Perceived self-efficacy and life satisfaction after traumatic brain injury.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the contribution of activity-related satisfaction and perceived self-efficacy to global life satisfaction after traumatic brain injury (TBI).

PARTICIPANTS

Convenience sample of 97 adults who were living in their community at least 6 months after sustaining a TBI.

MEASURES

Community Integration Questionnaire, Quality of Community Integration Questionnaire, Self-Efficacy Questionnaire for TBI, Perceived Quality of Life Scale, Satisfaction with Life Scale.

RESULTS

Among demographic and injury-related variables, gender and time since injury made significant contributions to the prediction of global life satisfaction. Productivity made a modest, significant contribution to life satisfaction. Satisfaction with productivity and with leisure/social activities both contributed to global life satisfaction. The greatest contribution to the prediction of global life satisfaction was made by the person's perceived self-efficacy, particularly perceived self-efficacy for the management of cognitive symptoms. Perceived cognitive self-efficacy also appeared to mediate the relation between community integration and global life satisfaction.

CONCLUSION

Community integration, activity-related satisfaction, and global life satisfaction represent distinct constructs, and dissociable aspects of psychosocial outcome after TBI. Perceived self-efficacy for the management of cognitive symptoms may mediate the relation between the individual's expectations and achievements and thereby contribute to overall subjective well-being.