support showed no significant link to quality of life once pain, impairment, and parenting stress were considered.
• PTOTCohort2025Depressive Symptoms Are Associated With Reduced Unsupervised Training Engagement in Inpatients With Subacute Stroke: A Secondary Data Analysis Study.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationInpatients with subacute stroke who had depressive symptoms spent significantly less time in unsupervised leg cycle training than those without. This association was not seen with apathy alone or with functional outcomes at discharge.
• OTRCT2025The Effect of SPECTROM Training on Support Staff Knowledge of Psychotropic Medicine and Attitude Towards Behaviours That Challenge in Adults With Intellectual Disabilities to Help Implement the STOMP Initiative.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRSupport staff in community homes for adults with intellectual disabilities significantly improved their knowledge of psychotropic medicines after SPECTROM training. Attitudes towards medication management also improved, but the study did not confirm that this training reduces actual overmedication or changes daily practice.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2025Caregiver-identified strengths in children attending their first neurodevelopmental assessment: Findings from the Sydney child development research registry and development of a child strengths checklist.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceCaregivers of children attending neurodevelopmental assessments identified an average of 2.8 strengths, ranging from cognitive and social skills to hobbies and character. Autistic children's caregivers more often cited cognitive strengths, while non-autistic caregivers more often cited social strengths.
• OTSLPQualitative2025Incorporating Psychoeducational Care in the Autism Diagnosis Pathway: Experiences, Views, and Recommendations of UK Autistic Adults and Autism Professionals.Autism in adulthoodAutistic adults and autism service staff recommended that diagnostic services provide a debrief appointment, a group psychoeducation programme, curated information, and a report explaining the diagnosis and strengths. They also wanted disclosure advice, neutral language, and experts by experience.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Comparative Analysis of Phenotypic and Genotypic Differences Between Individuals Affected by Regressive and Non-Regressive Autism: A Cross-Sectional Study.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchChildren with autism who lost skills showed lower IQ and daily living abilities than those who did not. Mental health scores were identical. Clinicians should anticipate greater cognitive and adaptive support needs for patients with a history of skill loss.
• OTSLPCase Report2025Demographics, Clinical Characteristics, and Outcomes of a Post-Coronavirus-19 Sample After Cognitive Rehabilitation: A Case Series.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationThirteen patients with persistent post-COVID cognitive symptoms received individualized multidisciplinary rehabilitation. Median changes across disability, mood, life satisfaction, and neurobehavioral symptom scores were minimal. Results were heterogeneous, with some patients improving and others worsening on the same measures.
• OTCohort2024Cognitive Self-Efficacy in Parkinson's Disease.OTJR : occupation, participation and healthPeople with Parkinson's disease without dementia reported lower confidence in their ability to manage cognitive symptoms than healthy adults. This low self-efficacy was linked to higher depression and greater medication dosage, suggesting patients may feel unable to cope with cognitive challenges even when recognizing them.
• OTSystematic Review2024An Occupational Perspective on Psychedelic Therapy: A Scoping Review.Canadian journal of occupational therapy. Revue canadienne d'ergotherapieParticipants described psychedelic experiences as making daily activities more meaningful, deepening self-understanding, motivating future change, and increasing connection. These are subjective accounts, not tested interventions.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Middle-Aged Women With Rett Syndrome: Longitudinal Profile From the British Isles Rett Syndrome Survey and Suggestions for Care.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDMiddle-aged women with Rett syndrome usually had severity scores of 9 or below that stayed fairly stable over decades, but some lost walking, speech or hand use later. Hand stereotypies and sleep problems were often less severe in later life.
• OTSurvey2025Theory of Mind Mediates the Association Between Autistic Traits and Social Isolation in Middle-Aged and Older Adults.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchMiddle-aged and older adults with more autistic traits reported less social connection. Poorer theory-of-mind task performance partly accounted for this association, and it accounted for the whole association when depression and anxiety symptoms were considered.
• PTOTSLPCase Report2025The 'Bounce Back' rehabilitation programme for stroke survivors in South Africa - a case report.The South African journal of physiotherapyStroke survivors in a South African community programme gained functional independence and reported fewer problems, but depression outcomes varied. Some improved, while another worsened. This is a case series, not proof the programme caused change.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2025"The Other Thousand Hours": A Spinal Cord Injury Self-Management Program Qualitative Analysis.OTJR : occupation, participation and healthParticipants with spinal cord injury valued a telehealth self-management program for creating peer community and weekly accountability. They reported feeling more proactive about health habits like skin checks and stretching. The group format and facilitator check-ins were cited as key drivers of engagement.
• OTOther2024Calculating the social impact of home automation for people with disability: A social return on investment study.Australian occupational therapy journalHome automation scenarios generated social value of $15.10 to $38.80 for every $1 invested over 10 years. Even removing the largest benefit, reduced carer hours, the lowest cost scenario still returned $15.85 per dollar. This supports OT advocacy for funding based on economic and social value.
• OTOther2024Whole Day Workload: Evaluation of a New Outcome Measure in Occupational Therapy for Adults With Type 1 Diabetes.The American journal of occupational therapy : official publication of the American Occupational Therapy AssociationThe whole day NASA-TLX is a reliable and valid measure of typical workload for adults with Type 1 diabetes. Aggregating just three to six daily assessments captures a person's typical workload accurately. The four-item mental strain version works well for most clients.
• OTPilot2024Using FRAME to adapt an evidence-based dyadic intervention program for people living with dementia in residential aged care: A pilot feasibility study.Australian occupational therapy journalAdapting the COPE program for aged care was feasible, with all five recruited dyads completing the intervention. However, staff and families identified that success depends on engaging care home staff for continuity and introducing the program earlier in the resident's journey.
• OTOther2025Exploring the Experience of Community Participation Among Individuals With Serious Mental Illness.OTJR : occupation, participation and healthPeople with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder participated less often and more in unstructured activities, while higher depressive symptoms were linked to more loneliness during community participation.
• OTQualitative2024'We are all bringing, like a unique sort of perspective': The core elements of a strengths-based digital arts mentoring program for autistic adolescents from the perspective of their mentors.Australian occupational therapy journalMentors said the program worked because they dropped the teacher role and became collaborators. They tailored support to each adolescent’s interests, gave them time to process, and used the snack break to build peer connections.
• OTSLPCohort2025Beyond the Label: Antipsychotic Prescribing Practices at a Paediatric Neurodisability Service in Australia.Child: care, health and developmentIn 147 children with neurodisability, most antipsychotic prescriptions were for challenging behaviours, not psychosis. Risperidone was common, often off-label, and most prescribing encounters also included another psychotropic drug. This paper does not show whether medicines worked.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2025Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Teen Self-Report on Health Behaviors and Social-Emotional Wellbeing: United States, July 2021-December 2022.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBPTeens with ADHD self-reported more bullying, difficulty making friends, sleep problems, and high screen time than peers without ADHD. They also reported less lack of peer support. These are associations in a national survey, not proof that ADHD causes these behaviors.
• PTOTSLPOther2025Neurodevelopmental and Mental Health Outcomes in a National Clinical Sample of Youth With Sex Chromosome Trisomies Compared With Matched Controls.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBP52.2% of youth with sex chromosome trisomies had a neurodevelopmental diagnosis, including speech and language and motor delays, and 13.7% had a mental health diagnosis, both more common than in matched controls.
• OTOther2024Young Adults' Daily Participation Scale: A measure of objective and subjective participation.Australian occupational therapy journalThe YADAPS measures both what young adults do and how they feel about it. It reliably distinguished adults with coordination disorder from typical peers, showing lower performance and pleasure, though its frequency score was inconsistent.
• PTOTSLPRCT2025The moderating role of co-occurring attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in social skills group training for autistic children and adolescents.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceKONTAKT social skills training helped most autistic adolescents and children without ADHD, but not children with co-occurring ADHD. In that subgroup, standard care alone produced higher response rates than the training.
• PTOTSLPCohort2026Moderate-to-Vigorous Physical Activity and Suicidal Ideation in Adolescents with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: the Mediating Effects of Mental Health.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAdolescents with ADHD who engaged in more moderate-to-vigorous physical activity reported lower suicidal ideation. This link was fully mediated by depression, anxiety, and resilience. Increasing physical activity may reduce suicidal thoughts by improving these mental health factors.
• PTOTSLPPilot2025The Spinal Cord Injury Self-Management Program: A Pilot.OTJR : occupation, participation and healthA 6-week virtual self-management program for spinal cord injury was feasible and acceptable to participants. It showed positive effects on secondary health conditions and goal attainment, but self-efficacy scores decreased, possibly due to participants understanding the challenges better after the intervention.
• OTQualitative2024Utilising co-design to develop a lived experience informed personal safety tool within a mental health community rehabilitation setting.Australian occupational therapy journalSeven people with mental health lived experience co-designed a safety tool for community rehabilitation, prioritising personal strengths, sensory strategies, and flexible formatting over acute-focused risk language. They requested dynamic, individualised plans that could be updated as circumstances changed, rejecting standardised templates.
• OTPilot2025Impact of Training on Addressing Farmer Mental Health in Occupational Therapy Practice.OTJR : occupation, participation and healthAfter a 45-minute training on farmer mental health, occupational therapists and students reported feeling more confident in screening and supporting these patients. Most participants said they were likely to address these issues in future practice, though the study measured only self-reported confidence.
• OTQualitative2025Rural Caregiver Perceptions on the Content and Receipt of a Diabetes Management Telehealth Occupation-Based Coaching Intervention.OTJR : occupation, participation and healthRural caregivers of children with Type 1 diabetes described feeling isolated and sleep-deprived before coaching. They valued the telehealth sessions for holding them accountable and helping them feel heard. This support helped them manage their child's health proactively and find a new normal.
• OTSLPPilot2025Occupational performance patterns in children with paediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome.Australian occupational therapy journalChildren with PANS show a significant drop in social skills and overall daily functioning during flare-ups, but return to typical performance levels when in remission. Assessments taken during a flare may falsely suggest autism, so testing during remission is crucial for accurate diagnosis.
• OTPilot2025Telehealth Lifestyle Pilot Study for Improving Occupational Performance in Older Adults.OTJR : occupation, participation and healthTwelve older adults completed six telehealth lifestyle sessions. Goal attainment improved significantly, but quality of life scores did not change. The short duration and lack of a control group mean this shows the program was feasible, not that it works.
• PTOTSurvey2025Motivation Matters: Elucidating Factors Driving Exercise in People With Parkinson Disease.Physical therapyMost people with Parkinson disease who exercise are motivated by wanting to stay independent and seeing physical benefits, not by external rewards. Fatigue is the top barrier. Prior exercise habits and self-compassion predict current motivation more strongly than disease severity or age.
• OTCohort2025Relationships between sensory reactivity and occupational performance in children with paediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome (PANS).Australian occupational therapy journalDuring PANS exacerbations, higher sensory reactivity scores correlated with lower communication and daily living skills. However, sensory reactivity showed no significant link to socialisation scores. This suggests sensory issues explain functional decline in some areas, but other factors may drive social difficulties.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Examining and comparing the clinical characteristics of adults with persisting post-concussion symptoms presenting for outpatient rehabilitation following a mild traumatic brain injury or a minimal head injury.Journal of rehabilitation medicinePatients referred to rehab with persisting symptoms after a mild head injury report similar high symptom burdens and disability whether their injury met criteria for mild TBI or was even milder. Nearly half had no loss of consciousness or amnesia. Treat symptoms and function, not just injury severity.
• PTOTQualitative2025Patient Experiences of a Group Intervention Integrating Vestibular Rehabilitation, Body Awareness, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Long-Lasting Dizziness: A Focus Group Study.Physical therapyParticipants with long-lasting dizziness valued the group format for peer support and shared understanding. They described gaining control by confronting avoided movements and reframing dizziness as manageable, though they emphasized that changing habits required continuous effort.
• OTQualitative2025Therapeutic-Use-of-Self as Relational Pedagogy in Occupational Therapy Education: A Qualitative Description Study.Canadian journal of occupational therapy. Revue canadienne d'ergotherapieOccupational therapy educators and students described therapeutic-use-of-self as a relational pedagogy that humanizes the classroom and challenges power hierarchies. They reported that authenticity and vulnerability in teaching helped students feel seen and more invested in their learning.
• OTOther2025Psychometric properties of the Assessment of Positive Occupation 15 for individuals with physical illness.Hong Kong journal of occupational therapy : HKJOTThe APO-15 reliably identifies limitations in well-being-enhancing occupations for adults with physical illness, mostly older adults. Scores strongly correlate with happiness but weakly with psychological distress. The test's structure fits the sample only partially, so interpret individual factors with caution.