Self-appraised problem-solving skills and the prediction of secondary complications among persons with spinal cord injuries

Secondary complications following spinal cord injury (SCI) include decubitus ulcers and recurrent urinary tract infections. These conditions can significantly impair quality of life and prove life-threatening; it is also believed that these conditions are mediated by behavioral pathways. According to the social problem-solving model, persons who report effective problem-solving skills should be capable of adhering to long-term therapeutic regimens of self-care necessary to prevent these complications. We tested this assumption in the present study. Discriminant function analyses revealed self-appraised skills in approaching and defining problems contributed to the prediction of secondary complications among 53 persons with SCI. Results are discussed in light of the social problem-solving model, and the utility of problem-solving interventions in rehabilitation is explored.