Adaptation to stroke and a model of successful ageing

Abstract

The focus of this research is to apply and examine the Baltes’ successful ageing model of selection, optimization and compensation (SOC) (Baltes & Baltes, 1990) in the context of stroke which has sudden onset and uncertain potential for recovery or recurrence, in order to gain further understanding into the process of adaptation for this condition. The process of adaptation to the physical and psychosocial consequences after stroke is a major challenge for many individuals affected by stroke. This process involves responding to the functional, psychological, and social changes that occur with the onset and experience of living with a disability, chronic illness, or associated treatments. Following a review of the literature that has defined and quantified coping strategies affer stroke, it was highlighted that a limited number of studies dealt with coping as part of the psychological adaptation process after stroke; theoretical frameworks to support operational coping models were lacking; and other methodological problems in relation to coping measurement within stroke were similar to those that exist within the general coping literature especially in terms of the limited reporting psychometric properties. The SOC model was chosen as a potential framework to investigate the process of adaptation after stroke because the contribution of the SOC model to date has been shown to address improvement, maintenance and reorientation in ternis of coping with major life change and loss. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the extent to which individuals, following the impact of an acute physical condition, engage in SOC strategies and the relationship of the SOC strategies with functional ability, health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and depression one year later.