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AOTA CERTIFICATION EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS 2025
A client with bilateral transtibial amputation is being
fitted for a wheelchair. Which of the following
adaptations is MOST important?
A. Swing-away elevating footrests
B. Rear antitipping devices
C. Padded swing-away arm rests
D. Wheel-lock extensions - ...ANSWER... ✔ ✔b
(Because of the change in their center of gravity, clients
with bilateral amputations are more likely to tip over
backward during weight shifts. Rear antitipping devices
are necessary for safety.)
Which of the following symptoms is a COTA® likely to
observe in a client in a hospital setting during the
plateau phase of Guillain-Barré syndrome?
A. Unilateral pain in a lower extremity
B. Inability to communicate vocally
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C. Confusion from short-term memory loss
D. Hyposensitivity to tactile input - ...ANSWER... ✔
✔b (Because of paralysis of muscles in the head and
neck, spoken communication is often impaired in the
plateau phase of Guillain-Barré syndrome.)
A client with depression enjoyed exercising in the past
because it helped the client experience more positive
feelings. The client now has difficulty finding the
motivation to participate in exercise. Which strategy
would be BEST for the COTA® to use to encourage this
client to resume exercise?
A. Use motivational interviewing to encourage
exploration of desirable leisure activities.
B. Provide opportunities for the client to explore new
leisure pursuits.
C. Use the remotivation approach to determine the
appropriate motivational stage for intervention related
to exercise.
D. Provide the client with useful feedback about
performance in occupational therapy interventions
related to exercise and why the client should resume it. -
...ANSWER... ✔ ✔c (Remotivation is an evidence-
based intervention for motivation that helps clients
reengage in desired positive behaviors. Because the
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client has already self-identified exercise, remotivation
will help the COTA assist the client in a specific
motivation strategy to resume exercise.)
A client with a unilateral transradial amputation is
undergoing pre-positioning training for a myoelectric
arm. Which of the following is the MOST appropriate
goal?
A. Within three sessions, the client will independently
don the prosthesis and obtain good electrical contacts
with the electrode sites 100% of the time.
B. Within three sessions, the client will be able to open
and close the myoelectric terminal device 100% of the
time.
C. Within 1 week, the client will be able to accurately
identify how to arrange the wrist of the myoelectric
terminal device to be able to optimally grasp different
objects.
D. Within 1 month, the client will be able to use the
myoelectric terminal device as a functional assist and
stabilizer in 100% of daily activities. - ...ANSWER... ✔
✔c (The pre-positioning phase focuses on teaching the
client with an amputation to position the terminal device
for optimal grasp.)
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What piece of adaptive equipment is MOST useful for a
client with an incomplete T2 spinal cord injury?
A. A weighted spoon
B. A long-handled sponge
C. A plate protector
D. A button hook - ...ANSWER... ✔ ✔b
A COTA® is working with a client who has decreased
nerve function. The client has lost precision pinch, thenar
opposition, and the ability to bend the index and long
fingers at the proximal and distal interphalangeal joints.
What deformity does the client MOST likely have?
A. Ulnar claw
B. Boutonniere deformity
C. Swan neck deformity
D. Ape hand deformity - ...ANSWER... ✔ ✔d (Ape
hand deformity is the result of a high median nerve
injury at the elbow or proximal forearm.)
An 88-year-old client has given up driving as a result of
decreased vision. The client has a history of carpal
tunnel syndrome, diabetes mellitus (poorly controlled),
AOTA CERTIFICATION EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS 2025
A client with bilateral transtibial amputation is being
fitted for a wheelchair. Which of the following
adaptations is MOST important?
A. Swing-away elevating footrests
B. Rear antitipping devices
C. Padded swing-away arm rests
D. Wheel-lock extensions - ...ANSWER... ✔ ✔b
(Because of the change in their center of gravity, clients
with bilateral amputations are more likely to tip over
backward during weight shifts. Rear antitipping devices
are necessary for safety.)
Which of the following symptoms is a COTA® likely to
observe in a client in a hospital setting during the
plateau phase of Guillain-Barré syndrome?
A. Unilateral pain in a lower extremity
B. Inability to communicate vocally
,2|Page
C. Confusion from short-term memory loss
D. Hyposensitivity to tactile input - ...ANSWER... ✔
✔b (Because of paralysis of muscles in the head and
neck, spoken communication is often impaired in the
plateau phase of Guillain-Barré syndrome.)
A client with depression enjoyed exercising in the past
because it helped the client experience more positive
feelings. The client now has difficulty finding the
motivation to participate in exercise. Which strategy
would be BEST for the COTA® to use to encourage this
client to resume exercise?
A. Use motivational interviewing to encourage
exploration of desirable leisure activities.
B. Provide opportunities for the client to explore new
leisure pursuits.
C. Use the remotivation approach to determine the
appropriate motivational stage for intervention related
to exercise.
D. Provide the client with useful feedback about
performance in occupational therapy interventions
related to exercise and why the client should resume it. -
...ANSWER... ✔ ✔c (Remotivation is an evidence-
based intervention for motivation that helps clients
reengage in desired positive behaviors. Because the
,3|Page
client has already self-identified exercise, remotivation
will help the COTA assist the client in a specific
motivation strategy to resume exercise.)
A client with a unilateral transradial amputation is
undergoing pre-positioning training for a myoelectric
arm. Which of the following is the MOST appropriate
goal?
A. Within three sessions, the client will independently
don the prosthesis and obtain good electrical contacts
with the electrode sites 100% of the time.
B. Within three sessions, the client will be able to open
and close the myoelectric terminal device 100% of the
time.
C. Within 1 week, the client will be able to accurately
identify how to arrange the wrist of the myoelectric
terminal device to be able to optimally grasp different
objects.
D. Within 1 month, the client will be able to use the
myoelectric terminal device as a functional assist and
stabilizer in 100% of daily activities. - ...ANSWER... ✔
✔c (The pre-positioning phase focuses on teaching the
client with an amputation to position the terminal device
for optimal grasp.)
, 4|Page
What piece of adaptive equipment is MOST useful for a
client with an incomplete T2 spinal cord injury?
A. A weighted spoon
B. A long-handled sponge
C. A plate protector
D. A button hook - ...ANSWER... ✔ ✔b
A COTA® is working with a client who has decreased
nerve function. The client has lost precision pinch, thenar
opposition, and the ability to bend the index and long
fingers at the proximal and distal interphalangeal joints.
What deformity does the client MOST likely have?
A. Ulnar claw
B. Boutonniere deformity
C. Swan neck deformity
D. Ape hand deformity - ...ANSWER... ✔ ✔d (Ape
hand deformity is the result of a high median nerve
injury at the elbow or proximal forearm.)
An 88-year-old client has given up driving as a result of
decreased vision. The client has a history of carpal
tunnel syndrome, diabetes mellitus (poorly controlled),
