Emotional regulation in Parkinson’s disease: Practical strategies for occupational therapy practice

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is primarily known for its motor symptoms, such as tremor, rigidity, and bradykinesia (Dobkin et al., 2011; Doucet et al., 2021). However, people with PD can also experience neuropsychiatric symptoms, including depression, anxiety, and apathy (Aarsland et al., 2009; Foster et al., 2014; Jones et al., 2020). Depression occurs in approximately 38% of individuals diagnosed with PD (Cong et al., 2022). Apathy, defined as a lack of motivation, affects approximately 40% of individuals with PD (Aarsland et al., 2009). Anxiety is also common, affecting about 33% of individuals diagnosed with PD (Jones et al., 2020). Therefore, neuropsychiatric symptoms, such as depression, apathy, and anxiety, are just as important to address through occupational therapy intervention as the motor symptoms of PD (Direito et al., 2021; Foster et al., 2014; Jones et al., 2020).