Feasibility and Efficacy of HABIT for Enhancing Daily Hand-Use Post Stroke

A short questionnaire assessing the level of daily use of the affected hand after stroke in daily activities. The questionnaire consists of 2-5 questions (depending on the responses being assessed), from which a score is obtained determining the level of use of the affected hand. The score ranges from 0 (no use of the affected hand) to 5 (full use).

Change in scores of performance and satisfaction of performance for therapeutic goals that the participants define as important to them. Goals will focus on using the affected upper extremity.

The dual-task will include the Box and Block test (number of blocks transferred in one minute) and the counting backward task in increments of 3 from a three-digit number (number of correct answers in one minute).

This is a 20-item questionnaire assess the self-efficacy to use the affected hand after stroke in social, household, and community contexts.

A self-report questionnaire assessing the satisfaction with the novel intervention

This instrument is a structured interview intended to examine how much and how well the subject uses their more-affected arm outside of the laboratory setting. Participants are asked standardized questions about the amount of use of their more-affected arm (Amount Scale or AS) and the quality of their movement (How Well Scale or HW) during the functional activities indicated. The scales are printed on separate sheets of paper and are placed in front of the participant during test administration. participants should be told that they can give half scores (i.e., 0.5,1.5,2.5,3.5,4.5) if this is reflective of their ratings. 0-not used to 5- same as pre-stroke/ normal.

U-Rate-UE includes the following single self-perceived question: "please rate how much your affected UE has recovered from your stroke ". Participants were presented with a 10- point vertical scale starting at the bottom from 0 (no recovery) to 100 (full recovery) at the top of the scale but could rate any whole number from 0 to 100. Participants were asked to rate this question verbally or by pointing on the scale to estimate the extent to which the affected UE has recovered from the stroke as a percentage of its full(pre stroke) ability.

to describe the participants

The Functional Independence Measure (FIM) is an instrument that was developed as a measure of disability for a variety of populations. It includes 18-items of basic activities. Each item in rated from 1 (not independent) to 7 (independent) points. The total score for the FIM instrument will be a value between 18 and 126.

to assess independence in IADL

This is a standard assessment for evaluating proprioceptive sensation in individuals after a stroke. With the participant's eyes closed, the examiner moves the affected hand into four different positions. The participant is then required to grasp the thumb of the affected hand with their strong hand. The ability to grasp the thumb in each of the positions is rated from 0 (normal) to 3 (significant sensory impairment). The final score of the assessment is the lowest score among the four positions.