TOPIC

School-based research

Everything we have read on school-based. 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.

582 PAPERS · PAGE 4 OF 12 · NEWEST FIRST

• OTCohort2019Early childhood predictors of global competence in adolescence for youth with typical development or intellectual disability.Research in developmental disabilitiesA single overall adolescent functioning pattern fit youth with typical development and intellectual disability. For typical development, early emotion dysregulation and negative parenting linked to lower functioning; for intellectual disability, negative parenting and maternal depression linked to lower functioning. Positive parenting was not linked.
• OTSLPQualitative2020Short Report: Social Perception of High School Students with ASD in Norway.Journal of autism and developmental disordersFive students with Asperger syndrome said inclusive high school could be a fresh start and a key place to practise social skills, after bullying or exclusion in junior high. Crowds were the most challenging social situation.
• OTSurvey2020Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) in Fragile X Syndrome.Journal of autism and developmental disordersParents rated quality of life in Fragile X syndrome highest for physical functioning and lowest for cognitive functioning. Better child school and cognitive functioning were linked to better caregiver and family quality of life.
• OTRCT2020Early Childhood Development Caregiver Training and Neurocognition of HIV-Exposed Ugandan Siblings.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBPCaregiver training aimed at a preschool child, with nutrition support for all children, did not show substantial cognitive benefit for older siblings. Some test gains did not hold when many outcomes were considered, and parent-reported behavior scores were worse in the training group.
• PTOTSLPCohort2019Psychiatric Symptoms: Prevalence, Co-occurrence, and Functioning Among Extremely Low Gestational Age Newborns at Age 10 Years.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBPAbout 30% of 10-year-olds born extremely preterm screened positive for at least one psychiatric disorder. Co-occurrence was frequent, especially between internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Higher numbers of co-occurring disorders were linked to worse school, social, and physical functioning.
• OTOther2020Social and Object Attention Is Influenced by Biological Sex and Toy Gender-Congruence in Children With and Without Autism.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchAutistic boys looked less at faces than typical boys, while autistic and typical girls did not differ. Children looked longer at toys matching their own sex, and at faces more when actor sex and toy gender mismatched.
• PTOTSLPOther2020Disparities in Documented Diagnoses of Autism Spectrum Disorder Based on Demographic, Individual, and Service Factors.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism Research25.2% of children whose records showed enough ASD symptoms to meet surveillance criteria had no documented ASD diagnosis. They were more likely to be non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic, or other non-Hispanic race, evaluated after age 3, have no intellectual disability, or need fewer supports.
• OTQualitative2020Stakeholder perspectives on transition planning, implementation, and outcomes for students with autism spectrum disorder.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceStakeholders reported that school transition plans often did not account for job skills, adult services, or benefits. Parents said implementation often fell to families. They wanted earlier vocational rehabilitation involvement, clear roles, and long-term supports after graduation.
• PTOTSLPCohort2020Early Development of Infants with Turner Syndrome.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBPInfants with Turner Syndrome generally scored in the average range for cognition and behavior, but a disproportionate number showed risks in language and motor skills. Gross motor scores were significantly lower than typical peers, and some visual-motor skills appeared to slow between 12 and 24 months.
• PTOTCohort2020Motor Function in School-Aged Children With Positional Plagiocephaly or Brachycephaly.Pediatric physical therapy : the official publication of the Section on Pediatrics of the American Physical Therapy AssociationSchool-aged children who had moderate to severe positional skull deformation as infants scored lower on motor tasks, especially strength and agility. Those with mild deformation did not differ consistently from controls.
• PTOTSLPCohort2020Facilitating sensorimotor integration via blocked practice underpins imitation learning of atypical biological kinematics in autism spectrum disorder.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic adults who struggled to imitate a novel, atypical movement learned it when they practised that single movement repeatedly in a block, rather than mixing it with typical movements. Blocked practice allowed them to encode the unusual timing, a skill that transferred to random testing.
• OTSLPCase-Control2020Sex differences in the first impressions made by girls and boys with autism.Molecular autismAutistic boys made significantly worse first impressions than autistic girls, who were rated similarly to typically developing peers. Clinician ratings of social impairment correlated with first impressions in boys but not girls, suggesting girls may camouflage symptoms during brief interactions.
• OTOther2020Effects of a Cognitive-Functional Intervention Method on Improving Executive Function and Self-Directed Learning in School-Aged Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Single-Subject Design Study.Occupational therapy internationalChildren with ADHD improved on executive function tests and homework reports after an occupational therapy programme teaching stop, plan, and review. With no comparison group, this shows possible change, not proof of effectiveness.
• OTSLPQualitative2020"Having All of Your Internal Resources Exhausted Beyond Measure and Being Left with No Clean-Up Crew": Defining Autistic Burnout.Autism in adulthoodAutistic adults described burnout as long-lasting exhaustion, lost skills, and lower sensory tolerance after chronic stress and unsupported expectations. They named relief in accepting support, breaks, reduced masking, and accommodations.
• OTSystematic Review2020Occupational Therapy Research in Schools: A Mapping Review.Occupational therapy internationalMost school-based occupational therapy research focuses on children with disabilities and uses individual, rather than collective, interventions. Handwriting and motor rehabilitation dominate the field, particularly in the US, leaving gaps in addressing broader social inclusion and diverse student needs.
• OTRCT2020Academic Needs in Middle School: Perspectives of Parents and Youth with Autism.Journal of autism and developmental disordersA seven-session planning and organization group for youth with autism had full attendance and high parent satisfaction, but youth reported low understanding. Focus groups linked planning problems to missed homework and middle-school demands.
• OTSurvey2020Schooling for Pupils with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Parents' Perspectives.Journal of autism and developmental disordersParents of 1799 Swedish pupils with autism reported school absence without illness, more often in girls, and named staff autism knowledge and poor school adaptation more than bullying.
• OTSLPOther2020The Development and Feasibility Study of a Multimodal 'Talking Wall' to Facilitate the Voice of Young People with Autism and Complex Needs: A Case Study in a Specialist Residential School.Journal of autism and developmental disordersTen minimally verbal or complex-needs students used a multimodal 'Talking Wall' to express preferences. While staff found it promising for capturing immediate likes, spontaneous use was absent, and students often matched images rather than expressing true feelings, especially regarding negative emotions.
• PTOTCohort2020Motor behaviour in infancy is associated with neurological, cognitive, and behavioural function of children born to parents with reduced fertility.Developmental medicine and child neurologyInfants with slow adaptability and performance scores had lower IQs at age 9. Slow adaptability also predicted less optimal neurological function. Non-optimal variation and fluctuating fluency were linked to more internalizing problems, though these behavioural differences were small.
• OTSLPSurvey2021Teacher-Reported Prevalence of FASD in Kindergarten in Canada: Association with Child Development and Problems at Home.Journal of autism and developmental disordersTeacher-reported FASD in Canadian kindergarten was uncommon. Children with FASD only generally scored higher than children with other neurodevelopmental disorders on teacher-rated development, but teacher-reported home problems were more common in the FASD groups.
• OTSLPOther2020The role of staffing and classroom characteristics on preschool teachers' use of one-to-one intervention with children with autism.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceIn autism preschools, therapists and teachers did more planned one-to-one teaching than aides. Classrooms with more aides were linked to less planned teaching. Classrooms with more children were linked to less spontaneous teaching.
• PTOTSLPOther2020The effect of a postural exercise program on muscle power in Italian high school students.Journal of physical therapy scienceStudents' vertical jump height increased by 2.1 cm on average after eight weeks of postural exercises. However, with no control group, it is impossible to know if the exercises caused the gain or if students simply improved from normal growth and activity.
• OTRCT2021Achieving Independence and Mastery in School: An Open Trial in the Outpatient Setting.Journal of autism and developmental disordersMiddle schoolers with autism and their parents completed a 7-week clinic-based program teaching organization and study skills. All 21 families finished the course. Parents reported large improvements in homework habits, while teachers noted modest gains in productivity and assignment completion.
• PTOTOther202124-hour activity for children with cerebral palsy: a clinical practice guide.Developmental medicine and child neurologyA parent-completed checklist covering sleep and activity for children with cerebral palsy took 5 to 10 minutes on average. Clinicians reviewed it in no more than 2 minutes, and pilot feedback was positive, but validation is still needed.
• PTOTSLPOther2020The Effect of Vibration Therapy on Walking Endurance in Children and Young People With Cerebral Palsy: Do Age and Gross Motor Function Classification System Matter?Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationChildren and young people with cerebral palsy walked 12% further on average after 20 weeks of vibration therapy. Those with limited mobility (GMFCS levels III and IV) saw the largest percentage gains, increasing by 40% and 57% respectively. Age did not significantly change the absolute benefit.
• OTSLPCohort2020Sex Differences in Social Participation of High School Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchHigh school students with autism had very low social participation regardless of sex. On average, they had 8 interactions in two weeks with only two peers. Females did not have more friends or interactions than males, though they texted and called friends more often.
• OTQualitative2021Safe environments-Through the eyes of 9-year-old schoolchildren from a socially vulnerable area in Sweden.Child: care, health and development9-year-olds in a vulnerable Swedish area defined safety by what they could see and do: bright, clean, colourful spaces with fun activities and trusted people nearby. They felt unsafe in dark, dirty, isolated places or where they risked physical harm.
• OTSLPPilot2020Social Capital and Autism in Young Adulthood: Applying Social Network Methods to Measure the Social Capital of Autistic Young Adults.Autism in adulthoodA social network survey was feasible for autistic young adults, showing their networks are mostly family and rarely include service providers. Employment support was the least accessed resource. This pilot method needs a larger sample to link network types to adult outcomes.
• PTOTSLPOther2021Descriptive Strength and Range of Motion in Youth Baseball Players.International journal of sports physical therapyYouth baseball players aged 5-12 already show shoulder adaptations similar to adults: greater external rotation and internal rotation strength in the throwing arm. However, total range of motion remains symmetrical between arms, suggesting these changes are normal development rather than immediate injury risk.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2021A survey of health awareness and physical activity among Japanese undergraduate rehabilitation students.Journal of physical therapy scienceMost first-year Japanese rehabilitation students feel healthy and value exercise, but half report decreased physical activity since starting college. Busy school schedules and retired club activities are the main barriers, despite high motivation.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2021Awareness and knowledge of developmental coordination disorder: A survey of caregivers, teachers, allied health professionals and medical professionals in Australia.Child: care, health and developmentIn Australia, most teachers, parents and doctors still do not know what developmental coordination disorder is. They recognise motor clumsiness but miss the anxiety and depression that often follow. The old term dyspraxia is better known than the correct one, which delays identification and support.
• OTSLPOther2021The Learning, Social and Emotion Adaptation Questionnaire-Short Form: A Measure of Adaptive Behavior for Primary School Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchThe 53-item LSEAQ-S reliably measures school adaptation for students with autism. It takes teachers 15 to 20 minutes to complete and provides norms showing girls with autism lag behind peers more than boys do, especially as they age.
• PTOTSLPCase Report2021Physical therapist-led swimming lessons for children with cerebral palsy: a report of 2 cases.Journal of physical therapy scienceTwo children with cerebral palsy improved swimming speed and distance after six monthly PT-led lessons. Gross motor function and daily living scores barely changed. Muscle tone increased slightly. The intervention was safe and well-liked, but too small to prove it works.
• PTOTSLPOther2021Autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children with cerebral palsy: high prevalence rates in a population-based study.Developmental medicine and child neurologyIn a population of children with cerebral palsy, 30% had autism and 30% had ADHD, rates higher than previously reported. Intellectual disability, not motor severity, was the strongest predictor. Screening for these conditions is warranted regardless of physical function.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2021Factors influencing the participation of children with disabilities in the community.Journal of physical therapy scienceFor children with disabilities, needing medical care at home limits the variety of community activities they can join, while poor motor function limits how often they go. Tube feeding and respiratory care specifically blocked trips, events, and playing with other children.
• PTOTSLPCohort2021Weight outcomes in children with developmental disabilities from a multidisciplinary clinic.Research in developmental disabilitiesChildren under 12 with developmental disabilities had better weight outcomes in a multidisciplinary clinic than typically developing peers, with 54% achieving significant improvement at 12 months. Adolescents with disabilities did not show this benefit. Family-led structure appears key for younger children.
• PTOTSLPCohort2021School outcomes of adolescents with cerebral palsy in Sweden.Developmental medicine and child neurologyAdolescents with cerebral palsy had significantly lower school grades and were less likely to progress to secondary school or university compared to matched peers. Communication ability was the strongest functional predictor of these poor outcomes, outweighing gross or manual motor skills.
• OTSLPMeta-Analysis2021Understanding the Effects of Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions: A Project AIM Meta-analysis.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchNaturalistic developmental behavioral interventions improved social communication, language, play, and cognition in children with autism. However, gains were larger when measured in the same context as therapy or on specific skills taught, suggesting some reported benefits may not generalize to daily life.
• PTOTSLPCohort2021Sociodemographic factors and health-related, neuropsychological, and psychosocial functioning in youth with spina bifida.Rehabilitation psychologyYouth with spina bifida from lower-income families reported more pain but fewer attention and executive function problems than those from higher-income families. Family stress mediated outcomes, with lower sociodemographic risk linked to less condition-specific stress.
• OTRCT2021Virtual interview training for autistic transition age youth: A randomized controlled feasibility and effectiveness trial.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic youth using a virtual interview simulator alongside school transition services showed better interview skills and higher competitive employment rates than those receiving services alone. They also reported less interview anxiety. The training was feasible for teachers to deliver.
• PTOTQualitative2021Parents' Perspectives on a Computer Game-Assisted Rehabilitation Program for Manual Dexterity in Children With Cerebral Palsy: Qualitative Analysis of Expectations, Child Engagement, and Benefits.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesParents found game-assisted hand therapy more engaging than conventional therapy for children with cerebral palsy, noting improved dexterity and interest. They requested more frequent updates to maintain challenge and expressed interest in home-based use.
• OTSLPOther2021Listening Effort in School-Aged Children With Limited Useable Hearing Unilaterally: Examining the Effects of a Personal, Digital Remote Microphone System and a Contralateral Routing of Signal System.Trends in hearingA personal remote microphone helped children with one-sided hearing loss understand speech and listen with less effort in most classroom-like conditions. A CROS system only helped when speech came from the deaf side. It made listening worse when speech came from the hearing side.
• PTOTSLPCohort2021Not just at school: Inclusion of children with autism spectrum disorder in a weight management program in a community pediatric setting.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceChildren with autism completed an inclusive weight management program at the same rate as peers without autism. They achieved similar weight outcomes. Adaptations like predictable routines and sensory adjustments allowed them to participate fully alongside typically developing children.
• PTOTSLPCohort2021Evaluation of sex differences in preschool children with and without autism spectrum disorder enrolled in the study to explore early development.Research in developmental disabilitiesPreschool boys and girls with autism symptoms scored almost identically on behavior, development, and screening tests. Small differences in restricted interests were not clinically meaningful. Screening tools appear equally sensitive for young children of both sexes, so do not assume girls present differently at this age.
• PTOTPilot2021Assessing Physical Function and Mobility following Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury with the NIH Toolbox Motor Battery: A Feasibility Study.Physical & occupational therapy in pediatricsThe NIH Toolbox Motor Battery is feasible for children with traumatic brain injury, taking about 23 minutes. It detects endurance and balance problems that parents may not report, but it fails in children under 5 due to distraction and difficulty following instructions.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2021Psychological eHealth interventions for people with intellectual disabilities: A scoping review.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDMost studies used wearable sensors to prompt adaptive behaviour in people with severe disabilities. Only two trials tested remote video coaching for parents. No study delivered therapy directly to adults via video. Evidence is mostly single-case, so effectiveness remains unproven.
• OTCohort2021Racial-ethnic differences in educational trajectories for individuals with intellectual disability.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDREducational gains for adults with intellectual disability varied sharply by race. Non-Hispanic Whites improved earliest. Non-Hispanic Blacks lagged behind and never caught up. Hispanics started lowest but surged in the youngest cohorts, surpassing both other groups in high school attainment.
• OTSurvey2020Predictors of academic integrity in undergraduate and graduate-entry masters occupational therapy students.Hong Kong journal of occupational therapy : HKJOTStudent dishonesty was predicted by cheating tendencies, moral practice scores, and pressure to perform. Fieldwork integrity was linked to gender and cheating tendencies. The study suggests focusing teaching on referencing rules and ethical reasoning, though self-report data limits certainty.
• OTQualitative2021Implementing Partnering for Change in Québec: Occupational Therapy Activities and Stakeholders' Perceptions.Canadian journal of occupational therapy. Revue canadienne d'ergotherapieTherapists spent most time on classroom-wide activities and building trust with staff. Stakeholders valued this collaboration but felt one day a week was insufficient to support all students and educators equitably.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2021Exploration of Sensory Processing Difficulties among Children Attending Primary School in Denmark.Occupational therapy internationalParents of 1,723 Danish primary school children reported that 21.3% showed definite sensory processing difficulties, with boys more affected than girls. The most common issues were sensory seeking and auditory filtering, suggesting a need for classroom awareness rather than clinical diagnosis.