Abstract
Objectives: To investigate whether patients with high and low depression scores after stroke use different coping strategies and problem-solving
skills and whether these variables are related to psychosocial health-related quality of life (HRQOL) independent of depression.
Design: Cross-sectional study.
Setting: Two rehabilitation centers.
Participants: Patients participating in outpatient stroke rehabilitation (NZ166; mean age, 53.0610.19y; 53% men; median time poststroke,
7.29mo).
Interventions: Not applicable.
Main Outcome Measures: Coping strategy was measured using the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations; problem-solving skills were
measured using the Social Problem Solving InventoryeRevised: Short Form; depression was assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies
Depression Scale; and HRQOL was measured using the five-level EuroQol five-dimensional questionnaire and the Stroke-Specific Quality of Life
Scale. Independent samples t tests and multivariable regression analyses, adjusted for patient characteristics, were performed.
Results: Compared with patients with low depression scores, patients with high depression scores used less positive problem orientation
(PZ.002) and emotion-oriented coping (P