A dyadic approach: the predictive role of social support and physical independence on life satisfaction of persons with Spinal Cord Injury or Acquired Brain Injury and their significant others
Summary
Background: A decrease in life satisfaction is common among persons with Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) or
Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) and for the person close to them: their significant other. This could have
long-term impacts, such as psychological distress. The current study investigates if social support and
physical independence of persons with SCI/ABI and their significant others (dyad) predict their life
satisfaction six months after inpatient discharge.
Research question: Does perceived social support of the person with SCI/ABI and their significant other
and physical independence of the person with SCI/ABI measured shortly after the start of inpatient
rehabilitation, predict life satisfaction of both persons in a dyad six months after inpatient rehabilitation?
Method: Data were used from the POWER-study, a prospective quantitative longitudinal study conducted
in 12 rehabilitation centres in the Netherlands among dyads between 2016 and 2018. Persons with
SCI/ABI and their significant others filled in self-reported questionnaires separately at the start of
inpatient rehabilitation and six months after inpatient discharge.154 dyads were included. Data were
analysed using SPSS with independent t-tests, Pearson’s chi-squared tests, Pearson correlations and
MANCOVA.
Results: Dyads of the SCI-group scored lower on life satisfaction then dyads of the ABI-group. Life
satisfaction of persons with SCI/ABI were correlated with life satisfaction of significant others. Perceived
social support of the person with SCI/ABI and their significant others are not related to their life
satisfaction. Physical independence is a predictor for the life satisfaction of the dyad.
Conclusion: The relationship of life satisfaction between the dyad indicates that dyadic health should be
considered. Therefore, significant others should be included to a greater extent in the rehabilitation and
predictors such as physical independence can serve as risk screening during rehabilitation.