The role of subjective cognitive complaints and depressive symptoms in social re-integration following stroke: a mediation explanation in a cross-sectional sample

AbstractBackground: For long-term stroke survivors, objective neuropsychological impairments and subjective cognitive difficulties are common, and may contribute to ongoing difficulties in community reintegration. However, subjective cognitive complaints have been as much associated with low mood as with actual cognitive performance.Objective: The objective of our study was to investigate the extent to which subjective cognitive complaints predicted community reintegration following a stroke, and whether this relationship would be mediated by emotional status.Methods: Using a cross-sectional design, patients with a primary diagnosis of stroke (n = 102; age range 25–89 years) were recruited from the register of a neurological rehabilitation service if they were at least 6 months post-stroke and had been discharged home following the stroke. Exclusions included history of dementia, co-morbid psychiatric or neurological disorder, or significant aphasia. Assessments included the Subjective Cognitive Complaint...