Peer mentorship for adults with spinal cord injury: a static group comparison between mentees and non-mentees’ reported coping strategies

Abstract

Study design: Cross-sectional study Objectives: Determine whether participating in peer mentorship is related to differences in reported use of coping strategies (acceptance of injury and fighting spirit) for adults with spinal cord injury. Setting: Quebec, Canada Methods: A static group comparison design was used to retrospectively compare mentees (n = 68) and non-mentees (n = 63) on their reported coping strategies. Moderation analyses examined differences on coping strategies, while controlling for years since injury (significant covariate). Results: A significant interaction was found between years since injury and peer mentorship for acceptance of injury and fighting spirit, where mentees living with their injury for longer (~30 years) reported more use of the acceptance of injury and fighting spirit coping strategies. Conclusion: Peer mentorship programs could serve as a means for promoting positive coping strategies for adults with SCI. To better understand the role of peer mentorship, follow-up studies using more rigorous research methodologies such as cohort or randomized controlled trial study designs should be conducted.