Psychological intervention during spinal rehabilitation: a preliminary study

Area of Science:

• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Clinical Psychology
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Spinal cord injury (SCI) frequently leads to psychological distress, impacting rehabilitation.
• Effective psychological interventions are crucial for improving patient adjustment and outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of individualized cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) on psychological adjustment in patients with newly acquired SCI.
• To assess the impact of CBT on depression, anxiety, stress, and functional independence during and after inpatient rehabilitation.

Main Methods:

• A non-randomized controlled trial involving 11 participants receiving individualized CBT and 13 matched controls receiving standard care.
• Psychological assessments (DASS-21) and functional independence measures (FIM) were administered at baseline, week 12, and 3 months post-discharge.

Main Results:

• The CBT group showed short-term improvements in anxiety and stress during inpatient therapy.
• Depression scores worsened at 3-month follow-up in the CBT group after intervention cessation.
• Standard care participants maintained subclinical psychological distress levels throughout the study.

Conclusions:

• Individualized CBT offers short-term psychological benefits for patients with recent SCI.
• The findings underscore the necessity of sustained psychological support services post-discharge for SCI patients.
• Further research with larger sample sizes is warranted to confirm these preliminary results.