A LONGITUDINAL INVESTIGATION INTO ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION IN THE 1ST 2YEARS FOLLOWING A SPINAL-CORD INJURY

This study is a 1 year extension of a controlled 1 year follow up stud y of spinal cord injured persons. The study assessed the extent of spi nal cord injury (SCI) persons' depression and anxiety in comparison to an able bodied control group matched for age, sex, education and as f ar as possible, occupation. Psychological adjustment to SCI was assess ed in terms of scores on the Trait Anxiety Inventory and the Beck Depr ession Inventory. Results obtained at the 2 year follow up were not si gnificantly changed from those obtained over the first year. There was no significant improvement in anxiety and depression scores in the SC I group 2 years post injury. Examination of the SCI scores suggest tha t psychological morbidity was confined to a group of approximately 30% of persons, whilst the remaining persons were not severely anxious or depressed. Traditional stage models of adjustment to SCI which sugges t that the passage of time is associated with better adjustment were n ot supported by the present data.