Relationship between effective coping and perceived quality of life in spinal cord injured patients

Abstract

This article describes a study that explored the relationship between coping effectiveness and perceived quality of life in spinal cord injured patients. The subjects were 40 functionally disabled inpatient wheelchair-bound individuals from two rehabilitation units at the Long Beach VA Medical Center in Long Beach, CA. Data were analyzed using Pearson's correlation coefficient (r) and descriptive statistics. Patients with the most effective coping mechanisms also had the highest quality of life. The results were the same for both paraplegics and quadriplegics.