Relationship between Occupational Identity Post-Stroke and Outcomes of a Self-Management Participation-Focused Intervention: A Preliminary Investigation

Abstract

Self-management programs are used to assist stroke survivors to manage their condition and participation. This study was designed to examine correlations between occupational identity and outcomes of participation-focused self-management program using the Occupational Performance History Interview for the occupational identity and participation and self-efficacy as outcome measures. Spearman’s rho correlations were calculated between occupational Identity and the program’s outcomes. Results showed moderate significant positive correlations with self-efficacy for self-management and self-efficacy for participation scales at baseline; few were found at post-intervention and follow-up. Non-significant correlations were found between occupational identity and the change in outcome measures from baseline to post-intervention and to follow-up. Findings suggest occupational identity is strongly related to self-efficacy after stroke, and less related to intervention outcomes. However, other factors may possibly affect the effectiveness of self-management programs for a stroke population. Exploration of these factors might help develop programs better tailored to each stroke survivor.

Keywords:

• Occupational identity
• participation
• self-management
• stroke

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this paper.

Ethics approval

The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Clalit Health Services under the number 0018-14-COM in November 2014. All participants provided written informed consent.

The study was registered in the U.S. National Institutes of Health clinical trials registry. Registration number: NCT02289287.

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank Dana Hadar for her contribution to the statistical analyses of the study and to the participants for their involvement in the study.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by University of Haifa and JDC Israel; Graduate Research Authority of University of Haifa, Israel.

Notes on contributors

Eli Carmeli

Dana Hadar is a statistician in the Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Sciences, University of Haifa.