Predictors of Self-Efficacy Among People With Spinal Cord Injury During Inpatient Rehabilitation: A Cross-Sectional Study

Purpose: 

This study aimed to investigate the predictors of self-efficacy among Chinese people with spinal cord injury (SCI). 

Design: 

A cross-sectional, descriptive, correlational design was adopted. 

Methods: 

121 participants were recruited from two rehabilitation hospitals in Shaanxi, China, from August 2016 to June 2017. The Moorong Self-Efficacy Scale was used to assess participants’ self-efficacy levels. Participants’ sociodemographic or clinical characteristics, functional independence, coping ability (measured using the Brief Coping Orientations to Problems Experienced Inventory), and social support (measured using the Six-item Social Support Questionnaire) were assessed as potential predictors of self-efficacy. A multiple linear regression model was conducted to identify the factors predicting self-efficacy score. 

Results: 

The mean age of the participants was 41 (SD 11.9) years and 90% were male. Participants’ mean self-efficacy score was 53.9 (SD 15.7). Multiple linear regression results indicated that injury type (i.e., paraplegia or tetraplegia; β = 0.290, p <.001) and adaptive coping (β = 0.561, p <.001) were significant predictors, accounting for 62% of the variance in self-efficacy scores. Conclusions: Our findings imply that psychosocial interventions that target enhancing various adaptive coping strategies could have positive effects on self-efficacy in people with SCI. Clinical Relevance: Injury type and adaptive coping ability are two key factors related to patients’ self-efficacy post-SCI. Psychosocial interventions that target enhancing various adaptive coping strategies could have positive effects on self-efficacy in people with SCI.