@article{ref1,
title="Event centrality as a unique predictor of posttraumatic stress symptoms and perceived disability following spinal cord injury",
journal="Spinal Cord",
year="2017",
author="Boals, A. and Trost, Z. and Berntsen, D. and Nowlin, L. and Wheelis, T. and Monden, K. R.",
volume="55",
number="11",
pages="1023-1027",
abstract="STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a cross-sectional study involving completion of self-report measures. <br><br>OBJECTIVES: Individuals who acquire a spinal cord injury (SCI) face numerous physical and psychological challenges, with the former receiving considerable less attention during the rehabilitation process. In this article, we examined event centrality as a unique predictor of psychological outcomes in a sample of individuals receiving rehabilitation for SCI. Event centrality refers to the extent to which individuals construe a stressful experience as a core part of their identity. In samples of individuals exposed to psychological traumas (for example, sexual assault or military combat), event centrality has emerged as a consistent and powerful predictor of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSSs). This is the first study to examine event centrality in an SCI sample. SETTING: Inpatient rehabilitation program in a large urban city in the Southwestern United States. <br><br>METHODS: A sample of 55 participants in rehabilitation for a recent SCI completed measures of event centrality, PTSS, depressed mood and perceived disability. <br><br>RESULTS: Event centrality was significantly related to perceived disability (r=0.48) and PTSS (r=0.31) and accounted for unique variance in these two outcomes after controlling for demographics and depressed mood. <br><br>CONCLUSION: Event centrality is common among individuals with SCI and may be a unique contributor to worse psychological and functional outcomes. We hope our findings will alert health-care professionals to the importance of event centrality. SPONSORSHIP: This study was supported by a grant from the Danish National Research Foundation (DNRF89).Spinal Cord advance online publication, 30 May 2017; doi:10.1038/sc.2017.57.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1362-4393",
doi="10.1038/sc.2017.57",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/sc.2017.57"
}