[Factors associated with empowerment in people with a spinal cord injury due to traffic accidents].

OBJETIVO: Analizar la capacidad de empoderamiento de un grupo de personas con lesión medular en función de la edad, el sexo, la condición funcional y la edaden la cual adquirieron la lesión.

METHODS

Ninety-four participants with a spinal cord injury (42 tetraplegics and 52 paraplegics) completed the Spanish version of the Rogers, Chamberlin, Ellison and Crean Scale (1997), designed to measure empowerment.

RESULTS

The analyses indicated higher levels of empowerment among women. Persons with tetraplegia whose injury was more longstanding also showed greater empowerment.

CONCLUSION

This study suggests that the capacity to become empowered can vary and evolve and should therefore be promoted in intervention programs.