Article

This study sought to describe the association between spiritual
well-being, demographic characteristics, quality of life (QOL) and depressive
symptoms following spinal cord injury (SCI). We hypothesized QOL and depressed
mood would both be explained by extent of spiritual well-being, and
meaning-focused (M&P) spirituality would have a stronger impact than
faith-focused spirituality. METHODS: 210 individuals with SCI were screened as
part of a randomized control trial of venlafaxine XR for major depressive
disorder (MDD). 204 completed all measures: Patient Health Questionniare-9
(PHQ-9) assessed depression, the FACIT-Sp assessed spiritual well-being, the
Neuro-QOL PAWB scale assessed QOL, and the PANAS assessed affect. RESULTS:
Approximately 26% had major depression. Bivariate correlations of scores on PAWB
and PANAS and FACIT-Sp showed that all four scales had strong associations with
those on PAWB (p < 0.0005). As hypothesized, both the M&P and Faith scales of the
FACIT-Sp were significant predictors of QOL (beta = 0.544; p < 0.0005 and beta =
0.151; p = 0.004), though only the M&P scale was an independently significant
predictor of likely MDD. CONCLUSION: The findings support that spirituality, as
measured by the FACIT-Sp, is strongly associated with QOL and likelihood of MDD.
Assessment of spirituality should be included along with more traditional
psychological measurements to better inform treatment. Implications for
Rehabilitation Spiritual beliefs can contribute to quality of life and may help
moderate depressive symptoms that accompany chronic illness and disability,
suggesting that rehabilitation professionals should address spirituality in
working with their patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). While spiritual issues
are often deferred to pastoral counselors during hospitalization, it is clear
that addressing these is not the domain of one discipline and does not end upon
inpatient discharge. In addressing spirituality, clinicians should tap the
spiritual strengths present in their clients, whether meaning/peace-focused or
religious, understanding that spirituality involves more than religiosity and
also that having a sense of meaning and peace appears to be of great importance.

Langue : ANGLAIS