One objective of this study was to replicate the air bag effect of persons with spinal cord injury and their close persons compared to a reference group of close persons of people with brain injury (BI) and a sample of the general population during the first year of rehabilitation. The former psychological longitudinal study had been conducted from 1999 to 2001, the actual psychological longitudinal study from 2006 to current. The air bag effect is a creative adjustment process, characterised by a nonspecific mobilisation of coping resources which often occurs right at the onset of SCI.
All newly acquired injuries were approached in selected Swiss, German and Austrian spinal centres. Participants were asked to complete a questionnaire booklet at 6 weeks post injury, at 12 weeks and again one year post injury. One hundred and thirty two participants completed the questionnaire pack from 13 German speaking spinal centres.
The air bag effect was mainly operationalized by the sense of coherence and stress related measures. The initial powerful air bag effect and its expected course could be replicated for people with SCI. The distress of close persons of people with BI was reflected by the data. A better development had been observed for close persons of people with SCI concerning the second and third assessment compared to the former study.
The air bag effect can be considered as a matter of fact. The role of psychological support is discussed in respect of mobilising resources and buffering distress.