Personality & behaviour changes following spinal cord injury: self perceptions--partner's perceptions.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychology
• Rehabilitation Medicine

Background:

• Limited research exists on personality and behavior changes post-spinal cord injury (SCI).
• The impact of concurrent traumatic brain injury (TBI) on these changes is poorly understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate personality and behavior changes in individuals with traumatic SCI.
• To explore the potential influence of post-traumatic amnesia (PTA) duration on reported changes.

Main Methods:

• A mail-out questionnaire assessed personality and behavior changes in married couples where one partner had SCI.
• The revised Adjective Checklist was used, with both individuals with SCI and their partners completing the survey.
• Participants were divided into "longer PTA" (≥3 days) and "shorter PTA" groups based on self-reported amnesia duration.

Main Results:

• Combined reports from individuals with SCI and their partners indicated significant personality and behavior changes.
• Individuals with longer PTA reported fewer and more positive changes compared to their partners.
• Partners of individuals with longer PTA described changes consistent with TBI profiles.
• Individuals with shorter PTA described themselves more negatively than their partners did.

Conclusions:

• Findings suggest that longer PTA in SCI may be associated with TBI-like personality and behavior changes, as perceived by partners.
• The discrepancy in reported changes between individuals with SCI and their partners highlights the complexity of assessing these alterations.
• Further research with larger sample sizes is needed to confirm these trends in SCI and TBI populations.