Attributions for recovery and adherence to rehabilitation following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: A prospective analysis

Britton W. Brewer Center for Performance Enhancement and Applied Research, Department of Psychology, Springfield College, Springfield, MA, 01109, U.S.A.

Allen E. Cornelius Counseling and Personal Development, University of Hartford, 200 Bloomfield Avenue, West Hartford, CT, 06117-1599, U.S.A.

Judy L. Van Raalte Center for Performance Enhancement and Applied Research, Department of Psychology, Springfield College, Springfield, MA, 01109, U.S.A.

Albert J. Petitpas Center for Performance Enhancement and Applied Research, Department of Psychology, Springfield College, Springfield, MA, 01109, U.S.A.

Joseph H. Sklar New England Orthopedic Surgeons, 300 Carew Street, Springfield, MA, 01104, U.S.A.

Mark H. Pohlman New England Orthopedic Surgeons, 300 Carew Street, Springfield, MA, 01104, U.S.A.

Robert J. Krushell New England Orthopedic Surgeons, 300 Carew Street, Springfield, MA, 01104, U.S.A.

Terry D. Ditmar NovaCare Outpatient Rehabilitation, 300 Carew Street, Springfield, MA, 01104, U.S.A.

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Abstract

The relationship between causal attributions for recovery and adherence was examined in a sample of 80 individuals (25 females and 55 males) undergoing rehabilitation following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Participants estimated their speed of recovery and then rated their open-ended attributions for recovery on the Revised Causal Dimension Scale (McAuley, Duncan and Russell, 1992). Adherence was assessed in terms of attendance at rehabilitation sessions and practitioner ratings for the remainder of the rehabilitation period. Participants who perceived themselves as recovering rapidly attributed their recovery to more stable and personally controllable factors than participants who perceived themselves as recovering slowly. Causal dimension ratings predicted attendance at rehabilitation sessions, but not practitioner ratings of adherence. The results, which further demonstrate the relevance of causal attributions to health behavior, are compared with previous cross-sectional findings.

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Attributions for recovery and adherence to rehabilitation following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: A prospective analysis

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Attributions for recovery and adherence to rehabilitation following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: A prospective analysis

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