Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research (Mar 2019)

Functional Recovery after Stroke: Role of Irrational Beliefs

  • Sonal Paliwal,
  • Dipti R Christian

DOI
https://doi.org/10.7860/JCDR/2019/39766.12655
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 13, no. 3
pp. VC01 – VC04

Abstract

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Introduction: Stroke is a disabling condition that affects the physical as well as cognitive areas of functioning. Recovery from a stroke can be interrupted by many factors including psychological. Our beliefs play an important role in determining our perceptions and behaviour and may thereby affect the recovery process. Presence of irrational beliefs can act as a detrimental factor to recovery. Aim: To understand the functional recovery process of brain stroke patients and to examine the effect of irrational beliefs on physical and cognitive functional recovery. Materials and Methods: The present study was conducted on 85 first-ever right-hemispheric patients with 53 males and 32 females. The assessment was done in two phases i.e., Phase I-within 3-10 days of stroke and Phase II- after three months of stroke. Barthel Index (BI), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Irrational Beliefs Scale (IBS) were used to assess the patients. Paired t-test and Wilcoxon Signed Rank test were used to find out Phase I and Phase II differences in scores of irrational beliefs, BI, and MMSE variables. Kruskal-Wallis Test was used to find out differences between the functional recovery scores of low, moderate and high groups according to irrational beliefs. Post-hoc analysis with pairwise comparison was done to find out intergroup differences. Results: Significant differences were found in Phase I and Phase II scores of BI (p<0.001) and MMSE areas namely; Orientation (p<0.001), Attention and calculation (p<0.001), Language (p<0.001) and Construction/praxis (p<0.001). According to the level of irrational beliefs, significant differences were found in BI (p<0.001) and Recall (p=0.016). Low-moderate-high group differences of BI were found significant (p<0.001) and on Recall only high-low group difference was found significant (p=0.013). Conclusion: The study highlights the impact of irrational beliefs on the recovery process of stroke patients. The findings indicate the crucial part that psychologists can play in the rehabilitation process of stroke patients.

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