Stroke survivors with aphasia (SsWA) tend to experience high levels of anxiety and stress, leading to an increased risk of recurrent strokes. Mindfulness and/or relaxation that does not require language outputs could reduce psychosocial stress; however, these approaches work best if they consist of a range of techniques and are modified to suit the needs of SsWA. Using a mixed-methods approach, we examined the feasibility and acceptability of a set of tailored mindfulness and relaxation techniques for SsWA. Nine SsWA were recruited (six men and three women, median age = 51 years). Four relaxation and mindfulness techniques which had been tailored for SsWA were filmed into a DVD/YouTube video and were given to participants together with a practice diary for home practice once daily for 5 weeks. The participants joined focus group discussions and completed a feasibility scale 5 weeks later. The participants perceived these techniques as easy, user-friendly and acceptable for SsWA in general. Although practised less often than instructed, many participants reported benefits of regular practice. The perceived relevance of these techniques to the participants’ own situations and the intention to continue varied. Future research could encourage the regular practice of self-help interventions by incorporating behavioural change techniques such as using prompts and cues.

Stroke survivors and informal caregivers experience high levels of stress and anxiety, linked to heightened risk of secondary stroke in survivors. Relaxation and mindfulness could reduce stress and anxiety; being most effective when tailored to the target populations. Aims of the PPI include to: (1) consult on possible alterations to an existing relaxation and mindfulness intervention, delivered via YouTube/DVD and (2) discuss relevance and preference of prompts and cues designed to facilitate the daily practice of the intervention. Eleven UK PPI contributors were consulted during 2020: four stroke survivors (F = 2, M = 2), three caregivers (F = 1, M = 2), and four HCPs (F = 4) (range = 23–63 years). Contributors watched the existing intervention and provided feedback via online discussions. Transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis. Five themes were identified, highlighting several necessary alterations to the intervention: “Who represents the stroke population?”; “The paradox of age”; “Specifically selected language”; “Visual presentation of the intervention”; and the “Audio qualities”. Contributors ranked the prompts and cues in order of preference with setting alarms and email alerts as the most popular. The PPI consultations resulted in several alterations enabling a revised version of the intervention. Including a PPI consultation at an early stage of the research improves the relevance and appropriateness of the research. The revised intervention is more representative of the stroke population thus more likely to be practised by survivors and caregivers, which will enhance the extent of effectiveness, reducing the risk of a secondary stroke.