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Table 4 General Interview guide (adapted to moment of data collection on 3, 6, 9, 15, 21 months)

From: Self-management develops through doing of everyday activities—a longitudinal qualitative study of stroke survivors during two years post-stroke

Introduction

 Conversation with reflective questions about the activities the participants has done prior to the interview.

 After the conversation about the activities, the conversation continues with introductory, key, probing and reflective questions about self-management and related topics in different situation in the past 3, 6, 9, 15 and 21 months at home.

  - You are now at home for 3-6-9-15-21 months. What did you do in your everyday life in the past months?

  How did it go? How do you manage the different situations in your everyday life?

  How do you feel about that?

  Depending on the answer of the participants, probing question will be asked about: Self-management of participants, performance of daily activities, problem solving, use of strategies, roles, decision making, support or help of others, interaction with environment.

  - Roles: People often have roles, for example, in their family, social network or at work. A role is, for example, being a father, worker, partner, friend, etc. What kind of roles do you have at the moment?

  How do you feel about that?

  Depending on the answer of the participants, probing question will be asked about: self-management of participants, performance of daily activities, problem solving, use of strategies, decision making, support or help of others, interaction with environment.

  - Interaction with and support of others: Some people need others to manage a situation or they manage it themselves. How is that for you, are you managing yourself alone or together with people in your environment?

  How do you interact with the people around you? How do you feel about that?

  Depending on the answer of the participants, probing question will be asked about: self-management of participants, performance of daily activities, problem solving, use of strategies, roles, decision making.

  - Changes: You are now at home for 6-9-15-21 months. If you compare how you managed yourself 3–6 months ago with the manner in which you manage yourself currently, do you see any differences? How do you feel about that?

  Depending on the answer of the participants, probing question will be asked about: Self-management of participants, performance of daily activities, problem solving, use of strategies, roles, decision making, support or help of others, interaction with environment.

  - Learning: What did you learn about the way you can manage yourself in your everyday life?

  Depending on the answer of the participants, probing question will be asked about: self-management of participants, performance of daily activities, problem solving, use of strategies, roles, decision making, support or help of others, interaction with environment.

  - Self-management:

    o How do you manage yourself? Your everyday activities? Your life?

    o What helps you to manage yourself? Do you have ‘your own way’ (strategies) to manage yourself?

    o Are there examples of situations that limit you to manage yourself?

    o What have you learnt in the past months when you think about your own self-management?

    o Self-management often means that people make choices before or during they do something. How do you make your choices? Are there some changes in the way you make your choices? Are you taking these decisions yourself?

    o If you are asked to give advice to fellow stroke survivors, what kind of advice would you give them in regard to self-management?

 Depending on the answer of the participants, probing and reflective question about the different topics and possible changes.

Summary of the conversation and ending questions: enable participants to reflect back on previous comments and make sure that nothing was overlooked.

Closing of interview