The Association Between Spirituality, Self-Esteem, Anxiety and Depression: A Comparative Exploratory Study Between People with a Spinal Cord Injury and Healthy Subjects in Greece

The purpose of this study was to evaluate spirituality, religiosity, self-esteem, depression, and stress in people with spinal cord injuries. The Royal Free Questionnaire for Spiritual and Religious Beliefs, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, and the Spielberger State–Trait Anxiety Scale were all designed for the current study to collect demographic and injury-related information. In the study, 88 patients with traumatic SCI and 88 healthy subjects were included. Half of the participants and healthy subjects were women, while the mean age of the healthy subjects was 42.8 years and that of the subjects was 42.4 years. The majority of participants were Greek (97.2%), while 44.1% were married or with a partner and 43.2% were single. The mean depression and stress score was higher in patients than in healthy subjects, and the mean score of self-esteem was lower in patients than healthy subjects. Multivariable linear regression model showed that patients who believed more that a spiritual force or power outside of ourselves can influence what happens in everyday life had less depression and stress. People with spinal cord injuries experience extreme stress, anxiety, and depression. Spirituality and religiosity can play a significant role in their recuperation, rehabilitation, and adaptation.