Article

The aim of this study was to explore positive psychological growth in
individuals who had sustained spinal cord injuries (SCIs) in childhood, and to
identify factors correlating with such growth. METHOD:
Data were drawn from
ongoing research aimed at assessing the long-term outcomes of pediatric-onset
SCIs in adults. Participants were assessed using measures of demographics, coping
ability, post-traumatic growth, life satisfaction, happiness, and mental health.
The study sample included 161 adults with a mean age of 33 years and 2 months (SD
7y 3mo, range 19-50y). The participants had sustained SCIs between the ages of 7
years and 18 years (mean 14y 10mo, SD 2y 6mo) and were injured for an average of
17 years and 9 months (SD 7y 7mo, range 1-36y). Sixty-four percent of
participants were male, 81% were white, 63% had tetraplegia, and 70% had complete
injuries. RESULTS: The vast majority of participants (99%) recognized that at
least one positive change had occurred in their life as a result of their SCI.
Post-traumatic growth was significantly associated with behavioral (r=0.29,
p<0.001) and cognitive (r=0.39, p<0.001) coping strategies, as well as with
increased life satisfaction (r=0.18, p=0.024) and happiness (r=0.27, p=0.001),
but was unrelated to psychological distress. Additional analyses indicated that
post-traumatic growth mediated effects of cognitive coping on happiness, but not
on life satisfaction. INTERPRETATION: The majority of individuals with
pediatric-onset SCIs experienced positive psychological growth. Coping strategies
are crucial to this growth process.
CI - (c) 2015 Mac Keith Press.

Langue : ANGLAIS