Adaptation during spinal cord injury rehabilitation: The role of appraisal and coping.

Objective: To test the spinal cord injury adjustment model (SCIAM) by examining whether primary appraisals (threat or loss) and coping strategies (approach-oriented and denial) sequentially mediate the impact of functional independence, psychological resources, and social support on depressive and anxiety symptoms among individuals with spinal cord injury during inpatient rehabilitation.

Method: Path analyses of longitudinal data from a Swiss inception cohort study (N = 207). Models were implemented separately for depressive and anxiety symptoms.

Mental health, quality of life, self-efficacy, and social support of individuals living with spinal cord injury in Switzerland compared to that of the general population.

Study Design: Comparative study of survey self-report data.

Objectives: To compare individuals living with spinal cord injury (SCI) in Switzerland to the general population in terms of mental health, quality of life, self-efficacy, and social support.

Setting: Community, Switzerland.

Longitudinal course and predictors of posttraumatic stress symptoms after spinal cord injury.

Objective: This study examined longitudinal changes in post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) in individuals newly diagnosed with spinal cord injury (SCI) and tested various psychosocial and injury-related characteristics as predictors for interindividual differences in symptom courses.

Design: Longitudinal data from the larger Swiss Spinal Cord Injury Cohort Study were used. The sample consisted of 269 patients (70.

Psychological distress trajectories in chronic physical health conditions.

Objective: The onset of a chronic health condition (CHC) can have a severe impact on an individual's life, affecting mental and physical health. This study's goal was to investigate psychological distress trajectories starting from 1 year before to 4 years after the onset of a physical CHC. The specific aims were to identify the number and shape of longitudinal psychological distress trajectories and to test health-related, psychological, social, and demographic factors predicting these trajectories.

Profiles of Psychological Adaptation Outcomes at Discharge From Spinal Cord Injury Inpatient Rehabilitation.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of a newly acquired spinal cord injury (SCI) by identifying profiles of psychological adaptation outcomes at discharge from inpatient rehabilitation, using several outcome measures in parallel and to examine biopsychosocial factors associated with profile membership.

Design: Cross-sectional analysis of data from the Swiss Spinal Cord Injury inception cohort study.

Setting: Inpatient rehabilitation.

Measuring posttraumatic growth and depreciation after spinal cord injury: A Rasch analysis.

Purpose: Individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) may experience both positive (posttraumatic growth, PTG) and negative (posttraumatic depreciation, PTD) psychological changes following the injury. PTG and PTD were assessed using the 10-item short form of the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI-SF) and 10 matched negatively worded items for PTD (selected from the PTGI-42) within the Swiss Spinal Cord Injury Cohort Study (SwiSCI). This item selection is henceforth called PTG/D-SF.

Perceived posttraumatic growth and depreciation after spinal cord injury: Actual or illusory?

Objective: This study examined whether retrospective reports of posttraumatic growth (PTG) and depreciation (PTD) of individuals recently diagnosed with a spinal cord injury (SCI) coincide with prospectively measured changes in the conceptually close domains of general self-efficacy (SE) and purpose in life (PIL). The study also tested whether PTG/D and changes in SE and PIL independently predict psychological adjustment to the injury (depressive symptoms, anxiety, life satisfaction).

Method: Adopting a longitudinal design, a sample of 206 newly injured patients admitted to one of the four Swiss SCI rehabilitation centers was analyzed.

Rasch analysis of the University of Washington Self-Efficacy Scale short-form (UW-SES-6) in people with long-standing spinal cord injury.

Study Design: Cross-sectional psychometric study.

Objectives: The University of Washington Self-Efficacy Scale (UW-SES) is a measure of self-efficacy regarding managing challenges related to multiple sclerosis or spinal cord injury (SCI) that can be used across disabling conditions. The objective of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of its short form, the UW-SES-6, using the Rasch model.

Coping and posttraumatic growth: A longitudinal comparison of two alternative views.

Purpose: In the current study, we aimed to examine two possible explanations for why higher levels of posttraumatic growth (PTG) were repeatedly found to be predicted by both approach- and avoidance-oriented coping, focusing on individuals recently diagnosed with a spinal cord injury (SCI). First, negative changes (posttraumatic depreciation, PTD) may moderate the association between PTG and the two types of coping, indicating that PTG reflects avoidance of PTD for some individuals, but a constructive view on posttraumatic life changes for others. Second, it may be that a flexible use of different types of coping strategies (coping flexibility) enables the experience of PTG.

Representing and organizing information to describe the lived experience of health from a personal factors perspective in the light of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF): a discussion paper.

Purpose: To discuss the representation and organization of information describing persons' lived experience of health from a personal factors perspective in the light of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, using spinal cord injury as a case in point for disability.

Methods: The scientific literature was reviewed, discussion rounds conducted, and qualitative secondary analyses of data carried out using an iterative inductive-deductive approach.

Results: Conceptual considerations are explicated that distinguish the personal factors perspective from other components of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health.

Posttraumatic growth and adjustment to spinal cord injury: Moderated by posttraumatic depreciation?

Objective: Findings on the relationship of posttraumatic growth (PTG) with adjustment to potentially traumatic events are inconsistent, whereupon posttraumatic depreciation (PTD) has been suggested as a possible moderator. The objective of this study is to investigate the associations between PTG and PTD on one side and life satisfaction and indicators of mental and physical health on the other side in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). The primary study aim is to test whether PTD moderates the relationships of PTG and different adjustment indicators.

Describing functioning and health after spinal cord injury in the light of psychological-personal factors.

Objective: To describe and explore functioning and health of persons with spinal cord injury from the perspective of psychological-personal factors in the light of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) framework.

Methods: Data from 511 participants regarding feelings, thoughts and beliefs, motives, and patterns of experience and behaviour were analysed. Measurement instruments included the Mental Health Index-5, Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Appraisal of Life Events Scale, 5 items from the World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale, Purpose in Life Test-Short Form, General Self-Efficacy Scale, Big Five Inventory-21, Social Skills Inventory-SF, Brief COPE.

Rasch analysis of measurement instruments capturing psychological personal factors in persons with spinal cord injury.

Objective: To evaluate the metric properties of distinct measures of psychological personal factors comprising feelings, beliefs, motives, and patterns of experience and behaviour assessed in the Swiss Spinal Cord Injury Cohort Study (SwiSCI), using Rasch methodology.

Methods: SwiSCI Pathway 2 is a community-based, nationwide, cross-sectional survey for persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) (n = 511). The Rasch partial credit model was used for each subscale of the Positive Affect Negative Affect Scale (PANAS), Appraisal of Life Events Scale (ALE), Purpose in Life test - Short Form (PIL-SF), and the Big Five Inventory-K (BFI-K).

Psychological factors and mental health in persons with spinal cord injury: An exploration of change or stability.

Objectives: To examine the course of mental health and psychological factors over time in persons with a recent spinal cord injury and to determine whether change in psychological factors is associated with change in mental health.

Design: Prospective cohort study in the Netherlands with 3 measurement time-points.

Subjects: A total of 60 persons with recently acquired spinal cord injury.

Depression in spinal cord injury: assessing the role of psychological resources.

Purpose: To test the spinal cord injury adjustment model (SCIAM) and to examine how psychological resources may influence depressive symptoms in persons with spinal cord injury (SCI). We expect that (a) higher general self-efficacy (GSE) and higher purpose in life (PIL) are associated with lower levels of depressive symptoms, and that (b) the effect of GSE and PIL on depressive symptoms is mediated by appraisals and coping strategies, as proposed by the SCIAM.

Method: A nationwide cross-sectional survey (the Swiss Spinal Cord Injury Cohort Study) was conducted with individuals with SCI living in the Swiss community (N = 516).

Social skills: a resource for more social support, lower depression levels, higher quality of life, and participation in individuals with spinal cord injury?

Objective: To examine the relevance of social skills and their different dimensions (ie, expressivity, sensitivity, control) in relation to social support, depression, participation, and quality of life (QOL) in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI).

Design: Cross-sectional data collection within the Swiss Spinal Cord Injury Cohort.

Setting: Community-based.

Toward standardised documentation in psychiatric evaluations: identifying functioning aspects and contextual factors in psychiatric reports of Swiss disability claimants with chronic widespread pain.

Questions Under Study: In Switzerland, psychiatric evaluations are crucial for deciding on eligibility of disability benefits for claimants with chronic widespread pain (CWP). However, the poor standardisation and low transparency of such evaluations have been criticised. Standardisation and transparency may be enhanced by comprehensive functioning documentation using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF).

Modeling life satisfaction in spinal cord injury: the role of psychological resources.

Purpose: The aims of the study were (1) to examine the associations between the psychological resources general self-efficacy (GSE) and purpose in life (PIL), appraisals, coping and life satisfaction, and (2) to examine whether the effects of the psychological resources on life satisfaction are mediated by appraisals and coping, as proposed by the spinal cord injury adjustment model (SCIAM).

Methods: Cross-sectional multicenter study conducted with persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) living in the community in Switzerland (N = 516). Pearson's correlations were calculated for aim 1, and structural equation modeling was conducted to address aim 2.

Psychological resources, appraisals, and coping and their relationship to participation in spinal cord injury: a path analysis.

Objective: To test the Spinal Cord Injury Adjustment Model and gain a better understanding about whether and how the psychological resources general self-efficacy (SE), purpose in life (PIL), appraisals, and coping influence participation in persons with spinal cord injury (SCI).

Design: Cross-sectional data collection within the Swiss Spinal Cord Injury Cohort.

Setting: Community setting.

Toward transparent documentation in medical work capacity evaluations: identifying personal factors in medical reports on Swiss disability claimants with chronic widespread pain.

The aim of this study was to determine personal factors that are reported in medical work capacity evaluations of Swiss disability claimants with chronic widespread pain. A mixed-methods study, involving a retrospective qualitative and quantitative secondary analysis of the content of medical reports, was carried out. Two personal factor categorizations (the Geyh categorization and the Grotkamp categorization) were used for coding and specifying the personal factors in the reports.

Rasch analysis of the General Self-Efficacy Scale in spinal cord injury.

This study examined the psychometric properties of the General Self-Efficacy Scale by applying Rasch analysis to data from 102 persons with spinal cord injury. Our results suggest that the General Self-Efficacy Scale is a psychometrically robust instrument suitable for application in a spinal cord injury population. The General Self-Efficacy Scale shows an overall fit to the Rasch model (χ(2) = 15.