[Quality of life in paraplegics and quadriplegics: analysis of self esteem]

This study suggests that self-esteem is a positive indicator of quality of life among persons who have sustained a spinal cord injury. Significant correlations were found between self-esteem and defensive or avoidance styles of coping. As well, self-esteem scores for quadriplegic subjects were significantly higher than scores for the paraplegic subjects. These findings should encourage nurses to evaluate their client's level of self-esteem as soon as possible during the rehabilitation process, so that they might initiate interventions that would assist the client to increase this level.