Sinan ELİAÇIK, Ayşe ERDOĞAN KAYA
Turkish Journal of Cerebrovascular Diseases - 2026;32(1):51-58
Objective: Transient ischemic attack (TIA) is a warning event for ischemic stroke and may be accompanied by psychological sequelae. While depression and anxiety following TIA have been increasingly recognized, changes in superstitious beliefs after TIA have not been systematically investigated. This study aimed to evaluate depression, anxiety, and superstitious beliefs in patients with TIA compared with healthy controls and to examine their clinical correlates. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional observational study included 220 patients with a history of TIA and 200 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Participants completed the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and the Superstition Scale (SS) during the first-month follow-up after TIA. Comparisons were performed between groups and according to TIA symptom characteristics. Multivariate linear regression analysis was conducted to identify independent predictors of superstitious beliefs. Results: Patients with TIA had significantly higher BDI, BAI, and SS scores compared with controls (P<.05). Superstitious beliefs were more pronounced in patients who experienced motor symptoms during TIA. SS scores showed a significant positive correlation with both depression and anxiety scores. In multivariate analysis, anxiety, depression, female sex, and motor symptoms remained independently associated with higher superstition scores. Conclusion: Patients with TIA exhibit increased levels of depression, anxiety, and superstitious beliefs compared with healthy individuals. Psychological distress appears to be an important determinant of superstitious thinking following TIA. Awareness of these comorbidities may facilitate more comprehensive, psychologically informed post-TIA care.
