title: The importance of 'global meaning' for people rehabilitating from spinal cord injury.
abstract: METHODS
  Qualitative study.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To explore whether aspects of global meaning (that is, fundamental beliefs and life goals concerning core values, relationships, worldview, identity and inner posture) are associated with processes and outcomes in rehabilitation, as experienced by people with spinal cord injury (SCI).
  
  
  METHODS
  People living in the community receiving outpatient rehabilitation in a Dutch rehabilitation center.
  
  
  METHODS
  In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 people with SCI. Interviews were analyzed using qualitative research methods: structural and provisional coding.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Core values, relationships, worldview, identity and inner posture (that is, the way in which people relate to the facts of life) were associated with various processes and outcomes of rehabilitation. Elements of the rehabilitation process included motivation, regulation of emotion, making decisions and handling stress. Elements of the outcome of rehabilitation included physical functioning, emotional functioning, social functioning and subjective sense of meaning. The influence was positive, with the exception of one case in which worldview and inner posture were negatively associated with motivation. Besides that, respondents emphasized the importance of rehabilitation professionals attuning to their global meaning.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  All aspects of global meaning were positively associated with various processes and outcomes of rehabilitation. It is recommended that rehabilitation professionals are aware of the importance of global meaning to people with SCI and that they take people's fundamental beliefs and life goals into account.
authors.affiliation: Amsterdam Rehabilitation Research Center | Reade, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Littooij
authors.affiliation: Department of Care and Welfare, University of Humanistic Studies, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: C J W
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Leget
authors.affiliation: De Hoogstraat, Center of Excellence in Rehabilitation Medicine, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Stolwijk-Swüste
authors.affiliation: Amsterdam Rehabilitation Research Center | Reade, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Doodeman
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Humanities, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.|EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: G A M
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Widdershoven
authors.affiliation: Amsterdam Rehabilitation Research Center | Reade, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.|EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.|Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.|Department of Psychiatry, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dekker
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003657:Decision Making / Q000502:physiology; D004644:Emotions; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation / Q000502:physiology; D009426:Netherlands; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D012047:Rehabilitation Centers; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D026712:Value of Life