The psychological and rehabilitative aspects of cerebrovascular accidents

Cerebrovascular accidents (CVA), commonly known as strokes, are the third main cause of death in America, with 200,000 deaths occurring each year ( Seven Hopeful Facts about Stroke, 1969). But not everyone dies as a result of a stroke. There are approximately 1 1/2 million people living in the United States who have had a stroke, and over 600,000 will be stroke victims this year ( Body Language ). Many of these people will be disabled and suffer various adverse side effects as a result of the stroke. CVA is the number one crippler in North America, with two million people becoming disabled each year (Kong, 1978). One of the side effects; aphasia, intellectual and perceptual dysfunction, can cause emotional instability and poor adaptive behavior. These side effects and the common occurrence of CVAs make it a relevant cause for study among today\u27s psychologists and physicians. This paper will deal with the causes and effects of a stroke, the side effects, and how through rehabilitation stroke victims can better adapt to their environment