Subjective experience after stroke

To assess subjective experience after stroke, 214 patients completed the 63-item European Brain Injury Questionnaire. The same questionnaire was also completed by a close relative of each patient and by 214 control participants matched for gender and age. A principal component analysis showed 3 factors: depressive mood, cognitive difficulties, and difficulties in social interactions. In self-assessment, whereas the first 2 factors were scored higher by patients than by controls, the level of difficulty in social interactions did not differ between these 2 groups. In hetero-assessment, relatives scored patients' difficulties higher than patients did, especially for items suggesting the impact of stroke on themselves. Psychological difficulties of stroke patients and the consequences on their relatives need to be taken into account in rehabilitation programs.