Citation

Joerres SG, Bonifay RE, Hastings JE, Saltzstein RJ, Hayes TJ. J. Am. Paraplegia Soc. 1992; 15(2): 66-70.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1992, Society)

DOI

10.1080/01952307.1992.11735864

PMID

1583505

Abstract

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) has received formal research attention only within the last eight years. Diagnostic criteria for SAD include many characteristics typical of depression: sadness, low self-esteem, lack of energy, social withdrawal, and suicide ideation, and features of atypical depression: carbohydrate craving, overeating, weight gain, and hypersomnia. Differential diagnosis of the disorder depends on an onset in fall/winter and remission in spring/summer. It was hypothesized that spinal cord injury (SCI) patients would have a higher incidence of the disorder in the northern latitudes because of decreased outdoor activities in winter and because of such light-depriving winter survival tactics as installing opaque plastic for storm windows. SCI patient responded to a postal survey which included Rosenthal's Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire (SPAQ) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI).

RESULTS showed a substantially higher rate of SAD among SCI patients than in the normative sample.

Language: en

Keywords

Adult; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Pain; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Seasonal Affective Disorder; Spinal Cord Injuries; Surveys and Questionnaires