Psychological Factors Predicting Participation in Meaningful Activities of People With Chronic Stroke

Background and Objectives: One of the most important areas in the rehabilitation of stroke patients is participation in meaningful activities. Participation of individuals with stroke in meaningful activities can increase their satisfaction and quality of life. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between psychological factors and participation in meaningful activities as well as determining factors predicting participation in meaningful activities in patients with stroke. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 100 people with chronic stroke participated which were selected from four rehabilitation centers using a convenience non-probability sampling method. Participants were assessed using Meaningful Activity Participation Assessment (MAPA), Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), Center for Epidemiological Studies of Depression Scale (CED-S), 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), Visual Analogue Scale for Fatigue (VAS ‐ F), and Visual Analog Scale for Pain (VAS Pain). Results: The severity of depression had the highest relationship with the level of participation in meaningful activities. Also, the severity of depression, cognitive status, pain intensity, and severity of fatigue were identified as significant factors predicting the rate of participation in meaningful activities of patients with stroke. Conclusion: Participating in meaningful activities in people with stroke is an important issue and a major obstacle in the lives of people with stroke. As a result, identifying problems and making appropriate interventions to remove obstacles, such as fatigue, pain, cognitive problems, and most importantly depression should be a priority for professionals.