Effects of the PERMA model-based psychological intervention on well-being and post- traumatic growth levels in young and middle-aged stroke patients

Abstract

Background Stroke is the number one cause of disability in young and middle-aged people, and positive psychology can provide additional recovery outcomes and is also crucial for the transition from hospital to home for stroke patients. However, there is a paucity of research on psychological interventions for young and middle-aged stroke patients during the rehabilitation period. Therefore, this study constructs a psychological intervention program based on the PERMA model of positive psychology and explores the impact of this program on patients' well-being and level of post-traumatic growth. Methods One hundred and twenty young and middle-aged stroke patients admitted to the rehabilitation medicine department of a tertiary care general hospital in Shenzhen, China, were selected, with 60 patients from 02–05–2022 as the control group and 60 patients from 05–08–2022 as the intervention group. Both groups received rehabilitation and conventional care, and the intervention group was given psychological intervention in the PERMA model on top of the control group for a total of 8 times over 4 weeks. The scores of Subjective Well-Being (IWB) and Post-Traumatic Growth Scale (PTG) were compared between the two groups before, after, 1 month after, and 3 months after the intervention. Results Subjective well-being (IWB) scores were significantly higher in the postintervention, 1-month post-intervention, and 3-month post-intervention groups than in the control group (t = 0.011, 0.000, 0.000; P<0.05); post-traumatic growth (PTG) scores were significantly higher in the post-intervention, 1-month post-intervention, and 3-month post-intervention groups than in the control group (t = 0.007, 0.000, 0.000; P< 0.01); repeated-measures ANOVAs were statistically significant (P <0.01) for the increase in well-being (IWB) and post-traumatic growth (PTG) scores over time for patients in the intervention group. Conclusions The PERMA model of psychological intervention can significantly improve the subjective well-being（IWB） and post-traumatic growth（PTG）of young and middle-aged stroke patients and is a positive and effective psychological intervention method. Trial Registration This trial was registered on 01/02/2022 (registration number: 2022038004-FS01) and approved by the Clinical Research Ethics Committee of the Second People's Hospital of Shenzhen, China. The registration number of the Chinese Clinical Trials Registration Centeris ChiCTR2200060103.