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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
James S. Krause, PhD, Lynne E. Broderick, BS, and Glenn O. Allen, BS. Crawford Research Institute, Shepherd Center, 2020 Peachtree Road, Atlanta, GA 30309, 404-352-2677, jskrause@mindspring.com
Previous research has suggested that spinal cord injury (SCI) leads to diminished employment outcomes, particularly among individuals who were older at injury, had more severe injuries, and were from racial minorities. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships of multiple biographic, SCI-related, educational, personality, and locus of control variables with post-injury employment outcomes after SCI. There were a total of 1,391 participants, all of whom were identified from the outpatient files of a large specialty hospital in the Southeastern United States. All participants had SCI with residual impairment (ASIA A-D), were 18 years of age or older, and their SCI had occurred at least 1 year earlier. Participants were administered multiple measures through a mailed survey including the Zuckerman-Kuhlman Personality Questionnaire (ZKPQ) and the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control scale (MHLC). Favorable employment outcomes were associated with being Caucasian, having completed more years of education, a younger age at injury, more years since SCI onset, having a motor functional injury, and not being injured as the result of violence. Each of the three locus of control scales and three personality traits were also associated with differential employment outcomes, as those employed expressed greater feelings of control and activity and were less likely to express aggression/hostility, neuroticism, or to feel their outcomes were controlled by chance or powerful others. Although increasing education is the most direct means to promoting better employment outcomes after SCI, psychological factors are also viable targets for intervention.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, the participant will be able to
Keywords: Disability,
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.