Linkages between coping and psychological outcome in the spinal cord lesioned: development of SCL-related measures.
METHODS
Cross-sectional.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate relationships between coping and mental well-being with clinical relevance to spinal cord lesion (SCL).


METHODS
The Gothenburg Spinal Injuries Unit in Sweden.


METHODS
The study sample comprised 274 persons. From in-depth interviews, literature reviews, and the transactional theory of stress and coping, items reflecting coping and psychological outcome, respectively were generated. Principal components factor analysis, multi-trait analysis, and structural equation modelling were used.


RESULTS
The coping scale comprised three factors: Acceptance (i.e. revaluation of life values); Fighting spirit (i.e. efforts to behave independently); Social reliance (i.e. a tendency towards dependent behaviour). The outcome scale included the factors: Helplessness (i.e. feeling perplexed, out of control and low self-esteem); Intrusion (i.e. bitterness and brooding); Personal growth (i.e. positive outcomes of life crisis). Acceptance showed a positive relation to Personal growth and was inversely related to both Helplessness and Intrusion. Fighting spirit had a weak negative association to Helplessness and a weak positive association to Personal growth. Social reliance was positively related to Helplessness and Intrusion. Only Social reliance showed any association to neurological status. Those lesioned 1-4 years reported more Helplessness, Intrusion, Social reliance, and less Acceptance than those lesioned >or=5 years.


CONCLUSIONS
Coping is related to psychological outcome in SCL. Our situational coping measure may be a candidate to assess intervention effects.
Elfström
M L
ML
Health Care Research Unit, Göteborg University, Sweden.
Rydén
A
A
Kreuter
M
M
Persson
L-O
LO
Sullivan
M
M
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000379:methods*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000523:psychology*