AOTA Study Guide 2026
Everything you need to pass the AOTA exam in one place: the exam format, every topic to study, real practice questions with explanations, flashcards, and full-length practice tests. Free, no sign-up needed.
📋 AOTA Exam Format at a Glance
📚 AOTA Topics to Study (69)
✍️ Sample AOTA Questions & Answers
1. A caregiver reports their child becomes dysregulated during bath time. The OT's BEST initial response is to:
The OT should conduct a sensory analysis of the routine and guide the caregiver with practical, evidence-based modifications.
2. A therapist using the Alert Program® as part of sensory integration treatment is primarily targeting:
The Alert Program® ('How Does Your Engine Run?') teaches children to identify and self-regulate their arousal/alertness levels.
3. In Sensory Integration theory, the term 'sensory dormancy' or 'under-registration' refers to:
Under-registration (sensory dormancy) means the nervous system does not respond to sensory input that would typically be detected, requiring stronger or more prolonged stimuli.
4. Which hepatitis virus is most commonly transmitted through contaminated surfaces or fomites in a pediatric therapy environment?
Hepatitis A is a fecal-oral pathogen that survives on surfaces for weeks, making it the primary surface-transmission risk in pediatric settings.
5. Which of the following is the MOST critical contraindication for using deep pressure techniques in sensory integration therapy?
Osteoporosis or fragile bone conditions make deep pressure techniques dangerous due to elevated fracture risk, making them a primary contraindication.
6. What are principles of good documentation in AOTA?
Good documentation must be accurate, complete, timely, objective, and legible.