Article

It is well-known that marital status has a significant impact on
subjective well-being (SWB). However, research examining the long-term influence
of marital status on SWB after spinal cord injury (SCI) is limited. OBJECTIVE: To
identify the relationship between marital status and SWB trajectories over time,
using 20 years of longitudinal data. METHODS: We conducted a cohort study,
including 1,032 participants surveyed 5 times in 1993, 1998, 2003, 2008, and
2013. Participants were identified from outpatient records of 2 Midwestern
hospitals and 1 Southeastern specialty hospital. The Life Situation
Questionnaire-Revised (LSQ-R) was used to measure multiple aspects of SWB. A
multilevel model was applied to analyze the 5 repeated measurements. RESULTS: The
married or cohabitating participants enjoyed the best SWB at baseline, but their
home satisfaction and global satisfaction declined over time and their social
isolation increased slightly. For divorced, separated, or widowed people, the
negative effects of marital loss attenuated over time. For single individuals,
SWB, except for environmental barriers, did not change positively over time if
they remained single. CONCLUSIONS: Using longitudinal data with 5 repeated
measurements, our study showed a complicated relationship between marital and
relationship status with SWB and how these relationships change over time for
people with chronic SCI.

Langue : ANGLAIS