Do psychological variables modify motor recovery among patients with mild arm paresis after stroke or traumatic brain injury who receive the Arm Ability Training?
OBJECTIVE
The Arm Ability Training improves motor function among stroke and traumatic brain injury patients with mild arm paresis. There is, however, a considerable variability in motor recovery among patients receiving the Arm Ability Training. The study investigated whether psychological variables can explain the variability in motor recovery.


METHODS
In a sample of 33 patients receiving the Arm Ability Training both motor performance (by use of the standardised arm function test TEMPA) and cognitive functions (attention, perceptual abilities, and learning) as well as depression were assessed before training was commenced. Both univariate correlational analyses and stepwise multiple regression were used to investigate these variables' ability to predict motor improvement (TEMPA difference scores from pre to post test after 3 weeks).


RESULTS
The degree of motor dysfunction of the affected arm explained most (70%) of the variance of motor improvement scores of the standardised arm function test (TEMPA). Psychometric scores showed no or at the most weak associations with motor improvement (explaining at the most 10% of the variance).


CONCLUSIONS
Psychological variables had not been critical modifiers of motor recovery among stroke and traumatic brain injury patients with mild arm paresis receiving the Arm Ability Training.
Platz
T
T
Klinik Berlin, Abteilung für Neurologische Rehabilitation der Freien Universität Berlin am Universitätsklinikum Benjamin Franklin, Berlin, Germany.
Denzler
P
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001132:Arm; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D002648:Child; D003071:Cognition; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009068:Movement; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010291:Paresis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D011594:Psychometrics; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D020521:Stroke / Q000523:psychology*; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation