Association and mediators of leisure time physical activity and mental health among people with spinal cord injury

Abstract

This cross-sectional survey based study examined the association and mediators of leisure time physical activity (LTPA) and mental health among people with the spinal cord injury (SCI) in Canada. Self-esteem, coping self-efficacy, social support and perceived barriers to LTPA were measured as the potential mediators. Participants (N = 37) Canadians with the SCI completed the self-administered survey. Data were analyzed using correlation analysis and bootstrapping for multiple mediation. Data from the present study did not demonstrate any association between LTPA and mental health among people with SCI. None of the potential mediators demonstrated the significant mediation, but it was found that coping self-efficacy and perceived barriers to LTPA significantly predicted anxiety and depression respectively. The present study addressed the need of future research in the field of LTPA and mental health in SCI.