Date of Award

January 2014

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Kinesiology & Public Health Education

First Advisor

James Whitehead

Abstract

Rehabilitation Interventionists (RIs) usually spend a great deal of time and effort trying to improve the functional abilities of stroke patients. Stroke rehabilitation through current studies has been recognized as an important and effective modality in the treatment of stroke. Despite the known benefits of SR to stroke patients, a number of them drop out resulting in a decline the benefits from the program.

Objective: To examine the predictive relationship between perceived autonomy support provided by Stroke Rehabilitation Interventionists, and the participants' subsequent stroke rehabilitation program attendance rate. The study also examines the predictive relationship between participants' perceived autonomy support and their motivation to exercise, which in turn, would predict higher stroke rehabilitation program attendance rate.

Research Method: Stroke rehabilitation outpatients (N = 35; Male = 20; Female = 15; Mage = 52.79 years: SD = 12.16). This study examined the predictive relationship between participants' perceived autonomy support and motivation for exercise at weeks 2 and 3 of stroke rehabilitation participation. It also examined the predictive relationship between participants' perceived autonomy support and stroke rehabilitation attendance rate. Stroke rehabilitation attendance was tracked for a period of 5 weeks. Descriptive statistics, bivariate correlations and hierarchical linear regression were calculated to assess the predictive relationships between perceived autonomy support, self-determined motivation and stroke rehabilitation program attendance rate.

Results: Perceived autonomy support was not positively correlated with relative autonomy index, r(35) = .13, p > .05. The relationship between perceived autonomy support and all other forms of controlled motivation was also not significant. The regression model predicting program attendance showed significant positive effect for perceived autonomy support (β = .56, R2 = .32, p < .001). However, the regression model predicting program attendance showed a non-significant effect for self-determined motivation (β = .56, R2 = .32, p = NS).

Conclusion: Results supports Self-Determination Theory in predicting the attendance rate of participants in SR. The higher the perceived autonomy support provided by RI to stroke patients, the higher their attendance rate in a stroke rehabilitation program. RIs supporting stroke patients' autonomy support rather than interfering with their autonomy or neglecting them during the SR process helps create an environment where stroke patients can feel an engagement-fostering balance between what they want to do and what they are actually told to do.

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