Goal Setting Improves Cognitive Performance in a Randomized Trial of Chronic Stroke Survivors
Open Access
- 1 February 2021
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health) in Stroke
- Vol. 52 (2), 458-470
- https://doi.org/10.1161/strokeaha.120.032131
Abstract
Background and Purpose: 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. Methods: 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. Results: 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; η2p=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; η2p=0.16) and verbal learning (F[1,60]=5.81; P=0.019; η2p=0.09) also showed improvement after instruction but not verbal recall (Wilks λ=0.95; F[1,56]=2.82; P=0.099; η2p=0.05). There were no adverse events. Conclusions: 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.This publication has 33 references indexed in Scilit:
- Rehabilitation of Executive Functioning in Patients with Frontal Lobe Brain Damage with Goal Management TrainingFrontiers in Human Neuroscience, 2011
- Experimental evidence for a motivational origin of cognitive impairment in major depressionPsychological Medicine, 2007
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke–Canadian Stroke Network Vascular Cognitive Impairment Harmonization StandardsStroke, 2006
- The effects of goal setting on the arithmetic performance of brain-damaged patientsArchives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 2002
- The Assessment of Goal Commitment: A Measurement Model Meta-AnalysisOrganizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 2001
- The effect of goal setting on motor performance and motor learning in brain-damaged patientsNeuropsychological Rehabilitation, 2001
- Reliability of alternate forms of the trail making testThe Clinical Neuropsychologist, 1996
- Effects of repeated neuropsychological assessmentsArchives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 1993
- The CES-D ScaleApplied Psychological Measurement, 1977
- The relation of the Trail Making Test to organic brain damage.Journal of Consulting Psychology, 1955