Abstract
BACKGROUND: The objective of this study is to investigate the clinical effectiveness of the combination of multimodal exercise (MME) with supportive music and imagery in the management of poststroke mood disorders (PSMD). METHODS: A total of 200 PSMD patients treated in the neurology department of a tertiary hospital in Jiangsu Province were enrolled. They were assigned to either a control group or the observation group using a random number table at a 1:1 ratio, with 100 patients in each group. The control group received conventional nursing care, and the observation group received both MME and music and imagery in addition to the conventional nursing interventions. The scores of the 10-item Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and Well-being Index Scale (WBIS) were recorded before and 3, 6, and 9 months after the interventions and compared between the 2 groups. RESULTS: Changes in K10, HADS, and WBIS scores significantly differed between the 2 groups after interventions (all P < .05) and among different time points (all P < .05). There were interactions between the time points of the K10, HADS, and WBIS assessments and the intervention methods in both groups ( P < .05). The improvements in anxiety or depression and psychological distress in the observation group were significantly superior to those in the control group. CONCLUSION: MME combined with music and imagery can effectively improve anxiety and depression, reduce symptoms of psychological distress, and improve well-being in PSMD patients.