CJP Vol. 15 No. 1 Art. 4

The way individuals cope with rehabilitation from traumatic injuries depends on their psychological wellbeing. Depression and anxiety have been observed as being common complications of central nervous system injuries (CNSI; i.e., brain injury, spinal cord injuries, and stroke). This study exam-ines the symptoms of anxiety and depression of inpatients and outpatients with central nervous system injuries and the correlation of the results with coping strategies. This study included patients with CNSI that were treated in a rehabilitation centre in Jamaica or were outpatients of the centre due to their condition. The convenient sample included a total of 80 (i.e., 21 females and 59 male) patients. Spinal cord injury (56 patients) was the most frequent CNSI in the sample, followed by stroke (18 patients) and traumatic brain injury (6 patients). The Beck Depression Inventory-II, Beck Anxiety Inventory, and the Brief COPE Scale were used to assess patients’ symptoms of depression, symptoms of anxiety, and coping strategies, respectively. Problem-focused coping was identified as the preferred coping strategy used by patients, with no difference indicated between inpatients and outpatients with regards to the symptoms of anxiety and depression experienced. A rela-tionship was also found between coping strategies and symptoms of depres-sion and anxiety. Further findings revealed gender differences in the emotion-focused coping strategy and the symptoms of anxiety. This study highlights the growing body of persons with CNSI and provides results to educate them about coping strategies and symptoms of anxiety and depres-sion, as well as to assist health professionals when creating treatment interventions.