Regaining A Sense Of Me: a single case study of SCI adjustment, applying the appraisal model and coping effectiveness...

Sustaining a spinal cord injury (SCI) has been shown to impose a significant physical and psychological challenge with threat to quality of life (QOL). Duff & Kennedy provide a SCI explanation of appraisals and the two-stage process of an individual's primary assessment of their experience, and their secondary appraisal of their perceived coping resource being key facilitators of adjustment and fundamental to longer term adaptation. King & Kennedy designed a group coping effectiveness training (CET) intervention with a framework of coping strategy selection fit to reduce use of threat appraisals/avoidance coping, and to promote development of challenge appraisals with consequent stress reduction and adjustment.

This CET approach was applied within individual psychological therapy with a 74-year old woman who presented with symptoms of anxiety, reactivated PTSD, mood disturbance and difficulty adjusting after sustaining SCI. Psychological adjustment treatment enabled resolution of post-trauma symptoms, re-evaluation of appraisals and perceived loss of identity, and development of positive coping strategies, and promoted a new conceptualisation of independence.

Case studies of psychological treatment are rare within the SCI literature. This paper provides a detailed application of primary appraisals and coping strategy selection fit in individual therapy. Attention is drawn to the important impact appraisals have on long-term rehabilitation outcomes and the necessity of a multi-disciplinary team (MDT) approach to achieve optimal psychological and physical adjustment following SCI. Finally, the paper highlights the need for community education to reduce negative perceptions/taboo of disability.