Document Type : Original Article
Authors
- Fatemeh Khashaman 1
- Soroush Hasnaki Pour 2
- javad kazemi 2
- Mojtaba Abbasi Asl 2
- AliReza Karimpour Vazifeh Khorani 3
- Saeed Valavi 4
1 Department of Behavioral Sciences, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences
2 Kodakyar Ave., Daneshjo Blvd., Evin, Tehran, Iran
3 University of Tabriz, Faculty of Education and Psychology
4 Shahid Beheshti University, Department of Physiotherapy
Abstract
Background and Objective: Spinal cord injury (SCI) often leads to physical, motor, and psychological complications, including depression, anxiety, and social isolation. Anxiety is particularly common, highlighting the need for rehabilitation that addresses both physical and psychological aspects. Group physiotherapy can foster social interaction and mutual support, potentially reducing anxiety and improving emotional well-being. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of group versus individual physiotherapy. The focus was on their impact on anxiety reduction and general health improvement in patients with SCI.
Methods: The study population included all patients with spinal cord injury covered by the Kahrizak Charity Nursing Home in Tehran in 2022. Using simple random sampling, 40 eligible participants were selected and randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 20) and a control group (n = 20). The intervention consisted of 12 physiotherapy sessions conducted over four weeks, with three sessions per week. The experimental group received group physiotherapy, while the control group received individual physiotherapy. To prevent contamination between groups, intervention sessions were scheduled at different times. Data were collected using the Zung Anxiety Questionnaire (Zung, 1971) and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ; Goldberg,1972). Data analysis was performed using multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA).
Results: Comparison of post-intervention mean scores indicated that group physiotherapy led to a significant reduction in anxiety among patients with SCI (P < 0.01), whereas anxiety levels increased in the individual physiotherapy group. Conversely, individual physiotherapy was more effective than group physiotherapy in improving the general health of patients with spinal cord injury.
Conclusion: The findings suggest that group physiotherapy is an effective intervention for reducing anxiety in patients with spinal cord injury, while individual physiotherapy plays a more prominent role in enhancing general health. Therefore, it is recommended that rehabilitation programs for individuals with SCI integrate both group and individual physiotherapy approaches to achieve optimal physical and psychological outcomes.
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