The study will administer an intervention called strategy training to adult stroke survivors living in the community who do and do not have pets, and will examine the role of a pet in promoting cognitive performance and community participation outcomes.
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Stroke survivors with pets Inclusion Criteria: 1. Primary diagnosis of acute stroke 2. At least 3 months after the stroke onset 3. Living in a community residence with a pet 4. Cognitive impairment as indicated by an Executive Interview score of 3 or higher 5. Participation restrictions as indicated by an Activity Card Sort (\<80% of pre-stroke activities) 6. Willing to participate in a 6-week program with 2 intervention sessions per week at home Exclusion Criteria: 1. Dementia as indicated by Montreal Cognitive Assessment score of 18 or lower 2. Severe aphasia as indicated by the Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination Severity Score of 0 or 1 3. Self-report of a central nervous system disorder other than stroke 4. Recent drug or alcohol addiction/abuse within 3 months prior to the Mini-Neuropsychiatric Interview 5. Severe mental illness as indicated by the PRIME-MD 6. Prior exposure to strategy training 7. Currently participate in rehabilitation therapy programs Stroke survivors without pets Inclusion Criteria: 1. Primary diagnosis of acute stroke 2. At least 3 months after the stroke onset 3. Living in a community residence 4. Cognitive impairment as indicated by an Executive Interview score of 3 or higher 5. Participation restrictions as indicated by an Activity Card Sort (\<80% of pre-stroke activities) 6. Willing to participate in a 6-week program with 2 intervention sessions per week at home Exclusion Criteria: 1. Dementia as indicated by Montreal Cognitive Assessment score of 18 or lower 2. Severe aphasia as indicated by the Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination Severity Score of 0 or 1 3. Self-report of a central nervous system disorder other than stroke 4. Recent drug or alcohol addiction/abuse within 3 months prior to the Mini-Neuropsychiatric Interview 5. Severe mental illness as indicated by the PRIME-MD 6. Prior exposure to strategy training 7. Currently participate in rehabilitation therapy programs