Event centrality as a unique predictor of posttraumatic stress symptoms and perceived disability following spinal cord injury.

STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a cross-sectional study involving completion of self-report measures.

OBJECTIVES: Individuals who acquire a spinal cord injury (SCI) face numerous physical and psychological challenges, with the former receiving considerable less attention during the rehabilitation process. In this article, we examined event centrality as a unique predictor of psychological outcomes in a sample of individuals receiving rehabilitation for SCI. Event centrality refers to the extent to which individuals construe a stressful experience as a core part of their identity. In samples of individuals exposed to psychological traumas (for example, sexual assault or military combat), event centrality has emerged as a consistent and powerful predictor of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSSs). This is the first study to examine event centrality in an SCI sample.

SETTING: Inpatient rehabilitation program in a large urban city in the Southwestern United States.

METHODS: A sample of 55 participants in rehabilitation for a recent SCI completed measures of event centrality, PTSS, depressed mood and perceived disability.

RESULTS: Event centrality was significantly related to perceived disability (r=0.48) and PTSS (r=0.31) and accounted for unique variance in these two outcomes after controlling for demographics and depressed mood.

CONCLUSION: Event centrality is common among individuals with SCI and may be a unique contributor to worse psychological and functional outcomes. We hope our findings will alert health-care professionals to the importance of event centrality.

SPONSORSHIP: This study was supported by a grant from the Danish National Research Foundation (DNRF89).