Effects of a leisure education program on adjustment to disability of persons with spinal cord injury

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a leisure education program on life satisfaction, depression, perceived control, perceived leisure control, and leisure satisfaction among adults who had sustained spinal cord injury (SCI) within the previous 7 years and were living in the community. Results of ANCOVA indicated the leisure education program did not have a statistically significant effect on the five adjustment measures. The hypotheses, therefore, were rejected. Pearson correlations indicated that life satisfaction; leisure satisfaction, perceived control and perceived leisure control were positively correlated with each other and that depression was negatively correlated with them. Independent samples t-tests conducted on demographic variables showed no significant differences between the control and experimental groups, indicating the groups were similar. Social validity results suggested the leisure education had a positive impact on leisure satisfaction of experimental group participants, and identified barriers that hindered leisure participation. Field notes also highlighted leisure barriers, and supported the person-centred, non-directional model of leisure education. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)