"I am just thankful": the experience of gratitude following traumatic spinal cord injury.
This study explored the experience of gratitude in everyday life following traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) by applying thematic analysis to personal experience narratives. Fifteen participants including two negative cases with SCI shared individual experiences of gratitude according to five themes: (a) everyday life, (b) family support, (c) new opportunities, (d) positive sense of self, and (e) gratitude to God. The findings demonstrated that participants benefited from their efforts to appraise challenging life experiences as positive. Therapists could apply intentional and guided gratitude interventions so that individuals would practice and embrace gratitude in adjusting, coping, and adapting positively to various life changes following trauma.
Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON, Canada. schun@brocku.ca
Sanghee
S
Chun
Youngkhill
Y
Lee
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001290:Attitude; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015146:Midwestern United States; D033262:Narration; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012047:Rehabilitation Centers; D012050:Rehabilitation, Vocational; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult