Development of a Novel Screening Tool for Anosognosia After Stroke.

Plain-language summary

Anosognosia, a neurological inability to acknowledge or comprehend one's own (dis)abilities, is a multi-faceted phenomenon which has consistently gained traction in research fields spanning psychology, neurology, and cognition since its conceptual introduction in 1914. Though anosognosia is not limited to following only neurological disease or injury, the majority of research has focused on the prevalence and mechanisms of anosognosia after stroke. Despite this, there is no clear consensus among the literature, and thus in clinical practice, as to how anosognosia after stroke should be assessed. This is startling given the plethora of studies which highlight anosognosia as a barrier to rehabilitation, a risk to safe discharge, and a predictor of poorer psychological and functional outcomes for both patients and their carers. Currently, there exists a vast number of assessment methods for anosognosia after stroke, which vary from performance- and observation-based tasks to self-report and discrepancy-based interviews; clinicians working in stroke make arbitrary choices as to which of these methods to use on a case-by-case basis, risking missed cases and subsequently noncomprehensive care. This research aims to develop a new screening tool for anosognosia that can be routinely implemented with post-stroke patients in hospital settings, to inform care, rehabilitation, and discharge. The study will explore the acceptability and feasibility of the new screening tool among multi-disciplinary staff working on a stroke rehabilitation unit, and provide grounds for future studies to assess the screen's psychometric properties and ability to inform novel interventions for anosognosia. Findings will have great implications for stroke survivors, their carers, and healthcare professionals alike.

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