The Australian Journal of Rehabilitation Counselling

Table of Contents - July 2012 - Volume 18, Issue 01  

Brief Report

Fatigue and Anger in People With Spinal Cord Injury

Nirupama Wijesuriyaa1, Ashley Craiga1 c1, Yvonne Trana1a2 and James Middletona1

a1 Rehabilitation Studies Unit, Sydney Medical School — Northern, The University of Sydney, Australia, 1680

a2 Key University Centre for Health Technologies, University of Technology, Australia

Abstract

This study investigated fatigue and anger in people with SCI. Participants were 27 adults with SCI living in the community (males = 26, females = 1; mean age = 50 years, SD = 9.47 years) and a comparison group of 27 other adults without SCI. Data about their experience of fatigue and anger were collected using the Chalder Fatigue Scale and the Profile of Mood States. Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA by ranks and chi-square analyses were used to determine whether the SCI participants had elevated levels of fatigue and anger than the typical or noninjured community group. Persons with SCI reported significantly elevated fatigue and elevated levels of anger than typical others. These findings are discussed with reference to adjustment following SCI, and interpreted in light of the Stress Appraisal and Coping Model (SAC) of adjustment following SCI.

Keywords:

  • fatigue;
  • anger;
  • spinal cord injury;
  • neurotrauma;
  • negative mood

Correspondence:

c1 Address for correspondence: Professor Ashley Craig, Rehabilitation Studies Unit, Sydney Medical School — Northern, The University of Sydney, PO Box 6, Ryde NSW Australia, 1680. E-mail: a.craig@sydney.edu.au