Exploring the meaning of continuity of recreation activity in the early stages of adjustment for people with spinal cord injury

This study was undertaken to gain insight into how people with spinal cord injury (15 men and 5 women; age range = 17–59, M = 30.2) perceive their return to previously enjoyable activities. An “insider's” perspective (Conrad, 1987) was generated through participant observation and in-depth interviews, and the data were analyzed with Strauss's (1987) constant comparative method. Participants reported actively seeking previous activities and negotiating the meaning of the activities to continue their participation. The subthemes that define the meaning of continuity were (a) seeking continuity as an aspiration of adjustment for future actions, (b) establishing a sense of continuity through approximations to preinjury activities, and (c) accommodating for continuity for the purpose of establishing a sense of continuity. Exploring the nature and importance of continuity in this population suggests a broader discourse and extension to other disruptive life events.