Efficacy of Psychotherapeutic Nursing Intervention Package on Depression, Anxiety and Emotional Resilience Among Stroke Survivors

Abstract

Stroke survivors are often subjected to anxiety and depression and other neuropsychiatric disorders. However, little is known about this spectrum of disorders post-stroke. Non-pharmacological interventions can be effective in managing the patients, with only handful of studies in Indian context the problem was addressed to be explored in detail. The study was intended to establish the efficacy of psychotherapeutic nursing intervention package on poststroke depression, anxiety and emotional resilience among stroke survivors.144 patients with post Stroke depression, anxiety and resilience as assessed by HDRS, HARS and CDRS were non-randomly assigned to experimental and control group. 72 study participants were assigned to experimental and control group. Experimental group received planned interventional package twice a week for 4 weeks. The participants were assessed at 3 different observation points during the course of study. Clinical Interview for Screening (A1), Pre-Test (A2) , Post-Test(A3). The study results with PSD, PSA and Emotional Resilience with mean difference of 3.73, 5.38 and 26.83 respectively was found to be statistically significant at p<0.05 level. The relationship of depression with resilience and anxiety with resilience was found to be weak positive. Conclusion: Psychotherapeutic nursing intervention package is effective modality for stroke patients experiencing depression and anxiety scores. With study results the package appears to benefit stroke survivors with depression and anxiety of experimental group beyond what patients of control group experience with standard or usual treatment. However, in patients with severe depression and anxiety the treatment can be used as an adjuvant with psychopharmacological interventions.