Psychosocial Factors Influencing Quality of Life After Spinal Cord Injury: A Scoping Review Between the United States and South Korea.

Background

Quality of life (QoL) after spinal cord injury (SCI) is influenced by psychosocial factors, yet less is known about how these factors are examined across national contexts.

Objective

This scoping review mapped studies examining depression, employment, and social participation in relation to QoL or health-related QoL (HRQoL) among individuals with SCI in the United States and South Korea.

Methods

Following PRISMA-ScR guidelines, five databases were searched for peer-reviewed English- and Korean-language studies published between 2007 and 2025.

Results

Sixteen studies were included: nine from South Korea and seven from the United States. Depression and psychological distress were associated with lower QoL/HRQoL in both countries, although South Korean studies more often examined depression with stress and functional concerns, whereas U.S. studies situated depression within participation, spirituality, and youth psychosocial functioning. Employment was linked to QoL/HRQoL in both contexts, with South Korean studies emphasizing economic activity, vocational rehabilitation, and financial strain, and U.S. studies emphasizing employment status and vocational outcomes. Social participation was important in both countries, but South Korean studies focused more on community transition, functional independence, and social attitudes, whereas U.S. studies emphasized participation contexts, accessibility, and social relationships.

Conclusions

Across the three domains, depression, employment, and social participation emerged as recurring psychosocial domains associated with QoL/HRQoL after SCI in both countries. These differences suggest that psychosocial adaptation after SCI should be understood within cultural and rehabilitation contexts.