Citation

Kilic SA, Dorstyn DS, Guiver NG. Spinal Cord 2013; 51(7): 553-557.

Affiliation

School of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2013, International Spinal Cord Society, Publisher Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1038/sc.2013.25

PMID

23689391

Abstract

Study design:Cross-sectional survey.Objective:To examine factors that contribute to the process of positive adjustment, or resilience, in an adult community sample with spinal cord injury (SCI).Setting:South Australian Spinal Cord Injury Service, Hampstead Rehabilitation Centre, South Australia, AustraliaMethods:A postal survey comprising standardised measures of resilience (Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale-10 item), self-efficacy (Moorong Self-Efficacy Scale), locus of control (Locus of Control of Behaviour Scale) and psychological distress (Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 item).Results:Of 60 respondents, 58% reported moderate to high levels of resilience. Resilience correlated significantly with high self-efficacy (r=0.68, P<0.01), internal locus of control (r=-0.52, P<0.01) and low psychological distress (depression r=-0.68, P<0.01; anxiety r=-0.55, P<0.01; stress r=-0.67, P<0.01). In comparison, resilience was not significantly influenced by degree of neuropathic pain (r=-0.23, P>0.05), time since injury (r=-0.14, P>0.05), gender (t(58)=-0.92, P>0.05), lesion completeness (t(57)=-0.86, P>0.05), or SCI diagnosis (t(58)=-1.21, P>0.05). A multiple regression indicated that psychological distress and self-efficacy were the only two variables that uniquely contributed to resilient behaviour.Conclusion:Resilience is an important psychological process in the longer-term management of SCI which can be promoted by targeting rehabilitation interventions towards mood management in addition to self efficacy beliefs. Larger-scale research will help to validate these results.Spinal Cord advance online publication, 21 May 2013; doi:10.1038/sc.2013.25.

Language: en