Grant: Master's Award: Canada Graduate Research Scholarships - Master's program

Advancements in acute care have improved survival rates after pediatric stroke, yet little is known about how these early brain injuries affect cognitive and functional development into adulthood. Although up to 70% of survivors experience lifelong neurological complications, most studies only follow children for two to five years post-injury. This short timeframe may explain why pediatric cognitive outcomes are often described as stable, a pattern that contrasts sharply with adult-onset stroke, where patients typically experience an initial decline followed by progressive deterioration. Limited long-term follow-up raises a critical question: Does this apparent stability reflect genuine recovery or the absence of appropriate adult reassessment? This study will use qualitative interviews with clinicians to examine how cognitive and functional outcomes are assessed in adults who have experienced pediatric stroke. Guided by the Theoretical Domains Framework, we will ask clinicians to reflect on assessment tools, clinical reasoning, and the influence of patient sex and gender on follow-up and interpretation. By examining if and how clinicians evaluate long-term cognitive outcomes, this study will address a major gap in lifespan neuropsychology. Findings will inform future guidelines for adult follow-up in individuals who have experienced pediatric stroke, improve early identification of emerging deficits, and promote more equitable, developmentally informed neuropsychological assessment practices.