ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Neurol.
Sec. Neurorehabilitation
This article is part of the Research TopicIntegrated primary care for post-stroke patients to improve long-term outcomes through multidisciplinary collaborationView all 9 articles
Application of the Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skill Model in Rehabilitation Training for Stroke Patients
Provisionally accepted
- Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
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Objective: This study aimed to evaluate a multidisciplinary rehabilitation program aligned with Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills (IMB) model principles and its association with self-efficacy, functional recovery, quality of life, and caregiver burden among stroke survivors. Methods: A quasi-experimental, non-randomized controlled trial was conducted with 112 stroke patients. the IMB group received a 3-month IMB-based program integrating neurologists, rehabilitation therapists, psychologists, and caregivers, focusing on information delivery, motivational interviewing, and personalized behavioral training. The usual-care group received standard care. Outcomes included self-efficacy (SSEQ), motor function (Fugl-Meyer Assessment, FMA), daily living ability (Barthel Index, BI), quality of life (SS-QOL), psychological status (HAMD, HAMA), and caregiver burden (ZBI), assessed at baseline and post-intervention. Results: The IMB group had higher scores than usual-care group: self-efficacy (+82.5% from baseline; SSEQ: 82.5 ± 7.3 vs. 57.8 ± 8.1; P<0.001), motor function (+79.4%; FMA: 68.9 ± 10.2 vs. 50.3 ± 9.5; P<0.001), and quality of life (+71%; SS-QOL: 89.4 ± 11.6 vs. 65.2 ± 10.9; P<0.001). Anxiety (HAMA: 7.5 ± 2.8 vs. 13.6 ± 3.5) and depression (HAMD: 9.2 ± 3.1 vs. 14.8 ± 4.2) scores were lower in the IMB group and fell within the subclinical range (P<0.001), as was caregiver burden (−31%; ZBI: 28.4 ± 6.3 vs. 41.2 ± 7.1; P<0.001). Conclusion: The IMB-based multidisciplinary intervention was associated with stroke recovery outcomes and reduced caregiver stress. This model suggests a potentially scalable approach that warrants further investigation. Its integration of behavioral strategies with neurorehabilitation principles bridges a critical gap in holistic stroke care, emphasizing the importance of self-efficacy and multidisciplinary collaboration.
Keywords: caregiver burden, IMB model, Multidisciplinary intervention, self-efficacy, stroke rehabilitation
Received: 20 Oct 2025; Accepted: 16 Feb 2026.
Copyright: © 2026 Peng, Zheng, Gan, Feng and Zhai. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Yanzhen Zhai
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