Hope, dispositional optimism and severity of depression following traumatic brain injury

Abstract

Primary objective: To investigate the extent in which two coping variables—hope and dispositional optimism—are related to depression severity amongst individuals who have sustained traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Methods and procedures: Sixty-five participants were administered the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Adult Hope Scale (AHS), the Life Orientation Test-Revised (LOT-R) and a demographic and injury-related data questionnaire. In addition, relevant injury-related data was collected from the medical records.

Main outcomes and results: High levels of depression were experienced in the study sample, while hope and dispositional optimism were significantly lower in comparison to the general population. The correlation patterns indicate that both hope and dispositional optimism negatively correlated with participants’ depression levels and that they showed significant positive correlations with each other. In the case of mild depression, the hope-Pathways sub-scale of the AHS was the only variable negatively correlated to it, while in moderate-to-severe depression all coping variables were negatively correlated to it. Regression analysis revealed that the AHS and LOT-R, but not the demographic and injury-related variables, predicted depression severity.

Conclusions: Clinical implications in referring persons with TBI with mild vs. severe depression to rehabilitation programmes are discussed.

• Adult Hope Scale
• Beck Depression Inventory
• depression
• hope
• Life Orientation Test Revised
• optimism
• traumatic brain injury