Psychosocial Outcomes Among Youth with Spinal Cord Injury and Their Primary Caregivers

Background: Past research has found youth with disabilities to experience poor psychosocial outcomes, but little is known about factors related to psychosocial health among youth with spinal cord injury (SCI).Objective: To describe psychosocial health among youth with SCI, examine relationships between psychosocial outcomes and demographic and injury-related factors, and examine relationships between aspects of psychosocial health. Youth activity, participation, quality of life (QOL), coping, anxiety and depression, and caregiver mental health were included.Methods: Data were collected as part of a prospective study of 420 youth with SCI ages 1-18 and their primary caregivers. Activity data were also presented from a study developing a computerized adaptive testing (CAT) platform with 226 youth with SCI ages 8-21.Results: Although relationships varied by factor, youth outcomes were related to youth age, sex, age at injury/injury duration, and level/extent of injury. Caregiver mental health related to chil...