Unilateral Spatial Neglect May Not Be Detected by Performance-Based Functional Neglect Assessment

Abstract

Importance: Unilateral spatial neglect (neglect) poststroke is disabling. It is critical that people with neglect are identified so that treatment can be provided to maximize independence. However, there is some evidence to suggest that existing assessments may not adequately measure neglect. It is unclear whether assessments also fail to identify people with neglect entirely.

Objective: To determine whether there are stroke survivors who self-report neglect symptoms that are not detected by therapist-rated assessments and to compare self-report and therapist-ratings.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: U.S. university research center.

Participants: Unilateral stroke survivors (N = 133).

Intervention: Not applicable.

Outcomes and measures: The Catherine Bergego Scale (CBS) was administered to participants and scored by a trained occupational therapist. The parallel self-evaluation anosognosia form was also administered to participants to self-report and rate neglect symptoms.

Results: Forty-eight participants (36.1%) were classified as without neglect on the basis of therapist-rated total CBS scores, yet 30 (62.5%) of these 48 participants reported symptoms of neglect on the CBS self-evaluation anosognosia form. There was a significant difference (p < .001) between therapist-rated and self-rated total CBS scores.

Conclusions and relevance: Our results indicate that many stroke survivors report some level of disability associated with neglect yet do not meet the criteria to be classified as having neglect according to a commonly used therapist-rated performance-based measure. Plain-Language Summary: The findings of this study contribute to the evidence that existing assessments used by occupational therapists to measure performance-based neglect may not always detect neglect symptoms comprehensively in people poststroke. The finding also suggest that we may be missing neglect symptoms entirely. Occupational therapists should consider using various methods to assess for neglect, including patient self-report and comprehensive occupational profiles. Clinicians should also thoroughly screen all clients with stroke for neglect, regardless of lesion location.