Mindfulness After Stroke

The purpose of this study is to test the relevance, satisfaction and ease-of-use of an online mindfulness intervention among stroke survivors and their caregivers. Quality of life, depression, anxiety, stress and sleep quality will be assessed before, after and at 1 month after the intervention. After the intervention, participants' feedback about the usability and the satisfaction with the intervention and the online program will be gathered. Based on participants' feedback, changes to the intervention will be made to obtain a final version.

The incidence of depression and anxiety is much higher in stroke survivors and their caregivers compared to age-matched peers. Previous work suggests that mindfulness delivered in an online format is promising for both individuals with neurological disorders and caregivers to improve quality of life and psychological well-being.

The overall objective of this project is to develop and refine an online mindfulness program that is perceived as relevant and user-friendly for stroke survivors and their caregivers. This project also aims to determine the potential impact of the mindfulness program on psychological well-being for stroke survivors and caregivers to guide the development of a future intervention study.

The process of development of the online mindfulness program will be iterative and will involve three phases: one development phase, one usability testing phase with end-users and one refinement phase.

Phase 1) The 3-week online mindfulness program will be adapted from the program developed for individuals with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis by mindfulness and stroke experts to ensure suitability and relevance for individuals with stroke.

Phase 2) A testing phase will be conducted remotely for both technical and clinical verification with 5-10 stroke survivors and 5-10 caregivers. Self-reported questionnaires about psychological well-being will be administered prior to and after the participation to the program and at a 1-month follow-up. After the program, a usability questionnaire and a semi-structured interview will be conducted to assess the usability of the mindfulness program and gather participants' feedback. For each group, differences prior to and after the mindfulness program will be assessed using a repeated measure analysis of variance. The transcribed verbatim of the semi-structured interview will be analyzed independently using thematic content analysis by 2 members of the research team.

Phase 3) Based on the results from Phase 2, modifications will be made to the online mindfulness program. If warranted, the testing phase will be replicated with a second cohort of participants.

This project will lead to the development of an online mindfulness program suitable for stroke survivors and their caregivers to improve quality of life and psychological well-being. This project will help guide the development of a planned intervention study.

Eligibility Criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:

* Diagnosis of stroke (for stroke survivors) or caregiver of someone who have had a stroke
* Ability to access Internet using a computer, a tablet and/or a smart phone
* Ability to provide informed consent
* Fluent in English

Exclusion Criteria:

* Severe language impairments
* Regular meditation or participation in a mindfulness program in the past 3 months