Abstract
Study design:
Qualitative study.
Objectives:
To explore whether aspects of global meaning (that is, fundamental beliefs and life goals concerning core values, relationships, worldview, identity and inner posture) are associated with processes and outcomes in rehabilitation, as experienced by people with spinal cord injury (SCI).
Setting:
People living in the community receiving outpatient rehabilitation in a Dutch rehabilitation center.
Methods:
In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 people with SCI. Interviews were analyzed using qualitative research methods: structural and provisional coding.
Results:
Core values, relationships, worldview, identity and inner posture (that is, the way in which people relate to the facts of life) were associated with various processes and outcomes of rehabilitation. Elements of the rehabilitation process included motivation, regulation of emotion, making decisions and handling stress. Elements of the outcome of rehabilitation included physical functioning, emotional functioning, social functioning and subjective sense of meaning. The influence was positive, with the exception of one case in which worldview and inner posture were negatively associated with motivation. Besides that, respondents emphasized the importance of rehabilitation professionals attuning to their global meaning.
Conclusion:
All aspects of global meaning were positively associated with various processes and outcomes of rehabilitation. It is recommended that rehabilitation professionals are aware of the importance of global meaning to people with SCI and that they take people’s fundamental beliefs and life goals into account.
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Acknowledgements
This study was financed by het Revalidatiefonds, and it won the DNS Fellowship 2012. This study would not have been possible without the cooperation of Reade and of course the respondents, who generously welcomed us into their houses and lives.
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Appendix 1
Appendix 1
Topic list global meaning
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1
Could you tell me what happened to you?
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2
What has changed?
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3
What has remained the same?
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4
Do you think your SCI has a meaning or a purpose?
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5
Do you think life in general has a meaning or a purpose?
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6
What is really important to you in life?
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7
When do you get annoyed?
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8
What do you hope others will say or think about you?
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9
If I ask you: ‘Who are you?’ what would be your answer? (Please finish the sentence: I am … someone who …)
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10
Could you share some of your thoughts about death with me?
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11
How do you manage to live with your SCI?
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12
Has what we have discussed so far affected your rehabilitation? In what way?
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13
Is there anything else you would like to say, in reaction to the interview so far?
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14
How did you experience this interview?
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Littooij, E., Leget, C., Stolwijk-Swüste, J. et al. The importance of ‘global meaning’ for people rehabilitating from spinal cord injury. Spinal Cord 54, 1047–1052 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/sc.2016.48
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sc.2016.48
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