Affiliations:
Virginia Commonwealth University/Medical College of Virginia, Richmond
Note: [1] Portions of the two studies reported here were presented at the annual conventions of the Southeastern Psychological Association (1989) and the American Psychological Association (1989), and at the Fourth Annual Virginia Spinal Cord Injury Systems’ Conference (1989). This research was supported in part by a grant to the first author from the American Association of Spinal Cord Injury Psychologists and Social Workers. Appreciation is expressed to James Hoffman, PhD, Josephine Hoffman, Frank Godshall, Thomas Witty, Stephen Herrick, and Bruce Coplin, MD, for their assistance in various aspects of the research.
Abstract: Although many persons with spinal cord injuries report problems with persistent, recurrent pain, very little empirical research has examined this issue. The impact of painful conditions on rehabilitation and subsequent adjustment has yet to be empirically clarified. Two studies are reported which (1) investigate differences between persons with and without persistent pain on measures of depression and psychosocial impairment, and (2) examine possible differences in the degree of pain-related suffering between persons with paraplegia and quadriplegia. Results from the first study demonstrate that pain is associated with more depressive behaviors and greater psychosocial impairment regardless oJ the time since the onset of injury. in the second study, ratings of sensory and affective pain intensities were obtained from persons with paraplegia and quadriplegia. Results indicated that persons with paraplegia displayed more pain-related suffering than persons with quadriplegia for equal intensities of pain sensation. Recommendations for theoretical and clinical considerations in spinal cord injury rehabilitation are provided.
