COTA Study Guide 2026
Everything you need to pass the COTA 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.
📋 COTA Exam Format at a Glance
📚 COTA Topics to Study (21)
✍️ Sample COTA Questions & Answers
1. A client with major depressive disorder reports decreased interest in self-care and meal preparation. What occupational therapy focus does this reflect?
Depression commonly leads to occupational deprivation as diminished motivation reduces engagement in meaningful daily activities including self-care and IADL.
2. A client with a traumatic brain injury is working on meal preparation. The COTA identifies that the client struggles with 'heeds' during the task. This means the client has difficulty:
'Heeds' is a process skill defined as responding appropriately to non-verbal task-related cues such as timer alarms, smoke, or hot surfaces during task performance.
3. Which spoon adaptation is most appropriate for a client with intention tremor secondary to multiple sclerosis?
Weighted utensils dampen the effect of intention tremors by providing proprioceptive resistance, improving feeding accuracy.
4. How should challenges in continuing education requirements be addressed?
Systematic problem-solving combined with appropriate consultation and documentation ensures challenges are addressed effectively.
5. A COTA is recommending a reacher for a post-hip replacement client. What angle of hip flexion must be avoided during use?
Total hip precautions restrict hip flexion beyond 90 degrees to prevent dislocation, making a reacher essential for floor-level retrieval.
6. A client with C6 spinal cord injury needs to write. Which assistive device would a COTA most likely recommend?
A universal cuff with a pen holder allows clients with C6 SCI to use tenodesis grasp for functional writing tasks.