Peer relationships in spinal cord injury recovery : Patient perspectives

• Main Author: Armstrong, Elizabeth-Anne
• Format: Others
• Language: English
• Published: 2009
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/3759

The importance of understanding the psychosocial adaptation to spinal cord injury (SCI) is well documented. From a symbolic interactionist perspective, peer interaction is relevant because it is through socialization that meaning is shared, allowing one to develop a sense of self (Chenitz & Swanson, 1986). Despite this, very little is known about the relationships that develop among persons with SCI. The purpose of this study was to reveal the perceptions of spinal cord injured patients of the relationships formed with their peers. Grounded theory was the research method used in this study. Interviews were conducted with seven people who were recovering from a SCI in a rehabilitation institution. The interview transcripts were analyzed using the methods described by Corbin (1986) and Strauss and Corbin (1990). Data analysis resulted in a description of the meaning of peer relationships to these SCI patients. Sample subjects provided a context through which the remainder of the data were viewed. Findings that contributed to this context were that subjects formed peer relationships in the rehabilitation setting and developed relationships only with staff while in acute care. As well, the development of peer relationships was strongly influenced by the maturational stage of each participant. With this context, the remainder of the data comprised the description of the participants' perceptions of peer relationships. The description encompassed two categories. The first described the variety of causal conditions under which peer relationships developed and was called Conditions for Peer Relationships. The second category, named Consequences of Peer Relationships, described the ways in which the SCI patients interacted and the results of those interactions. The data in this category fell into two sub-categories which were called Information Sharing and Gathering, and Caring. Analysis of the data about SCI peer relationships revealed that the subjects viewed these relationships as meaningful to their recovery process. Subjects identified tangible outcomes of their peer relationships which assisted them in coping from day to day. Further interpretation of the data revealed that peer relationships also contributed to the development of the new sense of self that the subjects were forming which incorporated their SCI. === Applied Science, Faculty of === Nursing, School of === Graduate