Article

PURPOSE: To test potential strength-based mediators of functional disability and
hope in adults with spinal cord injury. METHOD:
Two hundred and forty-two
participants with spinal cord injury were recruited for this study. The mean age
of participants was 44.6 years (standard deviation = 13.2),
and 66.1% were men.
Participants completed a survey containing a demographic questionnaire, as well
as measures of functional disability, hope, self-esteem, proactive coping,
perceived social support and disability acceptance.
Mediation analysis was
conducted using a bootstrap test for multiple mediators. RESULTS: Proactive
coping, self-esteem and perceived social support significantly mediated the
relationship between functional disability and hope, while disability acceptance
did not. The combination of mediators resulted in functional disability no longer
being a significant predictor of hope. CONCLUSIONS: The strength-based constructs
of proactive coping, self-esteem and social support appear effective in
predicting hope regardless of severity of spinal cord injury. Functional
disability was no longer predictive of hope after controlling for these
strength-based constructs. Disability acceptance did not significantly add to the
mediation model. These results provide further evidence for strength-based
interventions in rehabilitation. Implications for Rehabilitation Strength-based
constructs of proactive coping, self-esteem and social support are important
factors for addressing hope following spinal cord injury, regardless of level of
severity. Rehabilitation services providers should focus efforts on supporting
clients in the accurate appraisal of predictable stressors and then generate
means for addressing them as a form of proactive coping. Rehabilitation services
providers must be cautious when addressing self-esteem to focus on perceived
competence and learning processes rather than self-esteem directly or through the
accomplishment of goals that may not be achieved. Knowing that social supports
are related to hope post-spinal cord injury, it is important for rehabilitation
services providers to recognize potential social supports early in the
rehabilitation process and involve those social supports in the rehabilitation
process when possible.

Langue : ANGLAIS