The Effect of Meditation on Stroke-Survivor Resilience: A Secondary Analysis of Existing Data

Mary Love, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston-Cizik School of Nursing

Abstract

Purpose: To test the effect of meditation on resilience of community-dwelling stroke survivors, and to identify resilience predictor variables in these survivors.

Methods: Sub-study with secondary analysis of existing data from the parent study, MEditatioN for post stroke Depression (MEND). Paired samples t-test was used to evaluate the effect of meditation on resilience of stroke-survivors (n=20) in the intervention group. Bivariate analysis and general linear modeling (GLM) were used to identify demographic, clinical, and psychological predictor variables of baseline resilience for all stroke survivors (n=34).

Results: The increase in stroke-survivor resilience scores from baseline (mean 3.46, SD=.81) to intervention completion (mean 3.58, SD 1.02) was not statistically significant (t=.60, df 19, p=.56). Four predictor variables (trait anxiety, state anxiety, depressive symptoms, and race) met a priori criteria (p≤.10) for inclusion in multivariate analysis. GLM with resilience as the dependent variable, race as a fixed factor, and trait anxiety as a covariate was significant (F_3,30, p = .002), and accounted for nearly 33% of the variance in baseline resilience.

Conclusion: Strategies to enhance resilience may support stroke-survivor recovery, but further research is needed. These studies should explore the effect of variables, such as race and trait anxiety, on stroke-survivor resilience.