Early's Physical Dysfunction Practice Skills for the Occupational Therapy Assistant

Master the role and skills of the OTA in caring for adults with physical disabilities! Early’s Physical Dysfunction Practice Skills for the Occupational Therapy Assistant, 5th Edition, is the only textbook on the rehabilitation process written specifically for OTA students and practitioners. It takes a client-centered approach, following the latest Occupational Therapy Practice Framework in addressing topics such as assessment, interventions, and clinical applications. This edition adds new content on collaboration between Occupational Therapists and OTAs, and an ebook version is included free with print purchase. From a team of expert contributors led by Mary Elizabeth Patnaude and Katey Howland, this book shows how you can succeed in the OTA role and help clients learn to perform functional tasks.

• Coverage of advances in OT assessment and intervention includes prosthetics and assistive technologies, along with the assessment and interventions of TBI (traumatic brain injury) problems related to cognitive and visual perception
• Case studies offer snapshots of real-life situations and solutions, with many cases threaded through an entire chapter
• Client-centered approach shows how to include the client when making decisions about planning and treatment, using the terminology and abbreviations from the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework
• Evidence-based content includes clinical trials and outcome studies, especially those relating to intervention
• Text boxes highlight special techniques, case studies, and treatment plans
• Cultural diversity and cultural sensitivity information helps you provide care in a manner sensitive to the beliefs and customs of other cultures
• Information on prevention addresses safety and the prevention of accidents and injury
• Key terms and chapter objectives introduce the essential information in each chapter
• Reading guide questions and summaries in each chapter make it easier to measure your comprehension of the material

• NEW! Updated content aligns the book more closely with the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework, and also emphasizes public health and the social determinants of health
• NEW! Content on collaboration between Occupational Therapists and Occupational Therapy Assistants is added to this edition
• NEW! Enhanced ebook version, included with every new print purchase, features student worksheets and study features, plus digital access to all text, figures, and references, with the ability to search, customize content, make notes and highlights, and have content read aloud on a variety of devices

• Publication date: 2 November 2026
• Page count: 672
• Publisher: Elsevier Health Sciences
• Format: Paperback
• ISBN-13: 9780443127922