Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 25, 2026
Randomized, Triple-Blind, and Parallel-Controlled Trial of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for Cognitive Rehabilitation after Stroke
Published on: June 6, 2025
Poststroke fatigue: does group education make a difference? A randomized pilot trial
Annabel Clarke1, Suzanne L Barker-Collo, Valery L Feigin
1Department of Psychology, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
Purpose:
Fatigue is common and contributes to poor stroke outcomes. Educational fatigue management reduces fatigue in other conditions (eg, cancer). There was no evidence for educational fatigue management in stroke patients. This trial evaluated an educational fatigue management intervention in stroke survivors.
Methods:
Participants in this pilot trial were 19 individuals 3 to 18 months post incident stroke who experienced fatigue (Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) ≯3.9). Participants were allocated to a Fatigue Management Group (FMG) or General Stroke Education (GSE) control group. Assessment occurred pre and post intervention and at the 3-month follow-up. The primary outcome was FSS fatigue.
Results:
Both groups had significantly reduced FSS fatigue from baseline to postintervention assessment. Though not significantly different (P ≯.05), FSS decreased more in FMG participants than controls. Participant SF-36 social functioning and Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale depression scores improved significantly, but the groups did not differ significantly (P ≯.05).
Conclusions:
The findings indicate that the FMG intervention is both feasible and should be the subject of a full trial.