AGING AND ADJUSTMENT AFTER SPINAL-CORD INJURY - THE ROLES OF CHRONOLOGICAL AGE, TIME SINCE INJURY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL-CHANGE

The purpose of this study was to identify relationships between aging and long-term adjustment after spinal cord injury (SCI). A time-sequen tial design was utilized to isolate the influence of three confounded factors related to aging: (1) chronologic age, (2) time since injury, and (3) time of measurement-environmental change. A total of 394 indiv iduals from 2 distinct participant samples completed the Life Situatio n Questionnaire (LSQ). Sample 1 (n = 193) completed the LSQ in 1985; S ample 2 (n = 201) completed the LSQ in 1994. The multivariate analysis of covariance with univariate follow-up tests was used to identify ti me-lagged differences in adjustment between 1985 and 1994 (an environm ental factor), while simultaneously analyzing the role of chronologic age and time since injury. As with previous studies, time since injury was positively correlated, and age was negatively correlated with mul tiple adjustment outcomes. However, in contrast to previous research, environmental change between 1985 and 1994 was associated with a deter ioration in subjective well-being. The results of the study suggest th at the way people adjust as they age with SCI is significantly influen ced by the nature of changes in their environment.