Stress and coping in spouses of persons with spinal cord injuries

Objective: To examine the sources of stress and the patterns of coping of s pouses of persons with spinal cord injuries (SCI) among Hong Kong Chinese. Design: A cross-sectional correlation design. A set of structured questionn aires and semi-structured interviews were administered. Subjects: Forty spouses of persons with SCI were recruited and interviewed. Outcome measures: These included coping strategies, depression, care-giving burden, life satisfaction and marital adjustment. Results: The most stressful situations reported by the participants concern ed health issues of their injured partners, the family and marital interact ions, and the care-giving burden imposed on them. Cluster analysis indicate d a potential at-risk group, characterized by high scores in external locus of control, inadequate coping modes and limited social support. They were noted to manifest high levels of depression, care-giving burden, low levels of life satisfaction and marital adjustment. Conclusion: The identification of the potential at-risk group indicates tha t spouses of persons with SCI suffer levels of stress comparable to those o f their injured partners. Rehabilitation plans should include this potentia l at-risk group to help them release the stress and to prevent them from de veloping clinically significant mental disorders.