Moderator and Mediator Effects of Personal Factors in Patients with Stroke

Abstract

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to examine the influences of personal factors in the social Activities and Participation of patients with stroke in view of moderation and mediation models. [Subjects and Methods] The participants were 85 patients with stroke (30 currently admitted to a hospital, 33 to an institute facility, and 22 at home). Their data were examined through multiple regression analysis with interaction factor (for moderation models) and through path analysis (for mediation models) in order to reveal how personal factors are working in connection with Activities and Participation to body function, and between Activities and Participation. The hypothesized moderators were Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), Apathy Scale and General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES) for Age, Gender and Educational level, and as the mediators, SDS, Apathy Scale and GSES were supposed. [Results] All the examined personal factors were found to function as moderators, but no personal factors were found to act as mediators. [Conclusion] We showed that personal factors influence to Activities and Participation not only by themselves but also in interrelation with other factors.