What does confidence mean to people who have had a stroke? – A qualitative interview study

Objective:To explore the meaning of confidence to stroke patients after stroke in order to inform the development of a measurement tool.Design:Qualitative interview study using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA).Methods:Ten stroke survivors were purposively selected from those participating in a multi-centre randomised trial of outdoor mobility rehabilitation. Interviews about confidence were conducted in participants’ homes, audio recorded and transcribed verbatim.Results:Six themes emerged from the analysis. These were loss of identity, fear, social confidence, role confidence, mastering skill and attitudes and beliefs. Loss of identity was particularly evident in the early stages of stroke recovery. Fear was a barrier to regaining confidence and was associated with avoidance behaviours. Lack of social confidence was a common problem which appeared difficult to resolve. Life roles motivated participants to re-engage in daily life activities. Personal attitudes and beliefs, combined with the ...