Causal Model of Psychological Empowerment Among People With Spinal Cord Injury in Thailand

The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate a causal model illustrating the relationships of age, education, physical impairment duration, social support, functional ability, and self-esteem with psychological empowerment in persons with spinal cord injury. Participants were 260 individuals admitted to a hospital in Thailand. Data were analyzed using path analysis (with the maximum likelihood estimation technique) in Linear Structural Relationship (LISREL). The study results revealed that age and education did not significantly influence psychological empowerment. However, self-esteem had a direct effect on psychological empowerment, whereas physical impairment duration, functional ability, and social support had indirect effects through self-esteem. These four predictors explained 64% of the total variance in this model of psychological empowerment for people with spinal cord injury. These findings can be used as a guideline for developing appropriate interventions to promote psychological empowerment among Thais with spinal cord injury.