Clinical Psychology and Neurological Disability: Psychological Treatment for Spinal Cord Injury

Abstract

Services offered by clinical psychologists to those with neurological disorders such as spinal cord injury has historically been limited. While many with SCI can obtain an acceptable quality of life following the injury, a substantial minority have been found to be at risk of developing abnormal levels of anxiety and depressive mood, and of experiencing negative life events such as divorce, drug abuse and social discrimination. Hospital re-admissions rates are generally high for this minority and complications arising from self-neglect are prevalent. In the face of the injury, many may also adopt helpless and fatalistic coping strategies. However, recent clinical trials suggest therapy that includes a cognitive behavioural component has great potential for enhancing the quality of the lives of spinal cord injured (SCI) persons. These trials suggest that clinical psychologist services that utilised a similar cognitive therapy approach (during rehabilitation or after rehabilitation) could result in immediate and long- term improvements in life outcomes for those with SCI who have high levels of psychological distress.