The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between various coping-related variables and the evaluation of self-worth and subjective well-being among persons with spinal cord injury. Positive coping variables included hope, proactive coping style, and sense of humor, whereas negative coping variables included perceptions of stress, dysfunctional attitudes, and catastrophizing. Evaluations of self-worth were determined by measures of self-esteem and acceptance of disability. Quality of life and life satisfaction were indicators of subjective well-being. The results of the study indicate that negative coping has a negative association with both positive self-worth and subjective well-being. Feelings of positive self-worth were found to be positively associated with subjective well-being. In addition, positive coping appears to influence subjective well-being positively by first increasing feelings of positive self-worth. The findings indicate that coping strategies play an important role in the psychosocial adjustment of individuals with disabilities, and subsequently, in their quality of life. The implications for counseling individuals with disabilities are discussed.
Andrews, J.A., Lewinsohn, P.M., Hops, H., & Roberts, R.E. ( 1993). Psychometric properties of scales for the measurement of psychosocial variables associated with depression in adolescence. Psychological Reports, 73, 1019-1046.
2.
Arbuckle, J., & Wothke, W. ( 1999). AMOS 4.0: User’s guide. Chicago : SmallWaters.
3.
Bentler, P.M. ( 1990). Comparative fit indices in structural models. Psychological Bulletin, 107, 238-246.
4.
Bishop, M. ( 2005). Quality of life and psychosocial adaptation to chronic illness and disability. Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin , 48, 219-231.
5.
Bishop, M., & Feist-Price, S. (2001). Quality of life in rehabilitation counseling: Making the philosophical practical. Rehabilitation Education, 15, 210-212.
6.
Blascovich, J., & Tomaka, J. ( 1993). Measures of self-esteem. In J. P. Robinson, P. R. Shaver, & L. S. Wrightsman (Eds.), Measures of personality and social psychological attitudes (pp. 115-160). Ann Arbor: Institute for Social Research.
7.
Burkhead, E.J., Ebener, D.J., & Marini, I. ( 1996). Humor, coping and adaptation to disability. Journal of Applied Rehabilitation Counseling, 27, 50-53.
8.
Chapin, M., Miller, S., Ferrin, J., Chan, F., & Rubin, S. ( 2004). Psychometric validation of a subjective well-being measure for people with spinal cord injuries. Disability and Rehabilitation , 26, 1135-1142.
9.
Chaves, J.F., & Brown, J.M. ( 1987). Spontaneous cognitive strategies for the control of clinical pain and stress. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 10, 263-276.
10.
Claar, R., & Blumenthal, J. (2003). The value of stress-management interventions in life-threatening medical conditions. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 12(4), 351-362.
11.
Cohen, S., Kamarck, T., & Mermelstein, R. (1983). A global measure of perceived stress. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 24, 386-396.
12.
Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification. ( 2008). CRC/CRCC scope of practice. Schaumburg, IL: Author. Retrieved June 10, 2009 , from http://www.crccertification.com/pages/crc_ccrc_scope_of_practice/43.php
13.
Crocker, J., & Park, L.E. ( 2004). The costly pursuit of self-esteem. Psychological Bulletin, 130, 392-414.
14.
Devins, G.M. ( 1994). Illness intrusiveness and psychosocial impact of lifestyle disruptions in chronic life-threatening disease. Advances in Renal Replacement Therapy, 1(3), 251-263.
15.
Diener, E., & Diener, M. ( 1995). Cross-cultural correlates of life satisfaction and self-esteem . Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 69, 926-935.
16.
Diener, E., & Emmons, R.Q. ( 1984). The independence of positive and negative affect. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 47, 1105-1117.
17.
Diener, E., Emmons, R.A., Larsen, R.J., & Griffen, S. ( 1985). The Satisfaction with Life Scale. Journal of Personality Assessment, 49(1), 71-75.
18.
Diener, E., Lucas, R.E., & Oishi, S. ( 2005). Subjective well-being: The science of happiness and life satisfaction. In C. R. Snyder & S. J. Lopez (Eds.), Handbook of positive psychology (pp. 463-473). New York: Oxford University Press.
19.
Dijkers, M. ( 1997). Quality of life after spinal cord injury: A meta-analysis of the effects of disablement components. Spinal Cord, 35, 829-840.
Elfstrom, M.L., Kreuter, J., Ryden, A., Persson, L.-O., & Sullivan, M. ( 2002). Effects of coping on psychological outcome when controlling for background variables: A study of traumatically spinal cord lesioned persons . Spinal Cord, 40, 408-415.
22.
Elliott, T.R., Witty, T.E., Herrick, S., & Hoffman, J.T. ( 1991). Negotiating reality after physical loss: Hope, depression, and disability. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology , 61, 608-613.
23.
Fabian, E.S. ( 1991). Using quality of life indicators in rehabilitation program evaluation. Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, 34, 344-356.
24.
Fawzy, F.I. ( 1999). Psychosocial interventions for patients with cancer: What works and what does not. European Journal of Cancer, 35(11), 1559-1564.
25.
Fekete, E., Antoni, M., & Schneiderman, N. (2007). Psychosocial and behavioral interventions for chronic medical conditions. Current Opinion in Psychiatry, 20(2), 152-157.
26.
Fordyce, M.W. ( 1988). A review of research on The Happiness Measures: A sixty second index of happiness and mental health. Social Indicators Research, 20, 355-381.
27.
Graves, K. ( 2003). Social cognitive theory and cancer patients’ quality of life: A meta-analysis of psychosocial intervention components. Health Psychology, 22(2), 210-219.
28.
Greenglass, E.R., Schwarzer, R., & Taubert, S. ( 1999). The Proactive Coping Inventory (PCI): A multidimensional research instrument. Available from http://userpage.fu-berlin.de/~health/greenpci.htm
Heinemann, A.W., & Shontz, F.C. ( 1982). Acceptance of disability, self-esteem, sex role identity, and reading aptitude in deaf adolescents. Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, 25, 197-203.
31.
Irving, L.M., Cheavens, J., Snyder, C.R., Gravel, L., Hanke, J., Hilberg, P., & Nelson, N. ( 2004). The relationships between hope and outcome at pre-treatment, beginning, and later phases of psychotherapy. Journal of Psychotherapy Integration, 14, 419-433.
Lazarus, R.S. ( 1993). Coping theory and research: Past, present, and future . Psychosomatic Medicine, 55, 234-247.
34.
Lazarus, R.S., & Folkman, S. ( 1984). Stress, appraisal, and coping. New York: Springer.
35.
Leahy, M.J., Chan, F., & Saunders, J.L. (2003). Job functions and knowledge requirements of certified rehabilitation counselors in the 21st century. Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, 46, 66-81.
36.
Lewinsohn, P.M., Joiner, T.E., & Rohde, P. ( 2001). Evaluation of cognitive diathesis-stress models in predicting major depressive disorder in adolescents. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 110, 203-215.
37.
Li, L., & Moore, D. ( 1998). Acceptance of disability and its correlates. Journal of Social Psychology, 138, 13-25.
38.
Linkowski, D.C., & Dunn, M.A. ( 1974). Self-concept and acceptance of disability. Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, 17, 28-32.
39.
Livneh, H. ( 1980). The process of adjustment to disability: Feelings, behaviors, and counseling strategies. Psychosocial Rehabilitation Journal , 4(2), 26-35.
40.
Livneh, H. ( 2001). Psychosocial adaptation to chronic illness and disability: A conceptual framework. Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin , 44, 151-160.
41.
Livneh, H., & Antonak, R.F. ( 1997). Psychosocial adaptation to chronic illness and disability . Gaithersburg, MD: Aspen.
42.
Livneh, L., & Parker, R. ( 2005). Psychological adaptation to disability perspectives from chaos and complexity theory. Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin , 49, 17-28.
43.
Livneh, H., & Wilson, L.M. ( 2003). Coping strategies as predictors and mediators of disability-related variables and psychosocial adaptation: An exploratory investigation. Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, 46, 194-208.
44.
Marini, I., & Rogers, L. ( 1995). Self-esteem differences among persons with spinal cord injury. Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, 38. Retrieved November 10, 2005, from Academic Search Elite database.
45.
Mpofu, E., Thomas, K., & Chan, F. ( 1996). Cognitive-behavioural therapies: Research and applications in counselling people with physical disabilities. Australian Journal of Rehabilitation Counseling, 2, 99-114.
46.
Patterson, J., Bruyere, S., Szymanski, E.M., & Jenkins, W. ( 2005). Philosophical, historical, and legislative aspects of the rehabilitation counseling profession. In R. M. Parker, E. M. Szymanski, & J. B. Patterson (Eds.), Rehabilitation counseling basics and beyond (pp. 27-53). Austin, TX: Pro-Ed.
47.
Perrone, K.M., Perrone, P.A., Chan, F., & Thomas, K.R. ( 2000). Assessing efficacy and importance in career counseling competencies. Career Development Quarterly, 48, 212-225.
48.
Rector, N.E., & Roger, D. ( 1996). Cognitive style and well-being: A prospective examination . Personality and Individual Differences, 21, 663-674.
49.
Rehse, B., & Pukrop, R. ( 2003). Effects of psychosocial interventions on quality of life in adult cancer patients: Meta analysis of 37 published controlled outcome studies. Patient Education and Counseling, 50, 179-186.
50.
Rieger, A. ( 2004). Explorations of the functions of humor and other types of fun among families of children with disabilities. Research and Practice for Persons With Severe Disabilities, 29, 194-209.
51.
Robins, R.W., Tracy, J.L., Trzesniewski, K., Potter, J., & Gosling, S.D. ( 2001). Personality correlates of self-esteem. Journal of Research in Personality, 35(4), 463-482.
52.
Roessler, R.T. ( 1990). A quality of life perspective on rehabilitation counseling . Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, 34, 82-90.
53.
Rosenberg, M. ( 1965). Society and the adolescent self-image. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
54.
Rosenberg, M. ( 1979). Conceiving the self. New York: Basic Books.
55.
Rubin, S.E., Chan, F., Bishop, M., & Miller, S.M. ( 2003). Psychometric validation of the Sense of Well-Being Inventory for program evaluation in rehabilitation. The Rehabilitation Professional, 11(2), 54-59.
56.
Scott-Sheldon, L., Kalichman, S., Carey, M., & Fielder, R. ( 2008). Stress management interventions for HIV+ adults: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials, 1989 to 2006. Health Psychology , 27(2), 129-139.
57.
Snyder, C.R., Harris, C., Anderson, J.R., Holleran, S.A., Irving, L.M., Sigmon, S.T., et al. (1991). The will and the ways: Development and validation of an individual-differences measure of hope. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 60, 570-585.
58.
Snyder, C.R., Irving, L.M., & Anderson, J.R. (1991). Hope and health. In D. R. Forsyth & C. R. Snyder (Eds.), Handbook of social and clinical psychology: The health perspective (pp. 285-305). Elmsford, NY: Pergamon Press.
59.
Snyder, C.R., Sympson, S.C., Ybasco, F.C., Borders, T.F., Babyak, M.A., & Higgins, R.L. ( 1996). Development and validation of the State Hope Scale. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 70, 321-335.
60.
Stewart, J.R. ( 1996). Applying Beck’s cognitive therapy to Livneh’s model of adaptation to disability. Journal of Applied Rehabilitation Counseling, 27(2), 40-45.
61.
Sullivan, M.J.L., Bishop, S.R., & Pivik, J. ( 1995). The Pain Catastrophizing Scale: Development and validation . Psychological Assessment, 7, 524-532.
62.
Svebak, S. ( 1974). Revised questionnaire on the sense of humor. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 15, 328-331.
63.
Swett, E.A., & Kaplan, S.P. ( 2004). Cognitive-behavioral therapy. In F. Chan, N. L. Berven, & K. Thomas (Eds.), Counseling theories and techniques for rehabilitation health professionals (pp. 159-176). New York: Springer.
64.
Tang, T., Brown, M., Funnell, M., & Anderson, R. ( 2008). Social support, quality of life, and self-care behaviors among African Americans with type 2 diabetes. The Diabetes Educator, 34(2), 266-276.
65.
Turner, J.A., Jensen, J.P., & Romano, J.M. ( 2000). Do beliefs, coping, and catastrophizing independently predict functioning in patients with chronic pain?Pain, 85, 115-125.
66.
Ullman, J.B. ( 2001). Structural equation modeling. In B. G. Tabachnick & L. S. Fidell (Eds.), Using multivariate statistics (pp. 653-771). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
67.
Vosvick, M., Gore-Felton, C., Koopman, C., Thoresen, C., Krumboltz, J., & Spiegel, D. ( 2002). Maladaptive coping strategies in relation to quality of life among HIV+ adults. AIDS and Behavior, 6, 97-106.
68.
Weissman, A.N., & Beck, A.T. ( 1978, November). Development and validation of the Dysfunctional Attitudes Scale: A preliminary investigation. Paper presented at the meeting of the American Educational Research Association , Toronto, Canada.
69.
Woby, S.R., Watson, P., Roach, N.K., & Urmston, M. ( 2004). Adjustment to chronic low back pain-The relative influence of fear-avoidance beliefs, catastrophizing, and appraisals of control. Behaviour Research & Therapy, 42, 761-774.
70.
Wollaars, M.M., Post, W.M., van Asbeck, F.W.A., & Brand, N. ( 2007). Spinal cord injury pain: The influence of psychologic factors and impact on quality of life. Clinical Journal of Pain, 23, 383-391.
71.
Wright, B.A. ( 1960). Physical disability: A psychological approach. New York: Harper & Row.
72.
Wright, B.A. ( 1983). Physical disability: A psychosocial approach (2nd ed.). New York: Harper & Row.
