CHANGES IN ADJUSTMENT AFTER SPINAL-CORD INJURY - A 20-YEAR LONGITUDINAL-STUDY

This study assessed the stability of multiple aspects of adaptation af ter spinal cord injury (SCI). One hundred fourteen participants with S CI completed the Life Situation Questionnaire on 4 separate occasions over a 20-year interval. Changes in the outcomes over time were measur ed. Time engaged in employment activities, sitting tolerance, and numb er of years of education increased, and the number of hospitalizations and total days hospitalized decreased. However, self-rated adjustment decreased over the same time period. The results indicate a divergenc e between changes in objective and subjective aspects of life over the 20-year period. These findings suggest that people with SCI generally do not feel more positive about their lives than they did 20 years pr ior, despite an increase in employment opportunities and a decrease in hospitalizations.