Drawing from interviews with 23 recent stroke victims, researchers explore common disease trajectories, or longitudinal patterns of psychological distress and recovery, in the 12 months following stroke.
They identify four distinct trajectories — resilience, ongoing mood disturbance, emergent mood disturbance and recovery from mood disturbance.
Recovery from mood disturbance, they note, was facilitated by gains in independence and self-esteem and by having an internal health locus of control.
The authors conclude that identifying distinct trajectories of psychological morbidity may help primary care physicians develop appropriately timed interventions to promote better mental health among stroke patients.
Paper: 'Trajectories of Psychological Distress After Stroke' By Jennifer H. White, MMS, et al September/October 2012 Annals of Family Medicine