Occupational Therapy for Mental Health and Engagement in Neurorehabilitation

NCT07375485 | Enrolling By Invitation

• 1 other identifier: IRB #: 6989
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 20
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 2

Brief Summary

Changes in mental health are common after acquired brain injury (ABI), defined as any traumatic or non-traumatic injury to the brain after birth, affecting approximately 1 in 3 adults with ABI. Occupational therapy (OT) practitioners are uniquely qualified to contribute to addressing how mental and physical health influence engagement in activities of daily living, yet many OT practitioners working in neurorehabilitation do not implement recommended evidence-based mental health screening or intervention. This study aims to test a comprehensive implementation program for integrating evidence-based mental healthcare into OT rehabilitation services for people with ABI. The study will be conducted with OT practitioners working in home and community neurorehabilitation settings. The focus of the study is to better understand strategies to help OT practitioners adopt and implement evidence-based mental healthcare into routine practice. By doing so, the study aims to improve neurorehabilitation care delivery and promote positive mental health and community engagement among people with ABI.

Conditions

Mental Health; Anxiety Symptoms; Acquired Brain Injury; Depressive Symptoms; Loneliness

Keywords

Occupational therapy; Mental health; Acquired brain injury; Implementation

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Implementation outcomes

  The primary outcome of this study is the adoption of evidence-based mental health screening and intervention practices among occupational therapy practitioners after participating in a multifaceted implementation program. We have defined adoption as a dichotomous outcome (adopted vs. did not adopt), with the a priori established benchmark for adoption as the observed use of evidence-based mental health screening tools and intervention practices with 90% of clients in 10 or more sessions across the client's length of stay. We will measure adoption using directed content analysis of electronic health record data, on-site observations, and self-reported use of screening and intervention practices from qualitative focus groups and interviews.

  24 months

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Identify implementation mechanisms and factors influencing implementation outcomes

  24 months

Study Arms (1)

Occupational therapy practitioners

EXPERIMENTAL

OTPs will complete training and coaching sessions on evidence-based OT mental health screening (anxiety and depressive symptoms and loneliness) and intervention practices (cognitive behavioral therapy, problem-solving therapy, motivational interviewing, behavior change, and self-regulation), receive job and decision aid templates, attend monthly check-insas a team and with clinical experts in OT mental healthcare, and fidelity monitoring and observation. Additional strategies may be identified through interviews or focus groups by tailoring implementation strategies further to the local context. Interdisciplinary team members will only undergo the training and share their experiences and perceptions of OT's role in mental health during neurorehabilitation.

Behavioral: Multifaceted implementation program

Interventions

Multifaceted implementation program BEHAVIORAL

OTPs will complete training and coaching sessions on evidence-based OT mental health screening (anxiety and depressive symptoms and loneliness) and intervention practices (cognitive behavioral therapy, problem-solving therapy, motivational interviewing, behavior change, and self-regulation), receive job and decision aid templates, attend monthly check-insas a team and with clinical experts in OT mental healthcare, and fidelity monitoring and observation. Additional strategies may be identified by the OT practitioners in the study through interviews or focus groups, allowing for further tailoring of implementation strategies to the local context.

Occupational therapy practitioners

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• State-licensed occupational therapists (OTs) or occupational therapy assistants (OTAs) in the United States
• OTs or OTAs who work in home or community neurorehabilitation practice settings and treat adults (18 years of age or older) with acquired brain injury (defined as any traumatic or non-traumatic injury to the brain after birth)

You may not qualify if:

• OTs or OTAs without a state license to practice OT
• OTs or OTAs who do not work in home or community neurorehabilitation

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Colorado State University: lead
• Rehab Without Walls Neurorehabilitation: collaborator
• American Occupational Therapy Foundation: collaborator

Study Sites (2)

Rehab Without Walls Denver, CO

Denver, Colorado, 80222, United States

Location

Colorado State University

Fort Collins, Colorado, 80523, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Brain Injuries; Psychological Well-Being; Depression; Anxiety Disorders

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Brain Diseases; Central Nervous System Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Craniocerebral Trauma; Trauma, Nervous System; Wounds and Injuries; Personal Satisfaction; Behavior; Behavioral Symptoms; Mental Disorders

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Assistant Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: January 3, 2026
• First Posted: January 29, 2026
• Study Start: July 1, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): June 1, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): June 1, 2027
• Last Updated: January 29, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-01

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (2)