Occupational and Physical Therapy: AOTA Critically Appraised Papers

Critically Appraised Papers (CAPs) are at-a-glance summaries of the methods, findings, study limitations, and clinical implications of selected quantitative intervention-based articles. Critically Appraised Paper presentations are intended to provide a detailed appraisal of an individual quantitative study to determine its value and relevance to occupational therapy practice. [source April 2019]

• Level I: systematic reviews, meta-analyses, or guidelines
• Level II: Randomized controlled trials
• Level III: Two groups, nonrandomized studies (e.g., cohort, case-control)
• Level IV: One group, nonrandomized (e.g., before-and-after, pretest and posttest)

See also this site from our Evidence-Based Practice research guide

Medline and CINAHL database citations include limiters for publication types such as Randomized Controlled Trial. Abstract language may also include clues including randomized clinical trial (also referred to as Experimental or Type 1 study).

Explore EBP Publications by Practice Area

See this link to find Critically Appraised Topics: "At-a-glance" critical appraisal and synthesis of articles that include key findings and the bottom line for occupational therapy practice.

Practice Areas:

• Children & Youth Evidence-Based Practice Resources
• Health & Wellness Evidence-Based Practice Resources
• Mental Health Evidence-Based Practice Resources
• Productive Aging Evidence-Based Practice Resources
• Rehabilitation & Disability Evidence-Based Practice Resources
• Work & Industry Evidence-Based Practice Resources

These CAPs papers are related to Occupational Therapy students. Check site for additional listings.

• The effect of emotional freedom technique on stress and anxiety in nursing students (2016)
• DVD training for the competence of occupational therapy students in manual handling (2014)
• Service-learning at a student-run free clinic (2014)
• Using concept mapping to evaluate knowledge structure in problem-based learning (2015)
• Outcomes of a 4-year program with higher education and employment goals for individuals diagnosed with mental illness (2013)
• Reducing cognitive load while teaching complex instruction to occupational therapy students (2013)
• Effects of an experiential learning program on the clinical reasoning and critical thinking skills of occupational therapy students (2010)
• Hands-on learning versus learning by demonstration at three recall points in university students (2010)