Social problem solving abilities and psychosocial impairment among individuals recuperating from surgical repair for severe pressure sores.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES The relationship of social problem solving abilities, health locus of control beliefs, and psychosocial impairment were examined among individuals with spinal cord injuries who were hospitalized following surgical repair of severe pressure sores. METHODS Individuals were approached after surgical repair and completed measures of problem solving, health locus of control beliefs, and psychosocial impairment after admission to the rehabilitation hospital. RESULTS The sample reported greater psychosocial impairment than observed in comparative data, but they did not differ from another sample in terms of health locus of control beliefs. Correlational analyses revealed that a negative orientation toward problem solving was significantly predictive of psychosocial impairment, consistent with prior research. However, a second study found persons assigned to a brief problem solving intervention did not differ on any measure from participants in a control group. DISCUSSION Implications of these results are discussed from theoretical and clinical perspectives. Although social problem solving abilities were predictive of psychosocial impairment in a predicted direction, the lack of effects for the intervention suggests greater precision is needed to understand individual needs and to develop individualized intervention protocols.