title: Measuring avoidance in medical rehabilitation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To establish psychometric properties of the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ), a measure of avoidance, in medical rehabilitation populations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional and longitudinal.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three acute, inpatient rehabilitation units.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred thirty-nine adults with spinal cord dysfunction, stroke, amputation, or orthopedic surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  AAQ, Hope Scale, Spiritual Well-Being Scale, Positive and Negative Affect Scale, Brief Symptom Inventory, Hopkins Rehabilitation Engagement Rating Scale, Functional Independence Measure, Craig Handicap Assessment and Reporting Technique, Satisfaction with Life Scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The AAQ has adequate internal consistency (alpha = .70), is best understood with a two-factor solution, is positively correlated with depression (r = .36, p < .01) and negative affect (r = .41, p < .001), and is negatively correlated with hope (r = -.51, p < .001), positive affect (r = -.33, p < .001), and spiritual well-being (r = -.32, p < .001). Predictive relationships with life satisfaction (beta = -.40, p < .001) and level of handicap (beta = -.20, p < .014) were found at 3-month follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings provide preliminary support that the AAQ is reliable and valid in medical populations and that avoidance plays an important role in rehabilitation outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Kathleen B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Kortte
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Lori
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Veiel
authors.affiliation: VA Maryland Health Care System.
authors.forename: Sonja V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Batten
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Stephen T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Wegener
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D001362:Avoidance Learning; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012050:Rehabilitation, Vocational / Q000523:psychology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D055815:Young Adult