Social role functioning following spinal cord injury

The Katz Adjustment Scale--Relatives Form was completed by the wives of 27 hospital-discharged spinal cord injured (SCI) patients. Their ratings of the spouses' social adjustment and behaviour were compared to available community and psychiatric norms. Overall, spouses rated their SCI husbands as performing significantly more socially inappropriate behaviours compared to ratings of 'normals' but as engaging in significantly less socially inappropriate behaviours compared to the ratings of psychiatric patients. SCI patients were perceived as performing the same levels of social activities as 'normals', but engaging in less free-time activities compared to both 'normals' and psychiatric patients. These results mirror similar analyses comparing moderate and severe head injury victims with normal and psychiatric norms. The implications for rehabilitation and counselling of families of traumatically disabled patients are discussed.