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Correlates of Loneliness in Persons With Spinal Cord Injury
Alexander Barry1, Linda Lovell1, Elliot Roth2
1Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Chicago, IL.
Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
|July 2, 2026
Summary
Loneliness in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) is linked to environmental barriers and depression. Addressing these factors may improve mental well-being for those with SCI.
Area of Science:
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Psychology
- Public Health
Background:
- Spinal cord injury (SCI) can significantly impact an individual's psychosocial well-being.
- Loneliness is a prevalent concern among individuals with SCI, affecting their quality of life.
- Understanding the factors contributing to loneliness is crucial for developing targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify self-reported psychosocial factors associated with loneliness in individuals with traumatic spinal cord injury (tSCI).
Main Methods:
- Convergent parallel mixed-methods design utilizing virtual structured interviews and quantitative questionnaires.
- Participants included individuals with tSCI sustained over 1 year prior (n=20 for questionnaire data).
- Measures included the Three-Item Loneliness Scale, Craig Hospital Inventory of Environmental Factors (CHIEF), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), and Short Form 12 (SF-12).
Main Results:
- Higher loneliness levels correlated significantly with increased environmental barriers (CHIEF, r=0.7, p=0.001).
- Loneliness also showed a strong correlation with depressive symptoms (PHQ-9, r=0.67, p=0.001).
- Environmental barriers were associated with poorer mental health outcomes (SF-12, MCS, r=-0.7, p=0.004).
Conclusions:
- Loneliness in individuals with tSCI appears to be influenced by a combination of internal psychological factors and external environmental challenges.
- Interventions addressing both environmental barriers and depressive symptoms may be beneficial for mitigating loneliness in this population.
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