| Summary: | Stroke has a major impact on the health and wellbeing of the world’s population. As well as physical health difficulties, many people experience psychological distress, which can also impact on recovery. There is, however, little known about which psychological interventions may be beneficial to psychological wellbeing following stroke. There is growing interest in the application of third-wave therapies in this area. A literature review found eight studies where this type of intervention has been used with stroke survivors, five group studies and three case studies. The methodological quality of these was generally low; however, they provided data regarding the potential benefits of third-wave therapies. These benefits included reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression, improving physical health, and helping people to live valued lives. This is a good starting point for further work; however, it was unclear which aspects of third-wave therapies were important. To address this, a Q methodology study was designed which aimed to explore the components of third-wave therapies and their relevance to people’s psychological wellbeing following a stroke. Ten participants were recruited from inpatient stroke wards. They sorted 40 statements which represented different components related to third-wave therapies. A two-factor solution was uncovered, with a third unique viewpoint also retained. Factor one revealed the importance of values and committed action, which was related to psychological wellbeing following stroke. Factor two was characterised as creative hopelessness, with people accepting that they need help, being focused on the past and future. Viewpoint three was defined as a disconnection from humanity with a lack of compassion for self and others. Three statements were identified which could be used to identify an individual’s viewpoint. This could provide a helpful way to think about the most appropriate intervention for an individual following stroke. The final paper provides reflections on the research process.
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