Is sense of coherence stable after multiple trauma?
OBJECTIVE
To explore whether sense of coherence (SOC) is stable over time after multiple trauma. The associations between SOC and satisfaction with life as a whole, as well as aspects of psychological well-being, were explored. Finally, an overriding aim was to assess whether SOC has long-term prognostic value for global life satisfaction or psychological well-being.


METHODS
Prospective study.


METHODS
Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital.


METHODS
Twenty-six subjects with severe multiple trauma, without neuropsychological deficits.


METHODS
Questionnaires that were answered at admission, at discharge and at follow-up 1-3 years after trauma were: Sense of Coherence Scale 13 items (SOC-13), satisfaction with life as a whole, General Health Questionnaire 20 items (GHQ-20), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD).


RESULTS
While median SOC scores were fairly stable, individual scores were not stable over time, and for some subjects showed large variations. SOC score had neither long-term prognostic value for satisfaction with life as a whole nor for psychological well-being, at least not in the first years after severe multiple trauma. However, SOC was closely associated with overall life satisfaction when measured simultaneously. Furthermore, a weak SOC correlated with scores on psychological distress, anxiety and depression. SOC scores were also significantly related to being or not being in a state of anxiety, but not to being or not being depressed. Global life satisfaction was considerably reduced from before trauma (reported at admission) to the time of follow-up.


CONCLUSIONS
SOC was not stable over time after severe multiple trauma. SOC measured at admission could neither predict future satisfaction with life as a whole nor future psychological well-being. Measured simultaneously, overall life satisfaction and occurrence of anxiety were significantly associated with SOC.
Snekkevik
Hildegun
H
Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital, Nesoddtangen, Norway.
Anke
Audny G W
AG
Stanghelle
Johan K
JK
Fugl-Meyer
Axel R
AR
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003863:Depression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D012307:Risk Factors; D012649:Self Concept; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*