Domain-specific responsiveness to mindfulness and cognitive rehabilitation in chronic ischemic stroke survivors.
Lili Zhao, Forough Ahrari, Ehsan Rastbood, Mohammad Bin Hasan, Fereshteh Osmani
Topics in stroke rehabilitation March 8, 2026 DOI: 10.1080/10749357.2026.2634289 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Controlled longitudinal study with random assignment Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 36 |
| Population | Chronic ischemic stroke survivors |
| Interventions | Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Cognitive Rehabilitation Therapy |
| Duration | Baseline to post-intervention and two-month follow-up |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Ischemic stroke Cognitive rehabilitation Functional recovery Mindfulness-based stress reduction Stroke impact scale Stroke rehabilitation |
| Key findings | MBSR improved cognitive-affective domains (memory, thinking, participation) while CRT improved communication outcomes; the control group showed no significant recovery. |
Abstract
Chronic ischemic stroke survivors experience cognitive, emotional, and participation-related limitations that affect reintegration into the community and life satisfaction. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Cognitive Rehabilitation Therapy (CRT) may aid in the recovery process of stroke survivors. These rehabilitation programs may act through different mechanisms. However, little is known about the domain-specific responsiveness of stroke survivors to these rehabilitation programs. The objectives of this study were to investigate the domain-specific functional responsiveness of stroke survivors with chronic ischemic stroke to both mindfulness-based and cognitive rehabilitation programs, especially in terms of participation, communication, and cognitive outcomes. This controlled longitudinal study consisted of 36 stroke survivors with chronic ischemic stroke who were randomly assigned to one of the three groups: MBSR, cognitive rehabilitation based on Powell's protocol, or a control group. Participants underwent the Stroke Impact Scale (SIS) assessment. Changes in SIS domain scores from baseline to post-intervention and two-month follow-up were evaluated using repeated measures analysis of variance. The results revealed that the patterns of domain-specific responsiveness varied between the interventions. It was noted that the mindfulness-based intervention showed better recovery in cognitive-affective domains, especially memory, thinking, and participation/role function. Conversely, cognitive rehabilitation showed better recovery in communication-related outcomes. No significant recovery was noted in the control group for any of the domains. The study suggests that both mindfulness-based and cognitive rehabilitation interventions facilitate recovery through unique pathways in chronic ischemic stroke survivors. Domain-specific responsiveness may be a valuable tool for providing clinically relevant information for tailoring rehabilitation approaches according to individual patient characteristics.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Undergraduate students | 2006 | Observational cohort | |
| Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders Patients with generalized anxiety disorder or panic disorder with or without agoraphobia | 1992 | Observational cohort | n = 22 |
| Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Participants with extensive Insight meditation experience and matched controls | 2005 | Observational cohort | n = 20 |
| Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Experienced meditators and matched meditation-naive controls | 2011 | Observational cohort | |
| Long-term meditators self-induce high-amplitude gamma synchrony during mental practice Long-term Buddhist practitioners and controls | 2004 | Observational cohort |
Citations in the library
Cites 3
- Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A State-of-the-art Review. Current Neuropharmacology 2024
- A Mindfulness-Based Resiliency Program for Caregivers of Patients With Severe Acute Brain Injury Transitioning Out of Critical Care: Protocol for an Open Pilot Trial. JMIR Research Protocols October 25, 2023
- Grieving a disrupted biography: an interpretative phenomenological analysis exploring barriers to the use of mindfulness after neurological injury or impairment. BMC Psychology August 24, 2021