Adaptation to Physical Disabilities: The Role of Meaning in Life and Depression
Author(s) / Creator(s)
Psarra, Evangelia
Kleftaras, George
Abstract / Description
Depression is one of the most frequent psychological symptoms in people with physical disabilities, as the acquisition of a physical disability is a stressful situation, demanding an individual’s adjustment to a new distressing reality. While some individuals manage to adapt to their physical disability’s implications, others fail to accept this new situation, manifesting depressive symptoms. One factor that seems to facilitate adaptation process to physical disabilities and thus prevent from depression prevalence is meaning of life. Viktor Frankl has emphasized the importance of experiencing meaning of life in the maintenance of physical and psychological health, especially in painful and distressing situations. The present study focused initially on the assessment of meaning in life and depressive symptomatology in individuals with physical disabilities. Moreover, the relationship of meaning in life and depression with adaptation to physical disability was examined. A sample of 522 participants with various types of physical disabilities completed three questionnaires on depressive symptomatology, meaning in life and adaptation to disability. Our assumptions regarding the negative relationship between meaning of life and depression were confirmed. Additionally, meaning of life was found, as expected, to play in important role in facilitating individuals’ adaptation to their physical disabilities, a finding indicating the great utility of Frankl’s existential theory as a psychotherapeutic tool for people with physical disabilities.
Keyword(s)
depression meaning of life adaptation to disability physical disabilitiesPersistent Identifier
Date of first publication
2013-03-28
Journal title
The European Journal of Counselling Psychology
Volume
2
Issue
1
Page numbers
79–99
Publisher
PsychOpen GOLD
Publication status
publishedVersion
Review status
peerReviewed
Is version of
Citation
Psarra, E., & Kleftaras, G. (2013). Adaptation to Physical Disabilities: The Role of Meaning in Life and Depression. The European Journal of Counselling Psychology, 2(1), 79–99. https://doi.org/10.5964/ejcop.v2i1.7
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ejcop.v2i1.7.pdfAdobe PDF - 504.7KBMD5: c79e7fa04e30e320d3df97f2d96964f2
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There are no other versions of this object.
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Author(s) / Creator(s)Psarra, Evangelia
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Author(s) / Creator(s)Kleftaras, George
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PsychArchives acquisition timestamp2018-11-29T07:48:57Z
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Made available on2018-11-29T07:48:57Z
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Date of first publication2013-03-28
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Abstract / DescriptionDepression is one of the most frequent psychological symptoms in people with physical disabilities, as the acquisition of a physical disability is a stressful situation, demanding an individual’s adjustment to a new distressing reality. While some individuals manage to adapt to their physical disability’s implications, others fail to accept this new situation, manifesting depressive symptoms. One factor that seems to facilitate adaptation process to physical disabilities and thus prevent from depression prevalence is meaning of life. Viktor Frankl has emphasized the importance of experiencing meaning of life in the maintenance of physical and psychological health, especially in painful and distressing situations. The present study focused initially on the assessment of meaning in life and depressive symptomatology in individuals with physical disabilities. Moreover, the relationship of meaning in life and depression with adaptation to physical disability was examined. A sample of 522 participants with various types of physical disabilities completed three questionnaires on depressive symptomatology, meaning in life and adaptation to disability. Our assumptions regarding the negative relationship between meaning of life and depression were confirmed. Additionally, meaning of life was found, as expected, to play in important role in facilitating individuals’ adaptation to their physical disabilities, a finding indicating the great utility of Frankl’s existential theory as a psychotherapeutic tool for people with physical disabilities.en_US
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Publication statuspublishedVersion
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Review statuspeerReviewed
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CitationPsarra, E., & Kleftaras, G. (2013). Adaptation to Physical Disabilities: The Role of Meaning in Life and Depression. The European Journal of Counselling Psychology, 2(1), 79–99. https://doi.org/10.5964/ejcop.v2i1.7en_US
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ISSN2195-7614
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Persistent Identifierhttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12034/1635
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Persistent Identifierhttps://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.2001
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Language of contenteng
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PublisherPsychOpen GOLD
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Is version ofhttps://doi.org/10.5964/ejcop.v2i1.7
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Keyword(s)depressionen_US
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Keyword(s)meaning of lifeen_US
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Keyword(s)adaptation to disabilityen_US
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Keyword(s)physical disabilitiesen_US
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Dewey Decimal Classification number(s)150
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TitleAdaptation to Physical Disabilities: The Role of Meaning in Life and Depressionen_US
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DRO typearticle
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Issue1
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Journal titleThe European Journal of Counselling Psychology
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Page numbers79–99
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Volume2
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Visible tag(s)Version of Record