Promoting Resilience After Stroke in Dyads (ReStoreD): A Supplemental Analysis

Abstract

Objective: To examine preliminary effects of ReStoreD (Resilience after Stroke in Dyads) on resilience in couples coping with stroke-related challenges.

Design: Supplemental analysis of prospective pilot trial with pre-/post-assessments and 3-month follow-up.

Setting: Community.

Participants: Thirty-four cohabitating stroke-care partner dyads (N=34); at least 3 months post-stroke.

Interventions: 8-week self-administered dyadic intervention (ReStoreD) consisting of activities completed individually and as a couple.

Main outcome measures: 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale.

Results: Care partner baseline resilience scores were significantly higher than persons with stroke scores. Repeated-measures analysis of variance suggest significant pre-post improvement in resilience for persons with stroke (mean difference [I - J]=-2.42, SE=.91, P=.04, 95% CI [-4.75, -0.08]) with a large effect size (η²=.34), which was maintained at 3-month follow-up. Care partners showed no significant change over time.

Conclusions: This study provides preliminary evidence that ReStoreD improves resilience in persons with stroke. More research is needed to address resilience in care partners. These findings represent a promising first step to address the mental health needs in this population.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03335358.

Keywords: Caregivers; Couples; Positive; Psychological; Psychology, Rehabilitation; Resilience; Stroke.