The Effectiveness and Mechanism of Character Strengths-based STEP Programme on Rehabilitation of Stroke Patients

The Effectiveness and Mechanism of Character Strengths-based Structured Treatment and Education Programme on Rehabilitation of Stroke Patients

There is an urgent need for educational and psychological adjustment to stimulate the post-stroke patients' motivation to actively carry out rehabilitation. Studies have shown that interventions based on character strengths are widely used in chronic disease patients abroad, and have achieved the effect of improving the physical and mental health. However, research on individualized character strengths in stroke patient intervention is limited, and more clinical evidence is needed. This study is based on personality theory and the application of character strengths-based STEP programme (CSSTEP) in stroke patients. The investigators hypothesized that the CSSTEP programme could help stroke patients to improve mental state, cognitive function, and better gait performance, suffer from less post-stroke depression, enhance their post-stroke self-confidence.

Post-stroke patients are often accompanied by different degrees of cognitive and language impairments. About 45% of the patients have persistent limb dysfunction, which leads to strong psychological stress reactions in patients, and negative emotions such as anxiety and depression are common. There is an urgent need for educational and psychological adjustment to stimulate the patient's motivation to actively carry out rehabilitation, so as to reduce negative emotions, enhance the patient's intrinsic motivation for rehabilitation, and reduce the patient's disability. Studies have shown that interventions based on character strengths are widely used in chronic disease patients abroad, and have achieved the effect of improving the physical and mental health of patients. However, research on individualized character strengths in stroke patient intervention is limited, and more clinical evidence is needed. This study is based on personality theory and the application of character strengths-based STEP programme (CSSTEP) in stroke patients. The investigators hypothesized that the CSSTEP programme could help stroke patients to improve mental state, cognitive function, and better gait performance, suffer from less post-stroke depression, enhance their post-stroke self-confidence. In addition, the investigators will use the application of CSSTEP in stroke care to provide a theoretical basis for a new personality direction for clinical psychological intervention, and provide new ideas and ideas for improving the stroke rehabilitation system and establishing a new personalized post-stroke intervention.

Inclusion Criteria:

• ① Clinical diagnosis of stroke, CT or MRI diagnosis of cerebral infarction;
• ② Within 30 days after clinical diagnosis of acute stroke;
• ③ Age ≥18 years;
• ④ Basic cognition, learning ability and willingness, all vital signs were stable, no other serious complications and no history of mental illness;
• ⑤ Informed consent and cooperation.

Exclusion Criteria:

• ① Moderate or severe cognitive impairment (defined as mini-mental state examination score ≤20);
• ② Unstable vital signs, accompanied by severe heart, liver, renal insufficiency, respiratory failure and malignant tumors, unable to intervene.