Effects of psychological intervention on rehabilitation outcomes in patients with spinal cord injury; a systematic review

Introduction: Psychological issues are common in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) which negatively affects rehabilitation outcomes. Therefore, early psychological interventions are as important as physical rehabilitation. The aim of the study was to systematically review literature regarding the effects of psychological interventions on rehabilitation outcomes in patients with SCI. Material & Methods: A systematic review was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines. Literature was searched in PubMed and PEDro databases. Articles published in English language from earliest record to August 2020 were searched. Observational and interventional studies which assessed effects of different psychological interventions on rehabilitation outcomes in patients with SCI were included. Review articles, editorials, short communications and conference papers were excluded. Quality assessment of the interventional studies was assessed using PEDro scale while methodological quality of the observational studies was carried out using NIH quality assessment tools. Results: On the basis of eligibility criteria, 13 studies were included. Out of the total studies, 11 were observational studies and the remaining 2 were interventional studies. The included studies reported that psychological interventions improve rehabilitation outcomes such as functional independence, community participation and quality of life. Conclusion: Psychological treatment is an effective complement to physical rehabilitation interventions to improve functional status of patients with SCI.