Background and aims
Psychosocial factors, such as self-efficacy and resilience, are important for various aspects of rehabilitation outcome in stroke survivors. However, very little is known about how these factors are affected and related to outcome in stroke survivors with aphasia. The aim was to investigate self-efficacy and resilience, and the associations to linguistic ability, cognition, and functional communication, in people with severe post-stroke aphasia.
Methods
37 individuals with severe aphasia rated their self-efficacy and resilience, using the instruments DLSES and CD-RISC, respectively. The instruments and administration procedures were adapted according to the needs of the participants. In addition, linguistic ability, cognition and functional communication were assessed. Associations among the variables were investigated with correlation analyses
Results and main contribution
The participants rated their self-efficacy and resilience as expected based on previous research; somewhat lower than general populations and at similar levels as similar clinical populations. There were, as expected, strong associations between self-efficacy and resilience. In the sample as a whole, no clear associations with linguistic ability or functional communication were found. However, upon splitting the sample into two groups based on cognitive abilities, another pattern emerged. In the group with more preserved cognition, there were moderate to strong correlations between functional communication and self-efficacy and resilience. In the group with more pronounced cognitive problems, no correlations were found. This group difference may indicate difficulties in the assessment of self-efficacy and resilience in people with severe aphasia who have accompanying cognitive impairments.
This is the first study attempting to explore the associations between these psychosocial factors and functional communication in severe aphasia.
Conclusions
People with severe aphasia have decreased self-efficacy and resilience compared to general populations. Self-efficacy and resilience are not associated with severity of the language impairment. Indications of an association between functional communication and self-efficacy and resilience emerged, but this issue needs further exploration.
Implications
Integrating acitivities to increase self-efficacy and resilience in aphasia rehabilitation may be beneficial to treatment outcomes regarding functional communication.
2023.