Effects of Depression, Self‐Blame and Dependency on Health Professionals' Evaluation of Paraplegic Patients

Health professionals (N = 146) were given 14 rating scales, on which to evaluate interviews with paraplegics who expressed either depression, optimism, dependence, independence, self‐blame or denial of blame, regarding their injuries. Patient mood had least effect on ratings. Depressed patients were perceived as behaving more typically and appropriately, and judged as more in need of counselling than optimistic patients. Self‐blaming paraplegics were rated as more depressed, dependent, poorly adjusted, coping less well, less likeable and more in need of counselling than patients who denied blame. Dependent patients were seen as more depressed, self‐blaming, poorly adjusted, coping less well, having poorer prognoses, needing more information and counselling, and acting less appropriately than independent patients. Results reveal clinical attitudes, some of which are at variance with research findings, e.g. patient optimism tends to be discounted and the value of self‐blame as a coping strategy is unrecognised. 1986 Occupational Therapy Australia Limited