The moderating role of caregiver preparedness on the relationship between depression and stroke-specific quality of life in stroke dyads: a longitudinal study.

This article examines the moderating role of caregiver preparedness on the relationship between depression in stroke survivors and their stroke-specific quality of life (QOL), measured by the Stroke Impact Scale (SIS) 3.0. Using longitudinal data from 243 stroke survivor–caregiver dyads in Italy, the study found that higher caregiver preparedness significantly moderated the negative impact of survivor depressive symptoms on communication, mobility, and activities of daily living (ADL)/instrumental ADL at baseline, and influenced changes over time in strength and communication. Although caregiver preparedness did not moderate depression's effect on memory, emotion, hand function, and participation, higher preparedness was associated with better baseline scores in these domains. The findings suggest that including caregivers in psycho-educational training during rehabilitation may improve caregiver skills and knowledge, thereby enhancing stroke survivors' recovery and quality of life.