Abstract
To examine the relationships between low-grade chronic depression, pain and personality traits among community-dwelling persons with traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI), 111 male and 11 female TSCI persons were administered questionnaires including Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) and measures of pain and other mental health items, and were followed-up two years later. Nineteen persons (15%) meeting the criteria for low-grade chronic depression (both SDS scores≥48) were identified, while 30% of the sample population consistently showed normal mood (both SDS scores≤41). Both disabling pain and B type (emotionally labile, socially maladjusted, and extraverted personality characteristic) associated with lower IQ (90 and less) were significantly related to high SDS scores. However, age, sex, time-since-injury, levels of injury and marital status had no relationship with depression.
