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Predictors of post‐traumatic psychological growth in the late years after lung transplantation
Author(s) -
Fox Kristen R.,
Posluszny Donna M.,
DiMartini Andrea F.,
DeVito Dabbs Annette J.,
Rosenberger Emily M.,
Zomak Rachelle A.,
Bermudez Christian,
Dew Mary Amanda
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
clinical transplantation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.918
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1399-0012
pISSN - 0902-0063
DOI - 10.1111/ctr.12301
Subject(s) - medicine , lung transplantation , transplantation , lung , intensive care medicine , surgery
Background Although lung transplantation improves quality of life, most psychosocial research focuses on adverse psychological and social functioning outcomes. Positive effects, particularly in the late‐term years as physical morbidities increase, have received little attention. We provide the first data on a psychological benefit – post‐traumatic growth ( PTG ) – and we focused on long‐term (>5 yr) survivors. Methods Among 178 patients from a prospective study of mental health during the first two yr post‐transplant, we recontacted survivors 6–11 yr post‐transplant. We assessed PTG (i.e., positive psychological change resulting from the transplant) and examined its relationship to other patient characteristics with multivariable regression analyses. Results Sixty‐four patients (86% of survivors) were assessed ( M = 8.1 yr post‐transplant, SD = 1.2). Mean PTG exceeded the scale's midpoint ( M = 38.6, SD = 10.0; scale midpoint = 25). Recipients experiencing greater PTG were female (p = 0.022), less educated (p = 0.014), and had a history of post‐transplant panic disorder (p = 0.005), greater friend support (p = 0.048), and better perceived health (p = 0.032). Neither other pre‐ or post‐transplant mood and anxiety disorders nor transplant‐related morbidities (acute rejection, bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome) predicted PTG . Conclusions PTG exceeded levels observed in other chronic disease populations, suggesting that lung transplantation may uniquely foster positive psychological change in long‐term survivors. PTG occurs despite physical and psychiatric morbidities. Whether PTG promotes other positive post‐transplant psychosocial outcomes deserves attention.