Kendall and Terry (1996) include many
psychosocial predictors in their theoretical model that explains
individual differences in psychosocial adjustment (Lazarus & Folkman,
1984). The model depicts appraisal and coping
variables as mediating relationships between situation factors,
environmental and personal resources, and multidimensional outcome. The
aim of this study was to explore these theoretical relationships at very
late stages of recovery from traumatic brain injury. A total of 131
participants who were more than 10 years post-injury (mean = 15.31 years)
completed several psychosocial measures relating to outcome dimensions
comprising employment, community integration, life satisfaction, quality
of life (QoL), and emotion. There was no evidence that appraisal and
coping variables mediated relationships between psychosocial and any of
the outcome variables. However, when appraisal and coping variables were
combined with psychosocial variables as direct predictors of outcome,
every outcome except employment status was reliably predicted, accounting
for between 31 and 46% of the variance. Personality significantly
influenced all predicted outcomes. Self-efficacy contributed to the
prediction of all outcomes except QoL. Data did not support for the theory
of stress and adjustment as a framework for explaining the nature of
predictive relationships between psychosocial variables and very
long-term, multidimensional outcome after brain injury. (JINS,
2006, 12, 359–367.)