Goal Setting Improves Cognitive Performance in a Randomized Trial of Chronic Stroke Survivors

Cognitive impairment after stroke, especially executive and attention dysfunction, is common, negatively affects daily functioning, and has limited treatment options. A single-blind, parallel-design, randomized controlled trial was used to examine the impact of goal setting on poststroke cognitive performance.

Stroke survivors (n=72; mean age, 68.38 [SD=11.84] years; 69.4% men) in the chronic phase (≥3 months) after stroke from an academic stroke prevention clinic were randomly assigned to receive goal-setting instructions (n=36) or standard instructions (n=36) after completing baseline cognitive measures of executive function (primary outcome), attention/working memory, verbal learning, and verbal recall.

A one-way mixed multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) found a group by instructional manipulation interaction effect for executive function (Wilks λ=0.66; F[3,66]=11.30; P≤0.001; η²_p=0.34), after adjusting for age and years of education. After similar adjustment, attention/working memory (Wilks λ=0.86; F[5,63]=2.10; P=0.043; η²_p=0.16) and verbal learning (F[1,60]=5.81; P=0.019; η²_p=0.09) also showed improvement after instruction but not verbal recall (Wilks λ=0.95; F[1,56]=2.82; P=0.099; η²_p=0.05). There were no adverse events.

Goal setting improved executive function, attention/working memory, and learning in a heterogeneous sample in the chronic phase after stroke. This suggests that >3 months after stroke, vascular cognitive impairment is not a fixed deficit; there is a motivational contributor. Brief treatments targeting goal-oriented behavior and motivation may serve as a novel approach or adjunct treatment to improve cognitive outcomes after stroke. Future research should investigate the use of goal setting on functional outcomes (eg, instrumental activities of daily living and vocational function) in this population, highlighting new potential avenues for treatment for vascular cognitive impairment. Registration: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT03511300.