Identifying emotional contributors to participation post-stroke

Abstract

Background Participation in daily activities is the ultimate goal of stroke rehabilitation. Emotional factors have been considered as contributors to participation, but associations between emotional factors and participation post-stroke have not been fully explored.Objective To investigate the extent to which emotional factors contribute to participation post-stroke.Methods 73 participants were included. Three participation outcomes were used as dependent variables in three models: (1) Stroke Impact Scale (SIS) Participation/Role Function, (2) Activity Card Sort (ACS), and (3) Reintegration to Normal Living (RNL). Main independent variables were six emotional factors: SIS Emotion Function (General emotion), Visual Analog Mood Scale energetic and happy subscales, Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (Depression), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-Trait Anxiety Scale, and Apathy Evaluation Scale. Covariates of stroke severity and social support were included.Results Model 1 showed stroke severity (β = −0.300) and depression (β = −0.268) were significant contributors to SIS Participation/Role Function (R2 = 0.368, p < .05). Model 2 indicated that happiness (β = 0.284) and apathy (β = −0.330) significantly contributed to ACS total activity retention (R2 = 0.247, p < .05). Model 3 revealed that anxiety (β = −0.348), apathy (β = −0.303), stroke severity (β = −0.184), and social support (β = 0.185) were significant contributors to RNL total score (R2 = 0.583, p < .05).Conclusions Results suggested that emotional measures of apathy, depression, anxiety, and happiness, but not general emotion, were important contributors to participation post-stroke. These findings suggest that rehabilitation professionals should address individual emotional contributors to facilitate participation post-stroke.

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