Abstract:
This descriptive correlational research aimed to study relationship between functional capacity, pain, social support and post-traumatic stress disorder scores in spinal cord injury patients. The transition Theory of Meleis and colleagues was used as a conceptual framework for this study. The sample included 82 patients who had spinal cord injury for 1 month or more from 3 hospitals in Southern of Thailand. The data were collected from 5 questionnaires: 1) the personal data and illness data questionnaire, 2) the Spinal Cord Independence Measure III, 3) the Short-form McGill Pain Questionnaire, 4) The Personal Resource Questionnaire (PRQ85 - II), and 5) The Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson's product moment correlation coefficient. The findings of the research showed that all patients were between 36 and 45 years of age, and 76.8% were male. Duration of injury was 1 and 5 years, and 6.34% were complete injury. The mean of post-traumatic stress disorder score was 30.71(S.D. = 8.90), and 9.8% had post-traumatic stress disorder (Mean = 49.38, S.D = 5.42). Pearson's product moment correlation coefficient analysis showed a significant negative correlation between functional capacity, social support and post-traumatic stress disorder scores (r = .396, .522, p<.01). Pain was positively correlated with post-traumatic stress disorder scores (r = .456, p<.01). Based on the study's finding, the recommendations are that emphasis should be placed on the assessment of post-traumatic stress disorder in all spinal cord injury patients. Moreover, family and community should take care of patients with spinal cord injury during transition to well-being