This study clarified whether the Box and Block Test (BBT) can assess eating ability among acute brain injury patients. 78 patients participated in this study, of whom 54 were able to eat independently and 24 were not. The results showed a significant difference in BBT between the two groups, thus indicating a sizable effect of BBT. In addition, BBT correlated with the ability to eat, and the Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve was highly discriminatory. This study suggested that BBT may be useful in assessing the independence of eating in patients with acute brain injury.

This study aimed to elucidate the brain changes during motor learning progression and to identify the differences in brain changes between people with early and late motor learning progression. A total of 20 healthy individuals underwent near-infrared spectroscopy measurements during a serial reaction time task before and after motor learning, and the amount of activation and betweenness centrality in brain regions were compared before and after the task by two-way ANOVA with a generalized linear mixed model. The results showed that activation in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, left orbitofrontal cortex, and left and right frontal poles decreased after motor learning, while the betweenness centrality of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex increased after motor learning. The difference in motor learning between fast and slow learners was characterized by a reduction in the betweenness centrality of the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in the fast learners and its increase in slow learners. Monitoring these areas may provide basic data to assist occupational therapists in selecting the optimal method of motor learning for each subject from the perspective of brain function practice that has been tailored to the subjects.

We investigated the relationship between the driving simulator (DS) evaluation and driving resumption/non-resumption in patients with brain injury and examined the cutoff values and DS subtests prediction accuracy in an acute care hospital. The participants were 88 patients with brain injuries admitted to our hospital who completed the evaluation. After the analysis, the cutoff values were calculated for total false responses, total stop-start, total general and judgment scores, and the non-resumption accuracy was 77% for cases in which≥3 cutoff values were exceeded. The decision tree analysis results suggested that DS evaluation may be useful in determining whether driving can be resumed even in acute care hospitals, while a composite judgment, including neuropsychological testing, is necessary.

This study focused on writing order with the purpose of investigating differences in the characteristics of moving the pen when writing with the left or right hand for right-handed people. Twenty healthy, right-handed subjects were asked to draw four types of figures containing stylistic features of characters of the Japanese writing system and were given instructions regarding stroke order. The collected data were broken down into elements, and the left- and right-hand data on drawing time, writing pressure, altitude angle, azimuth angle, jerk, and handwriting were compared. As a result, we found that the writing pressure with the right hand was high for many elements, and the altitude angle and azimuth angle showed characteristic left-right differences for each element. On the other hand, there were no significant differences in jerk and handwriting between the left and right hands.

By adding the stroke order condition, we were able to show the difference in the stroke function of the left and right hands, which clarified that the non-dominant hand has an unnatural movement direction due to the influence of the stroke order and has difficulty applying pressure.

The purpose of this study was to examine outcome measures considered appropriate for measuring occupational therapy effectiveness and the reasons for their selection. The research used group interview techniques and was intended to present the results as a resource for the development of acute occupational therapy for the elderly. The subjects were eight occupational therapists who had experience in acute care hospitals, and the analysis was performed using the nominal group technique and the qualitative integration method. As a result, 30 outcome measures were adopted. From the quantitative outcome measure, grip strength, etc. were adopted, and from the qualitative outcome measure, activities of daily living, etc. were adopted. In the acute occupational therapy for the elderly, it was considered important to have an outcome measure that could measure the effectiveness of support focused on activities of daily living, considering the characteristics of the subject and the environment.

The purpose of this scoping review is to map existing clinical reports and research of ADOC (Aid for Decision-making in Occupation Choice) and inform further its needs. Four databases and proceedings were searched for relevant articles, resulting in the identification of the following 178 articles including 49 research papers and 129 presentation abstracts: 38 quantitative research papers (19 full papers and 19 presentation abstracts), 140 case reports (30 full papers and 110 presentation abstracts). These research papers and case reports suggest that ADOC is widely used in all areas. However, cross cultural research, intervention research, and case reports regarding spinal cord injury, cancer, and dementia were lacking.

The purpose of this study was to verify the effects of ADL, Occupational adaptation, and personality on the QOL of cognitively impaired patients. The subjects were 87 patients in a recovery phase rehabilitation ward. A cross-sectional research design was used, and a hypothetical model based on previous studies was examined by structural equation modeling. As a result, the appropriateness of fit of the final model was CFI=0.927 and RMSEA=0.051. The standardized coefficients were 0.56 for ADL to QOL and 0.54 for Occupational adaptation to QOL, which were significant. It was found that improving Occupational adaptation had as much effect on the QOL of cognitively impaired patients as improving ADL.

We conducted a semi-structured interview to clarify the aspects of subjective evaluation of writing proficiency in the initial stage using the left hand in people with a right hemiplegic stroke. The results of content analysis of 15 people (6 males, 9 females, 69.7 years old, SD 9.3) are summarized into nine categories: restoration of character images, improvement of the ability to symmetrize characters, improvement of ability to align characters, improvement of operability of writing tools, improvement of practicality of writing, countermeasures against difficulty in writing peculiar to the left hand, ingenuity of how to hold writing tools, ingenuity of paper fixing ways, and change to positive attitude for writing. The results were also summarized into four classifications: improvement of cognitive functions, improvement of ability, acquisition of coping strategies, and change of feelings. The results suggest the benefits of development of support methods and evaluation indexes in writing practice.

This study examined the effect of individual occupational therapy focusing on personal and meaningful occupations for an inpatient with autism spectrum disorder who had spent a long time in a seclusion room because of severe behavioral disturbances. In this single-case experimental study, the effect of the intervention was assessed by counting and comparing the number of behaviors based on severe behavioral disturbance and panic pre- and post-treatment. The results showed that the number of behaviors based on severe behavioral disturbance and panic of the patient decreased from the initial month of individual occupational therapy, indicating an immediate effect of the intervention. In addition, with the aid of the occupational therapist, the patient was able to reflect on his panic situations and began to think about how to cope with panic, which made it possible for him to move to and use a multi-bed room for a few days a month. These results suggest that individual occupational therapy focusing on personal and meaningful occupations could be effective in improving behavior based on severe behavioral disturbances of patients with autism spectrum disorder.

The Assessment of Client’s Enablement (ACE) was used for a patient with Parkinson’s disease who had a high perception of their occupational performance skill. The ACE results confirmed a high gap score between the occupational therapist (OT) and the client (CL). The OTs availed themselves to the video of occupational performance for feedback and discussion to reduce the gap in occupational performance. Through this process, the OT and CL were able to collaborate with each other. Focusing on the difference in the perception of occupational performance may be useful for effective collaboration.

A health-promotion program centered on occupational records and dialogue was conducted for six community-dwelling elderly. Upon conclusion of the program, all participants’ scores on the K-I Scale for the Feeling that Life is Worth Living and the Social Activities-Related Daily Life Satisfaction Scale were higher than before. Grip strength and 30-seconds chair-stand test scores also tended to be higher than before. One of the participants recorded and talked about diverse occupational experiences, such as working in the field, making dried persimmons, and visiting the cemetery. The participant also noticed the importance of having occupational plans and goals and felt that her occupational performance had improved. These results suggest that occupational records and dialogue may promote awareness of occupation, enhance occupational performance, and improve satisfaction with social participation, sense of life purpose, and motor functions.

The purpose of this study is to clarify the impact of implementing Occupational Therapy Intervention Process Model (OTIPM) on addicted patients admitted to psychiatric hospitals. Ten subjects were compared before and after the program implementation. Significant improvements were observed in COPM performance (p=0.009), COPM satisfaction (p=0.006), and ESI (p=0.018). Results suggest that individual programs centered on occupation may be effective in improving clients’ subjective occupation performance and satisfaction, and social exchange skills. Such programs may also bring about positive changes in the client and help the continuation of community life. An Occupational Therapy Intervention Process Model (OTIPM) may be an opportunity for clients to “connect” with people, the environment, and occupation.

We used Management Tool for Daily Life Performance to support the return to work of a user recovering from stroke in day care rehabilitation. The use of MTDLP facilitated information gathering and communication with related offices, and the use of an additional service for improving daily life performance allowed for direct intervention at a location that met the user’s goals. In order to support the return to work, it is necessary to collaborate with companies and visit the workplace. The results suggest that interventions combining MTDLP and an additional service for improving daily life performance in day care rehabilitation to achieve this goal could be effective.

The authors experienced a case in which a woman in her 40s with multiple mononeuropathy (bilateral peroneal nerve palsy and left median nerve palsy) and heart failure due to EGPA was discharged 4 months after OT for ADL independence along with steroid therapy and intravenous gamma globulin. The OT included upper extremity functional training, psychological support during the acute phase, heart failure education, ADL practice according to exercise tolerance, and risk management such as falls and hand trauma. In OT for patients with EGPA, it is important to understand the pathophysiology of EGPA and the patient’s condition, consider comorbid symptoms and psychological aspects, and think about intervention content and load according to recovery. Furthermore, these interventions may prevent disabilities secondary to EGPA such as falls, joint contractures, and depressive symptoms, and have a positive impact on ADL independence.

A stroke patient with severe left hemiparesis and cognitive dysfunction underwent repetitive practice for toilet transfer upon hospital admission, but no improvement was observed in the degree of independence of the patient’s performance. To reexamine the practice strategy, we assessed the individual subtasks that comprised the toilet transfer using the Toileting Tasks Assessment Form (TTAF). Intervention was done by combining partial practice with stepwise difficulty adjustments according to the independence degree for each subtask and total practice throughout the series of tasks. As a result, the patient was able to perform some of the subtasks independently, and the independence degree in the other subtasks also improved. The assessment of each subtask using the TTAF may contribute to the improvement of the patient’s level of independence by enabling the planning of interventions based on a detailed assessment of toileting behavior and the determination of their effectiveness.

The authors began an occupational therapy program, “The Real-Life Activity Program” (hereafter, “Real Activity”), targeting people with substance use disorders who live in local communities. The aim of this study was to determine interventions for people with substance use disorders and direct Real Activity by using text mining techniques to analyze the participants’ care needs and life objectives. We analyzed 30 Real Activity participants from which eight sub-graphs in co-occurrence networks were identified. We classified these into “connections and reintegration”, “dealing with drug cravings”, “improvement and stability of life”, and “preparing for employment”.

Real Activity provides a tailored medical treatment for individuals with substance use disorders who possess complicated backgrounds and symptoms. It therefore provides them with a new environment, enabling them to connect to people, work, and places.

The purpose of this report is occupation-based practice for a patient with severe respiratory failure due to advanced COVID-19 pneumonia, who presented with anxiety and depression after coming off the ventilator. Occupational therapy focused on occupations that were valuable to him, analyzed the factors that affected his participation in occupations with reference to the MOHO perspective, and intervened. During hospitalization, his respiratory condition deteriorated, and he was once again put on a ventilator. However, he began to smile as we provided him with valuable tasks such as emailing and reading in bed; his anxiety and depression decreased. The results suggest that occupational therapists have an important role to play in the acute phase of occupation-focused occupational therapy for patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia.