Title : Effectiveness of an ADOPT based nursing programme for reducing caregiver burnout in stroke care
Abstract:
Objective: To develop an ADOPT-based nursing programme for stroke caregivers and evaluate its effectiveness in reducing caregiver burnout.
Methods: Evidence on caregiver-burnout interventions in stroke care was synthesized and used to draft the programme, which was refined through two rounds of expert consultation and a pilot study. Using convenience sampling, caregivers of stroke patients admitted to the Department of Neurology of a tertiary Grade A hospital in Zhengzhou from January to April 2026 were recruited. Thirty caregivers were assigned to the intervention group and 30 to the control group. The intervention group received an 8-week ADOPT-based structured nursing programme plus routine health education, whereas the control group received routine stroke health education and discharge guidance. Caregiver burnout, anxiety and depression, and positive caregiving perceptions were measured before the intervention, 1 month after the intervention and 2 months after the intervention.
Results: Fifteen experts completed the consultation. The expert authority coefficient was 0.893, and Kendall’s coefficients were 0.095 and 0.310, respectively (P < 0.001). The final programme comprised five phases: attitude building, problem definition, open-mindedness, plan formulation and implementation adjustment, and 27 intervention items. During the trial, two participants withdrew from the intervention group and one from the control group. After the intervention, caregivers in the intervention group reported significantly higher positive caregiving perceptions and significantly lower burnout, anxiety and depression than those in the control group (P < 0.05).
Conclusion: The ADOPT-based nursing programme effectively reduced burnout and negative emotions among primary caregivers of stroke patients, enhanced positive caregiving perceptions and provided a practical, evidence-informed approach for standardized caregiver-support interventions in stroke care
