Developing neuropsychological rehabilitation plan for stroke patients in Bangladesh

Abstract

Stroke survivors experienced neuropsychological impairment along with other health complications. So it requires neuropsychological rehabilitation with other management. Developing a neuropsychological rehabilitation plan was the aim of the present study, ie, attention, memory, emotion, executive functioning, and communication of stroke patients in Bangladesh. Thirty-two stroke patients were recruited for the study by purposive sampling from the Center for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed (CRP) in Bangladesh. To conduct the study Addenbroke's Cognitive Examination-ACE-III (Bangladesh version-2016), DASS 21 (Depression Anxiety Stress Scale Bangla Version, Demorgaphic questionnaires, and Neuropsychological rehabilitation strategy chosen form (random selection) were used. After analyzing, it was found that the maximum number of patients preferred in attention strategies (attention beam 100%), in memory (making association 93.75%), in emotion (mindfulness 96.87%), in executive functions energization or doing (structured routines 100%), cognition or thinking (stop/think 100%), emotional and behavioral self-regulation/feeling and acting (understanding the problem 100%), metacognition/awareness and socialization (feedback 100%), in communication (active listening 100%). Specific neuropsychological rehabilitation strategies were chosen in attention, the attention beam strategy by 100%, and the external distraction strategy by 75%. Memory-related strategies were more preferable, like making an association 93.75%, chunking 93.75%, and keywords 87.50%. In emotion management, the patients preferred the mindfulness strategy 96.87%, calming breaths 84.37%. The patients were less familiar with executive functions, and more strategies were preferred from here. In communication, the active listening strategy is preferred by 100%, and maintaining conversation and taking turns is 68.75%. High strength and low strength, there is no mean difference in preferred strategies. Both depressed and non-depressed stroke patients 100% choose the neuropsychological strategies, attention beam, mindfulness, structured routines, stop/think, understanding the problem, and feedback. Making association and chunking 96.15% in non-depressed patients. Both anxious and non-anxious stroke patients 100% choose the neuropsychological strategies, attention beam, mindfulness, structured routines, stop/think, understanding the problem, feedback, and active listening. Making associations and chunking 95.83% in non-anxious patients. Non-stressed stroke patients 100% choose the neuropsychological strategies, attention beam, mindfulness, structured routines, stop/think, understanding the problem, feedback, and active listening. Making associations and chunking 95.83% in non-anxious patients. All the findings of the present study would have helped to develop a neuropsychological rehabilitation plan for stroke patients in Bangladesh.