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 41 OF 41 · NEWEST FIRST

• OTNarrative Review2026Occupational intersectionality: Introduction, contextualisation, and relevance to occupational therapy practice.Australian occupational therapy journalA conceptual paper proposing the term 'occupational intersectionality' and mapping it onto existing OT frameworks. No participants, no data, no outcomes. A discussion starter, not evidence.
• PTOTSystematic Review2026Advancing inclusive development through community-based rehabilitation: a systematic literature review.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesA review of nine studies found community-based rehabilitation programmes generally improved participation, social inclusion, and empowerment for people with disabilities. Evidence was strongest where comparison groups existed. Education and livelihood outcomes remain under-studied.
• OTQualitative2026Understanding Autistic Adults' Psychological Experiences of Anxiety Problems: A Qualitative Interview Study.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceTwenty autistic adults described anxiety as a constant, chronic part of daily life, driven by intolerance of uncertainty and repetitive negative thinking. They found CBT felt neurotypically focused and blamed them for their feelings. This is a qualitative study. It describes experiences, not treatment effects.
• OTPilot2026Functional Needs Assessment Tool for estimating population-level functional difficulties and the need for services and assistive products: pilot testing in Western Uganda.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesA new population-level survey tool for identifying who needs rehabilitation services was found workable in rural Uganda, but its screening questions for self-care and thinking need tightening before it can be used at scale. It is not yet a validated clinical assessment.
• PTOTRCT2026Feasibility and Acceptability of an App-Based Mindfulness Meditation Intervention for People with Spinal Cord Injury and Chronic Pain.Topics in spinal cord injury rehabilitationA free 6-week mindfulness app is feasible and acceptable for people with spinal cord injury and chronic pain, but this pilot did not test whether it reduces pain. Adherence fell below the 70% target overall. A larger trial is needed before recommending it.
• OTPilot2026Enhancing Executive Function in Adolescents With ADHD: Preliminary Findings From a Multicomponent Intervention.Occupational therapy internationalA multicomponent OT program (cognitive training, academic skills coaching, parent education) produced measurable gains in working memory and mental flexibility in 54 adolescents with ADHD, but with no control group, these results are preliminary and cannot confirm the intervention caused the change.
• OTPilot2026Usability and Functional Outcomes of the Obi3 Robotic Feeding Device Among People With Disabilities, Caregivers, and Providers: Mixed Methods Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesA manufacturer-funded 1-week usability trial of a robotic feeding arm found all three user groups rated it well above the usability benchmark, and self-feeding scores improved on an unvalidated scale. No adverse events. Not evidence of long-term benefit.
• OTSLPCohort2026Executive Functioning Is Linked to Internalizing Symptoms in Autistic Adults With Higher Support Needs.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAmong 486 autistic adults with higher support needs, caregiver-reported emotion regulation and flexibility difficulties were each linked to more severe anxiety and depression, while inhibitory control was not. These two domains are the most relevant EF targets for mental health in this group.
• OTSystematic Review2026Ecological Momentary Assessment of Daily Activities in Individuals With Neurological Disorders: Scoping Review.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesOnly 20 studies (2012–2024) have used real-time smartphone prompts to track daily activities in neurological patients. Most ask only 'what are you doing' without capturing meaning or context, and no agreed-upon best design exists.
• OTOther2026Updating and validating the Domestic and Community Skills Assessment.Australian occupational therapy journalThe DACSA-3, a revised IADL assessment for mental health clients, has been reviewed by experts who confirmed it covers the right tasks. But it has not been tested for reliability or whether scores actually reflect real-world performance, so treat it as a non-standardised tool.
• OTQualitative2026Exploring Challenges: A Qualitative Study on Occupational Therapy in Acute Psychiatric Inpatient Settings.Occupational therapy internationalA qualitative study from Iran's largest psychiatric hospital identifies five systemic barriers to occupational therapy in acute wards. Sedated patients, safety vigilance, understaffing, poor space, and other staff not understanding OT's role. It does not test whether OT works.
• OTOther2026Promoting Participation in African High Schools: A Scoping Review.Occupational therapy internationalNone of the 15 school-based occupational therapy studies for adolescents reviewed were conducted in Africa, and most were not suitable for the African context. Four showed some promise but none addressed spirituality. A gap the authors flag as critical.
• OTQualitative2026'An Embodied Journey Towards Recovery': A Grounded Theory of Mental Health Service Users' Experiences of a Nature-based Intervention.Scandinavian journal of occupational therapyParticipants described recovery as working 'body-up' through senses and whole-body experience, not through talk. They described low-demand staff, nature and contact with horses as letting them lower their guard, feel emotions again, and carry new strategies home.
• OTSurvey2026Access to employer-supported paternity leave and workers' self-rated mental health - United States, 2024.Work (Reading, Mass.)A nationally representative U.S. survey found that workers without paternity leave access, or without employer support for it, reported worse mental health. The association is observational and may reflect overall workplace quality rather than the leave policy itself.
• OTQualitative2026Systemic Barriers and Emotional Complexities in the Transition to Adulthood: The Lived Experience of Parents of Individuals With Intellectual Disabilities in Italy.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDSeventeen Italian parents of adults with intellectual disabilities describe a 'total void' after school ends: no clear employment path, fragmented services, and they must coordinate everything alone. The emotional toll (exhaustion, frustration, powerlessness) runs alongside pride and determination.
• OTOther2026Understanding the Impact of Living Situation and Social Satisfaction on Depression and Substance Use in Autistic Young Adults Without Intellectual Disability.Autism in adulthoodAmong autistic young adults without intellectual disability, living alone was associated with more social satisfaction and fewer depressive symptoms; living with peers was associated with more alcohol and cannabis use. Cross-sectional design means these are associations, not cause-and-effect.
• OTQualitative2025Psychosocial Support for Clubhouse Members and Staff in Hawai'i: A Maslowian Perspective on Wellness.Occupational therapy in mental healthA qualitative study of 15 Clubhouse members and staff in Hawai'i described how the Clubhouse model supported needs from meals to purpose, and how pandemic closure caused acute isolation for members who relied on it as their main social connection.
• PTOTOther2026Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator modulator therapy and lived experiences in South Africa: A mixed-methods study.The South African journal of physiotherapyThirty-seven South Africans on CFTR modulator therapy reported major improvements in breathing, treatment burden, exercise, and attendance. Findings are self-reported and retrospective, so the size of change may be exaggerated, but the direction is consistent across every domain.