Perception of Body Esteem Following Stroke

Psychopathologic disturbances have been reported as a sequela of ischemic stroke. We have exammed various body esteem dimensions in 101 patients following a stroke. The patients were examined 6 months after the stroke. They were scored with the Barthel Index (BI) as the disability score, the Hamilton Depression Scale (HDS), and the Body Esteem Scale (BES). A significant lower body esteem (p < 0.0001) was found for both sexes and for all body esteem subscales in subjects suffering from a left corti cal lesion compared with other stroke locations. Physical attractiveness subscores among males were significantly lower in subjects with a right cortical lesion (p < 0.005). No correlation was found between time of disability and body esteem except on the upper body strength (V) subscale among males (p = 0.04). No correlation was found between the BI, size of lesion, or age and BES. These findings demonstrate that im pairment of body esteem following stroke is correlated with lesion location, not its size or associated disability score.