title: Global meaning in people with spinal cord injury: Content and changes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  After spinal cord injury (SCI), people are confronted with abrupt discontinuity in almost all areas of life, leading to questions on how to live a meaningful life again. Global meaning refers to basic ideas and goals that guide people in giving meaning to their lives, in specific situations. Little is known about global meaning relating to SCI and whether global meaning changes after SCI.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was twofold: (i) to explore the content of global meaning of people with SCI, and (ii) to explore whether or not global meaning changes after SCI.
  
  
  METHODS
  In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 people with SCI. Interviews were analyzed according to the method of grounded theory.
  
  
  RESULTS
  (i) Five aspects of global meaning were found: core values, relationships, worldview, identity and inner posture. (ii) Overall, little change in the content of global meaning was found after SCI; specific aspects of global meaning were foregrounded after SCI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Five aspects of global meaning were found in people with SCI. Global meaning seems hardly subject to change.
authors.affiliation: a Amsterdam Rehabilitation Research Center , Reade , The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Elsbeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Littooij
authors.affiliation: b Department of Medical Humanities , VU University Medical Center , Amsterdam , The Netherlands.|c EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research , Amsterdam , The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Guy A M
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Widdershoven
authors.affiliation: d Department of Rehabilitation Medicine , Meander MC , Amersfoort , The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Janneke M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Stolwijk-Swüste
authors.affiliation: a Amsterdam Rehabilitation Research Center , Reade , The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Suzan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Doodeman
authors.affiliation: e Department of Care and Welfare , University of Humanistic Studies , Utrecht , The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Carlo J W
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Leget
authors.affiliation: c EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research , Amsterdam , The Netherlands.|f Department of Rehabilitation Medicine , VU University Medical Center , Amsterdam , The Netherlands.|g Department of Psychiatry , VU University Medical Center , Amsterdam , The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Joost
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dekker
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D026712:Value of Life
keywords: Global meaning; Qualitative research; Rehabilitation; Spinal cord injury