Do preinjury alcohol problems predict poorer rehabilitation progress in persons with spinal cord injury? 11No commercial party having a direct financial interest in the results of the research supporting this article has or will confer a benefit upon the author(s) or upon any organization with which the author(s) is/are associated.

Although depression has been widely studied among persons with spinal cord injury, the ubiquitous and unsophisticated use of the term and presumptions about its manifestations in the rehabilitation setting have needlessly encumbered the understanding and treatment of depression. Major themes and issues in the study, measurement, and treatment of depression among persons with spinal cord injury are reviewed. Greater precision is recommended in distinguishing diagnosable depression from displays of negative affect, anxiety, distress, and dysphoria. Correlates of depressive behavior among persons with SCI are surveyed, and guidelines for research and practice in the SCI setting are explicated.