Emotional adjustment post-stroke: a qualitative study of an online stroke community

Smith, Freya, Jones, C., Gracey, Fergus ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1416-7894, Mullis, Ricky, Coulson, Neil and De Simoni, Anna (2021) Emotional adjustment post-stroke: a qualitative study of an online stroke community. Neuropsychological Rehabilitation, 31 (3). pp. 414-431. ISSN 0960-2011

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Abstract

Understanding of emotional adjustment after stroke is limited. Under one-third of stroke survivors reporting emotional problems receive support. The aim of this study was to explore the process of emotional adjustment post-stroke and investigate the role played by participation in an online stroke community. We applied thematic analysis to 124 relevant posts within 114 discussion threads, written by 39 survivors and 29 carers. The contribution of online community engagement to emotional adjustment was explored using the Social Support Behaviour Code. Stroke survivors share common experiences of emotional adjustment and may not necessarily reach complete acceptance. Positive and negative trajectories of emotional adjustment were identified. Survivors progressed along, or moved between, positive and negative pathways not in a time-dependent manner but in response to “trigger events,” such as physical setbacks or anti-depressant treatment, which may occur at any chronological time. An adapted version of Suhr's 1990 Social Support Behaviour Code showed that support provided through the online community took many forms, including advice, teaching, empathy and normalization of concerns. Participation in the stroke community was itself deemed to be a positive “trigger event.” There is need to improve awareness of emotional adjustment and their “triggers” amongst stroke survivors, carers and clinicians.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: emotional adjustment,online health community,social support,stroke,thematic analysis,neuropsychology and physiological psychology,rehabilitation,arts and humanities (miscellaneous),applied psychology ,/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/3200/3206
Faculty \ School: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Norwich Medical School
UEA Research Groups: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Centres > Lifespan Health
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Depositing User: LivePure Connector
Date Deposited: 23 Jan 2020 03:13
Last Modified: 19 Oct 2023 02:32
URI: https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/73749
DOI: 10.1080/09602011.2019.1702561

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