Stress and coping in spouses of persons with spinal cord injuries

Objective: To examine the sources of stress and the patterns of coping of spouses of persons with spinal cord injuries (SCI) among Hong Kong Chinese. Design: A cross-sectional correlation design. A set of structured questionnaires 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 concerned health issues of their injured partners, the family and marital interactions, and the care-giving burden imposed on them. Cluster analysis indicated 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 that spouses of persons with SCI suffer levels of stress comparable to those of their injured partners. Rehabilitation plans should include this potential at-risk group to help them release the stress and to prevent them from developing clinically significant mental disorders.