Article

OBJECTIVE: To investigate attainment of important life goals and to examine
whether self-efficacy, tenacity in goal pursuit and flexibility in goal
adjustment contribute to adaptation by affecting levels of emotional distress and
quality of life in patients with newly acquired brain injury.
METHODS: Data were
collected from a prospective clinical cohort study of 148 patients assessed after
discharge home (mean time since injury = 15 weeks) and one year later. At
follow-up, attainment of life goals (set at baseline) and satisfaction with
attainment was scored (10-point scale) and patients were asked how they adjusted
unattained goals. Emotional distress was measured with the Hospital Anxiety and
Depression Scale (HADS), quality of life with the Life Satisfaction Questionnaire
(LiSat-9), self-efficacy with the TBI Self-efficacy Questionnaire (SEsx) and
tenacity and flexibility with the Assimilative/Accommodative Coping Questionnaire
(AACQ). Random effects regression analyses and structural equation modelling were
used. RESULTS: In total, only 13 % of initial life goals were achieved in one
year. Patients who maintained efforts to reach their original goals had higher
average levels of tenacity, but did not differ in level of self-efficacy compared
with patients that disengaged. Patients with higher self-efficacy were more
successful in attaining important life goals, which correlated with higher
quality of life. Patients with higher self-efficacy, higher tenacity in goal
pursuit, and higher flexibility in goal adjustment were less emotionally
distressed, again correlating with higher quality of life.
CONCLUSIONS: To
optimise adaptation it seems appropriate to promote self-efficacy and both
tenacity and flexibility during rehabilitation treatment.
CI - (c) The Author(s) 2014.

Langue : ANGLAIS