At present, there are no interventions that specifically target appraisals of injustice, and there is limited research upon which to recommend clinical interventions to mitigate the impact of injustice appraisals on rehabilitation outcomes. Treatment techniques currently being used within multidisciplinary rehabilitation programs do not yield clinically meaningful reductions in perceptions of injustice. Findings from the proposed study will inform the development of interventions targeting injustice appraisals and associated sequelae. Given the lack of research in this domain, as well as the absence of interventions to address injustice appraisals following injury, the proposed study will make a significant contribution to our current understanding of mechanisms that impact psychosocial and functional outcomes following spinal cord injury to inform future interventions.
The primary objectives of this study are to: (1) determine the longitudinal course and impact of injury-related injustice appraisals among civilians and Veterans who have recently acquired a spinal cord injury (SCI), and (2) use qualitative inquiry to gain a rich, contextual understanding of appraisals of injustice during the first year after acquired SCI. The long-term goal of this research is to inform the development of new treatment approaches targeting appraisals of injustice.