媒体联络:
朱莉·基弗
Director, 研究 Communications, University of Utah Health
电子邮件: 朱莉.Kiefer@hsc.犹他州.edu
To learn more about the clinical trial, visit the 恢复网站, call (385)-799-1515, or email 恢复@犹他州.edu.
Following up on positive results from preliminary studies, 研究ers at University of Utah Health are testing whether an eight-week program based on positive psychology techniques can improve the mood 和幸福 of people who have had a stroke 和 those who care for them. The National Institutes of Health-funded 恢复 (Resilience in Stroke survivor-care partner Dyads) clinical trial involves both the stroke survivor 和 their spouse or care partner. Together, the couple takes part in planned activities that can be done at home.
The study will recruit 200 couples in which one partner has had a stroke within the past three months to three years. Couples must have lived together for at least six months 和 may reside anywhere in the U.S.
“This approach is different from others that address pathology or things that are wrong,” 亚历山德拉·泰瑞尔博士.D., leader of the new clinical trial 和 associate professor of occupational 和 recreational therapies at U of U Health. “Instead, we’re taking a ‘building what’s strong’ approach.”
In the eight-week program, couples 应对 with stroke learn 和 practice goal setting, communication strategies, 和 positive psychology activities, such as expressing gratitude, 找到意义, 和 fostering connections. 作为每个模块的一部分, participants view educational videos or read materials to learn about topics, 比如弹性, 应对, 和幸福, that relate to adjusting to life after stroke. Then, they carry out activities related to the week’s theme.
Activities can be as simple as writing a thank you note, 做一件好事, or reflecting on an enjoyable experience.
“We’re very good at prescribing blood pressure medicines 和 anti-thrombotics to help prevent the next stroke,” Jennifer Majersik, m.m.D., a neurologist 和 stroke specialist at U of U Health who is a collaborator on the study. “But stroke survivors need something beyond just a pill to really help them reintegrate into their family lives 和 the community.”
Addressing post stroke depression 和 resilience
Preliminary 研究 with 34 couples showed that the intervention decreased post stroke depression 和 改进的弹性 在中风幸存者中, 和 these changes were maintained for at least three months after the program ended. Resilience is having the ability to adapt 和 cope when faced with challenges. Findings were more mixed for care partners, but those who had depressive symptoms 和 lower resilience also saw improvements. The studies’ results were based on self-report questionnaires 和 st和ardized measures.
“There is a common assumption that feeling depressed or anxious is to be expected after sustaining a stroke 和 that mental health issues will resolve spontaneously once a person returns home. Unfortunately, this is often not the case.”
The new trial seeks to confirm these results on a larger scale 和 provide additional evidence that the behavioral intervention lowers emotional distress in both partners. The trial will also examine effects on relationship quality, 中风相关的压力, 和 engagement in meaningful activities.
“There is a common assumption that feeling depressed or anxious is to be expected after sustaining a stroke 和 that mental health issues will resolve spontaneously once a person returns home,泰瑞尔说. “Unfortunately, this is often not the case.”
Stroke is a leading cause of long-term disability, affecting nearly 800,000 people in the U.S. 每年. The life-changing event can alter speech, 运动, 或认知, causing a stroke survivor to lose their independence. 结果是, 30 to 50 percent of people 应对 with stroke, along with their partners, experience depression or emotional distress.
Positive psychology could be a relatively simple, cost-effective solution to this problem, Terrill说. She is a clinical psychologist with specialized training in rehabilitation. 更广泛地说, she 研究es the role of relationships 和 positive psychology in managing chronic conditions. 如果成功, the novel approach being tested in 恢复 could become a sustainable 和 accessible means to improve recovery 和 quality of life.
“I've seen it affect patients 和 their partners in a positive way,” Majersik says. “It's shown me that we can continue to bend the curve of stroke recovery, not just by medicines or technology but also by using what I consider to be pretty simple tools. 这很重要.”
观看这个视频 to learn more about the 研究.
# # #