Evidence-Based Practice

Practice Guidelines and Evidence-Based Clinical Resources

Your home base for clinical guidance across the lifespan. Browse the topics below for evidence-based OT practice guidelines, systematic review briefs (formerly Critically Appraised Topics), intervention ideas, and infographics.

CMS cites AOTA Practice Guidelines as "relevant and credible"

What are Practice Guidelines?

AOTA's Practice Guidelines are topic-specific recommendations that practitioners use to guide client care. Based on the findings of systematic reviews, practice guidelines present clinical recommendations and tools for translating knowledge to guide your practice.

Pen and paper checklist, with some boxes checked off

AOTA Practice Guideline Development

The AOTA Practice Guidelines are developed from systematic reviews of evidence, based on guiding questions. Information from the research is extracted, appraised, and synthesized into the clinical recommendations table. The practice guidelines are then written by translating the the information identified in the clinical recommendations table.

The information from the systematic reviews is also used to develop HOT Evidence Infographics, Evidence-Informed Intervention Ideas, and Evidence Connection articles.

View the AOTA Practice Guideline Development infographic

Early Childhood, Birth to 5 Years

Some resources in this section require an AOTA member login to access.

Read the Practice Guideline in AJOT

Infographics

Baby in high chair with food on face and hand in bowl eating

Feeding

Sleeping

Toileting

Intervention Ideas

Toddler stands next to a toilet in a bathroom with parent while the parent fixes the toddler's clothes.

Toileting Interventions

Evidence Connection articles in AJOT

Feeding & Toileting

Sleeping

Interventions for Early Childhood

Children & Youth, 5 to 21 Years

Some resources in this section require an AOTA member login to access.

Read the Practice Guideline in AJOT

Infographics

Three school aged kids wearing backpacks and entering school bus

Driving and community mobility

Health management

Handwriting

Intervention Ideas

Woman planting flowers with two kids outside with others gardening in the background

Health management and maintenance

Handwriting

Evidence Connection articles in AJOT

Boy in cafeteria line at school with classmates and a tray of food

Occupational therapy interventions for children and youth

Autistic Children & Adults

AOTA members: Please log in to view the resources linked in this section.

Read the Practice Guideline in AJOT

Infographics

Smiling teenage boy wearing apron holding a round tray inside a restaurant

Interventions to support adults at work

Interventions to support children at school

Interventions to support children at home

Systematic Review Briefs in AJOT

Professional woman sitting at table working on laptop

Interventions to address work, social participation, social determination, positive mental health, and ADLs & IADLs.

Read the systematic review briefs in AJOT Volume 77, Supplement 1

Adults with Neurological Conditions

For adults with stroke, traumatic brain injury (TBI), multiple sclerosis (MS), and Parkinson's disease.

Some resources in this section require an AOTA member login to access.

Stroke

Man sitting in wheelchair cooking at stove inside kitchen

Read the Practice Guidelines in AJOT

Infographics

Systematic Review Briefs (AJOT)

ADLs & IADLs:

Read the systematic review briefs in AJOT Volume 77, Supplement 1

Work, Leisure, & Social Participation:

Caregivers:

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

Woman in wheelchair looking in mirror while putting jacket on with healthcare worker behind her

Read the Practice Guidelines in AJOT

Infographics

Intervention Ideas

Systematic Review Briefs (AJOT)

Interventions to address disordered consciousness, visual impairments, cognitive impairments, motor skills & balance, psychosocial skills, physical activity, and interventions for caregivers of people with TBI.

Read the systematic review briefs in AJOT Volume 76, Supplement 2

Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

Father walking with daughter outside wearing soccer uniform and holding soccer ball

Read the Practice Guidelines in AJOT

Infographics

Work and social participation

Intervention ideas

Work

Critically Appraised Topics (CATs)

Physical activity interventions for health management and maintenance

Parkinson's disease

Young girl walking beside senior woman using walker through kitchen

Read the Practice Guidelines in AJOT

Infographics

Instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) interventions

Critically Appraised Topics (CATs)

Chronic Conditions

OT interventions for clients with heart disease, chronic lung conditions, diabetes, and kidney disease.

Some resources in this section require an AOTA member login to access.

Read the Practice Guideline in AJOT

Infographics

Group of seniors sitting on yoga mats with arms raised in the air

Rest and sleep

Social participation and leisure

Intervention Ideas

Sleep Interventions

Social Participation

Critically Appraised Topics

Close up of an elderly mans hands putting pills into pill case with other medication on table

Education and training interventions for caregivers of people with chronic conditions

Psychoeducation for caregivers of people with chronic conditions

Self-management interventions for people with diabetes

Self-management interventions for people with pulmonary, cardiac, or kidney conditions

Self-management interventions for rest and sleep

Self-management interventions for social and leisure participation

Evidence Connection article in AJOT

Senior man using cane standing in doorway greeting woman holding bag of food

Interventions for older adults with chronic conditions and their care partners

Living with Alzheimer's Disease or other Neurocognitive Disorders

AOTA members: Please log in to view the resources linked in this section.

Read the Practice Guideline in AJOT

Infographics

Senior woman sitting on couch helping elderly woman put on sweater

Interventions to address depression in care partners

Interventions to improve cognitive performance

Interventions to improve psychological symptoms

Systematic Review Briefs

Female occupational therapist alongside senior woman holding a pencil working on handwriting skills

Interventions to address behavioral & psychological symptoms, manage pain, improve cognitive performance, and manage caregiver depression.

Read the systematic review briefs in AJOT Volume 77, Supplement 1

Living with and Beyond Cancer

AOTA members: Please log in to view the resources linked in this section.

Read the Practice Guideline in AJOT

Infographics

Woman walking outside with smiling senior woman wearing head wrap

Interventions to Address Fatigue and Physical Activity

Interventions to Address Pain and Well-being

Systematic Review Briefs in AJOT

Woman with two small children wearing face masks walking through hospital

Interventions to address anxiety & depression, posttraumatic growth & spiritual well-being, relaxation, mindfulness, cognitive impairment, fatigue, physical activity, and sleep for people living with and beyond cancer.

Read the systematic review briefs in AJOT Volume 77, Supplement 1

Living with Serious Mental Illness

AOTA members: Please log in to view the resources linked in this section.

Purchase the Practice Guideline in the AOTA Store

Infographics

Group of men and woman sitting in chairs talking together in a circle

AOTA members: Log in to view the resources linked in this section.

Social Participation for Adults with Serious Mental Illness

ADL/IADL Interventions for Adults with Serious Mental Illness

Evidence Connection Article in AJOT

Older man kneeling down in garden smiling up at man in front of him gardening with others around

Interventions for Adults Living with Serious Mental Illness

Person rubbing hands together due to arthritic pain

Nonoperative Management of Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis

Occupational therapy practitioners play an essential role in supporting the occupational performance needs of people with osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Read the Practice Guideline in AJOT