Perception of adolescents with spinal cord injury about autonomy

Abstract

Starting from the referential of patient's human rights and considering that bioethical aspects of relational autonomy are important in the construction of autonomy as a life project, this study analyzed the perception of the autonomy process in adolescents with spinal cord injury participating in a rehabilitation program. This is a cross-sectional quali-quantitative study that used interviews to collect data and the Iramuteq software to analyze them. Fourteen adolescents participated, 50% male, 29% living in the Federal District, 71% with paraplegia. The qualitative data analysis identified five classes: rehabilitation program (20.9%); autonomy (21.8%); family relations (16.7%); feelings and experiences (23.9%); and routine (16.7%). The mother was indicated as the main caregiver (64%) and autonomy was often related to the concept of independence. Other forms of relationships corroborated the model of relational autonomy, and intrinsic and extrinsic challenges to the condition of the participants analyzed from the perspective of patient's human rights were also identified.