Relationship Between Self-Perceived Health, Vitality, and Posttraumatic Growth in Liver Transplant Recipients.

Jesús Funuyet-Salas,María Luisa Avargues-Navarro,Manuel Romero-Gómez,Miguel Ángel Gómez-Bravo,Rupert Conrad,María Ángeles Pérez-San-Gregorio,Mercedes Borda-Mas,Agustín Martín-Rodríguez

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01367

Jesús Funuyet-Salas, María Luisa Avargues-Navarro + Show 6 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01367

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Abstract

Our objective was to analyze the differences in posttraumatic growth in 240 liver transplant recipients based on two factors. First, self-perceived health: better (Group 1 = G1) and worse (Group 2 = G2). Second, vitality: more (Group 3 = G3) and less (Group 4 = G4). The Posttraumatic Growth Inventory, SF-36 Health Survey (Item 2) and SF-12 Health Survey (vitality dimension) were used. Firstly, analyzing main effects recipients with better (G1) compared to worse (G2) self-perceived health, showed greater posttraumatic growth. Interaction effects were found on essential posttraumatic growth domains such as new possibilities (p = 0.040), personal strength (p = 0.027), and appreciation of life (p = 0.014). Statistically significant differences showed that among transplant recipients with worse self-perceived health (G2), those with more vitality had higher levels on abovementioned posttraumatic growth dimensions. However, in transplant recipients with better self-perceived health (G1) respective dimensions were not significantly influenced by the level of vitality. Among the recipients with less vitality (G4), those with better self-perceived health showed higher scores on abovementioned posttraumatic growth dimensions. We conclude that positive self-perceived health might compensate for a lack of vitality as well as a high level of vitality may compensate for negative self-perceived health regarding the development of crucial aspects of posttraumatic growth after liver transplantation.

Highlights

At the time of insufficiency or failure of a vital organ, transplantation presents an effective therapeutic alternative offering longer and better quality of life (Kugler et al, 2013)
The current study analyses the mutual associations of selfperceived health and vitality on posttraumatic growth in liver transplant recipients
Lower education was associated with a lower level of vitality by a small effect size

Summary

Introduction

At the time of insufficiency or failure of a vital organ, transplantation presents an effective therapeutic alternative offering longer and better quality of life (Kugler et al, 2013). Liver transplantation is a critical and determinant moment in life. It gives hope of reestablishing a severely harmed state of health and quality of life, frequently after having lived with. Transplantation may be a traumatic and highly stressful experience, among other reasons, because of the risks involved. Among these are death, relapse of the disease and dependency on immunosuppressants which may negatively interfere with the recipient’s quality of life (Grinyó et al, 2012; Pérez-San-Gregorio et al, 2012). Symptoms of anxiety, depression and posttraumatic stress, or rejection of body image are psychological problems that usually appear after transplantation (Pérez-San-Gregorio et al, 2005; Baranyi et al, 2013; Annema et al, 2015)

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