create the summary of the findings" Methods
The participants of the current descriptive and comparative study were 51 patients with SCI from the specialized centers of SCI in Imam Khomeini hospital and Red
Crescent Center of Tehran, Iran. The inclusion criteria
were willingness to participate in the study, the diagnosis
of SCI by the neurologist, non-application of antidepressants, and the absence of orthopedic or neurological defects other than SCI.
In the current study, the samples were recruited by observing the inclusion criteria after getting informed consent from them and providing the demographic information. After a complete description of the goals and stages
of the study, the patients were asked to complete Beck depression inventory (BDI) carefully. Then, the total score was
determined according to the questionnaire’s instruction,
and the mean of scores was calculated in terms of age, gender, and level of SCI. Also, the incidence of depression in
such patients was determined in age and gender groups
and different levels of SCI by comparing the scores of the
individuals in each age and gender group and different levels of SCI with test scoring instruction (0 to 13: without depression, 14 to 19: mild depression, 20 to 28: moderate depression, 29 to 63: severe depression).
BDI is a 21-item self-reporting measure (14). This test
evaluates the depression symptoms such as feeling uncomfortable, feeling guilty, etc. It is believed that the scores
13 - 14 make the difference between being depressed and
not depressed (15). In general, this test is a sensitive and appropriate tool to investigate the depression in the individuals with SCI (13). In the study on the psychometric properties of the Persian version of BDI, Ghasemzadeh reported
Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 87% and test-retest coefficient of 74% (16). In fact, BDI-II evaluates both the existence
and severity of depression syndrome (17).
In the current study, the distribution of severity of depression was specified according to age and gender groups
and the levels of SCI, and comparison of the distribution of
scores in different severity levels in these groups was conducted using Pearson chi-square and the Fisher exact tests.
Also, the mean score of questionnaire in male and female
groups was compared using independent samples t test
and the mean score of the questionnaire was compared in
different age groups and different levels of SCI using the
Kruskal-Wallis test.
3. Results
According to the obtained results, the mean scores of
BDI was above 18 in all age, gender, and different levels of
SCI (cervical, thoracic, and lumbar) groups, which meant
a degree of depression in all groups (Tables 1 - 3). Independent samples t test showed no significant difference
between the mean scores of male and female groups (P =
0.199). Also, the Kruskal-Wallis test showed no significant
difference between the mean scores in age groups as well
as groups of different levels of SCI (P = 0.301 and P = 0.374,
respectively).
Distribution of individuals in different classes of depression (Tables 1 - 3):
1- In terms of the age groups: In all age groups, more
than 67% of the individuals got the score above 13 (which
indicated the existence of depression). The distribution of
individuals in different classes (which indicated the extent
of depression) was different from each other according to
a specific pattern; therefore, the test score class of 29 - 63
(severe depression) was mostly observed in the age group
of 47 - 63 years, the test score class of 19 - 28 (moderate depression)was mostly observed in the age group of 30 - 46
years, and the test score class of 14 - 19 (mild depression)was
mostly observed in the age group of 13 - 29 years.
2 Arch Neurosci. 2018; 5(3):e66718.
Mokhber Dezfoly R et al.
Table 1. Distribution of Individuals in Different Classes of Depression and the Mean Scores of BDI in Terms of the Agea
Age Group, y Distribution in Depression Classes Number Mean ± SD
Severe Moderate Mild Without
13 - 29 4 (16) 3 (12) 10 (40) 8 (32) 25 18.28 ± 11.062
30 - 46 1 (6.3) 9 (56.3) 3 (18.8) 3 (18.8) 16 20.63 ± 7.375
47 - 63 4 (40) 2 (20) 2 (20) 2 (20) 10 23.50 ± 13.352
Total 9 (17.6) 14 (27.5) 15 (29.4) 13 (25.5) 51
P value 0.045 0.301
a
Values are expressed as No. (%).
Table 2. Distribution of Individuals in Different Classes of Depression and the Mean Scores of BDI in Terms of Gendera
Gender Distribution in Depression Classes Number Mean ± SD
Severe Moderate Mild Without
Female 3 (20) 6 (40) 3 (20) 3 (20) 15 23 ± 10.967
Male 6 (16.7) 8 (22.2) 12 (33.3) 10 (27.8) 36 18.81 ± 10.267
Total 9 (17.6) 14 (27.5) 15 (29.4) 13 (25.5) 51
P Value 0.567 0.199
a
Values are expressed as No. (%).
Table 3. The Distribution of Individuals in Different Classes of Depression and the Mean Scores of Beck Test in Terms of the Level of SCI (n = 51)a
Level of SCI Distribution in Classes of Depression Number Mean ± SD
Severe Moderate Mild Without
Cervical 4 (33.3) 2 (16.7) 5 (41.7) 1 (8.3) 12 23.25 ± 10.472
Thoracic 4 (12.9) 9 (29) 8 (25.8) 10 (32.3) 31 18.29 ± 10.354
Lumbar 1 (12.5) 3 (37.5) 2 (25) 2 (25) 8 22 ± 11.263
Total 9 (17.6) 14 (27.5) 15 (29.4) 13 (25.5) 51
P Value 0.477 0.374
a
Values are expressed as No. (%).
2- In terms of the gender groups: In the two male and
female groups, more than 70% of the individuals got the
score above 13 (which indicated the existence of depression).
3- In terms of the groups of levels of SCI: In all the
groups of the levels of SCI, more than 65% of the individuals got the score above 13 (which indicated the existence
of depression).
Comparison of the distribution of scores among age
and levels of SCI using the Fisher exact test (respectively,
exact- P value = 0.045 and exact- P value = 0.477), and gender
using Pearson chi-square test (P = 0.567) showed a significant difference in the level of depression in the age groups,
but no significant difference in gender groups and the different levels of SCI"
Table: Main Findings and Methods of a Study on the Incidence of Depression in Patients with Spinal Cord Injury

| Main Findings | Methods |
| — | — |
| The mean scores of Beck depression inventory (BDI) was above 18 in all age, gender, and different levels of SCI (cervical, thoracic, and lumbar) groups, indicating the presence of depression in all groups. | A descriptive and comparative study conducted on 51 patients with SCI from the specialized centers of SCI in Imam Khomeini hospital and Red Crescent Center of Tehran, Iran. Participants were selected based on inclusion criteria such as willingness to participate, diagnosis of SCI by the neurologist, non-application of antidepressants, and the absence of orthopedic or neurological defects other than SCI. |
| Distribution of individuals in different classes of depression: more than 67% of the individuals in all age groups, more than 70% in both male and female groups, and more than 65% in all the groups of levels of SCI got the score above 13 (which indicated the existence of depression). | Patients were asked to complete the BDI questionnaire, and the total score was determined according to the questionnaire’s instruction. The incidence of depression in such patients was determined in age and gender groups and different levels of SCI by comparing the scores of the individuals in each group with test scoring instruction (0 to 13: without depression, 14 to 19: mild depression, 20 to 28: moderate depression, 29 to 63: severe depression). |
| The test score class of 29 - 63 (severe depression) was mostly observed in the age group of 47 - 63 years, the test score class of 19 - 28 (moderate depression) was mostly observed in the age group of 30 - 46 years, and the test score class of 14 - 19 (mild depression) was mostly observed in the age group of 13 - 29 years. | The distribution of individuals in different classes of depression was specified according to age and gender groups and the levels of SCI, and comparison of the distribution of scores in different severity levels in these groups was conducted using Pearson chi-square and the Fisher exact tests. |
| Independent samples t test showed no significant difference between the mean scores of male and female groups | The mean score of questionnaire in male and female groups was compared using independent samples t test |
| Kruskal-Wallis test showed no significant difference between the mean scores in age groups as well as groups of different levels of SCI. | The mean score of the questionnaire was compared in different age groups and different levels of SCI using the Kruskal-Wallis test. |