Developing a Novel Cognitive-Behavioral Intervention for Psychosocial Rehabilitation in Chronic Stroke

Stroke is a neurological injury that adversely impacts psychosocial functioning and quality of life. This may occur due to direct insult to the neurocircuit substrates of adaptive psychosocial functioning, and/or indirectly via significant disruption to routine motor, sensory and cognitive performance. For example, the sequelae of stroke often prompt role changes, and associated occupational and financial strain that could have profound impact on the daily functioning of stroke survivors and their loved ones. This is likely not only in the acute aftermath of stroke, but also in the chronic stage when the potential durability of impairments becomes clear. While rehabilitation interventions for post-stroke motor and sensory impairments are well established, relatively few options exist for cognitive impairment. With the exception of post-stroke depression, few evidence-based interventions exist for addressing the broad disruption to emotional and interpersonal functioning specific to stroke, highlighting a clear unmet need. The investigators propose that adaptive psychosocial functioning post-stroke is likely particularly important for overall quality of life, but additionally for adherence to physical rehabilitation and related interventions intended to promote holistic recovery.

The long-term purpose of this line of research is to establish an efficacious, evidence-based, cognitive-behavioral intervention for psychosocial rehabilitation in chronic stroke toward optimally enhancing Veteran quality of life and functional independence. The short-term purpose of this line of research is to rigorously establish the domains of psychosocial functioning most adversely impacted by chronic stroke and to develop a cognitive-behavioral intervention (CBT) tailored to addressing corresponding psychosocial impairments, which could ultimately be delivered alone or adjunctively to physical rehabilitation. Importantly, the investigators additionally propose that such an intervention would be most broadly applicable and effective for Veterans with chronic stroke if CBT modules did not focus on comorbid diagnoses of mental illness, but rather focused on domains of post-stroke psychosocial impairment. The VA Healthcare System is a world leader in the dissemination of evidence-based CBT and is already staffed with mental healthcare providers who are experts, particularly in psychosocial adjustment to stressors and trauma. Thus, a scalable, remote, post-stroke tailored CBT intervention could be readily implemented within the VA Healthcare System.

To forward this novel line of work, the investigators propose as Aim 1, to complete via VA Video Connect (VVC) a single, cross-sectional qualitative assessment of 1) Veteran chronic stroke survivors (n=50), 2) their loved ones/caregivers (n=25), and 3) VA stroke rehabilitation providers (e.g., physical, speech, and occupational therapists, neurologists, neuropsychologists; n=25). For characterization relative to normed quantitative measures, Veterans (n=50) and loved ones n=25) who complete qualitative interviews from Aim1 will also complete quantitative measures of psychosocial functioning (Aim 2).

The investigators hypothesize that identified domains will include a range of psychosocial domains typically not addressed in stroke physical rehabilitation and related to post-stroke adjustment including: emotional functioning (stress, anxiety about observable impairments, coping), sleep, behavioral activation, parenting, intimate relationships, substance use. The investigators also expect concordance across informants regarding domains of greatest impairment, thus facilitating identification of productive candidates for intervention. The investigators further hypothesize that brief CBT modules that attend to the intersection of stroke recovery and psychosocial functioning will be deemed important and rated as acceptable and credible. Taken together, these findings will foundationally inform on psychosocial functioning in chronic stroke and point to a means of intervening with evidence-based cognitive-behavioral techniques, tailored to chronic stroke and readily scalable in the VA Healthcare System.