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Family environment, intrusive ideation, and adjustment among renal transplant candidates

  • Empirical Articles
  • Published:
Annals of Behavioral Medicine

Abstract

Waiting for an organ transplant is a stressful experience frequently associated with symptoms of depression and anxiety. Little empirical work has examined patients during the stressful period prior to transplantation, particularly among patients waiting for a renal transplant. A large body of research has demonstrated that social and family support variables are associated with psychological adjustment in a variety of medical populations. Little research has examined the mechanism by which social support exerts its effects on psychological well-being. We examined two possible models of the role of intrusive thoughts on the relationship between a supportive family environment and both depression and anxiety in a sample of 75 patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) waiting for a kidney transplant. Path analyses provided modest support for a mediational model, showing that intrusive thoughts partly accounted for the relationship between family expressiveness and psychological distress. A moderational model examining the interactive effects of family environment and intrusive thinking on adjustment was not supported.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, The University of Iowa, E11 Seashore Hall, 52242, Iowa City, IA

    Patricia J. Moran M.A., Alan J. Christensen Ph.D., Shawna L. Ehlers M.A. & J. Andrew Bertolatus M.D.

Authors
  1. Patricia J. Moran M.A.
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  2. Alan J. Christensen Ph.D.
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  3. Shawna L. Ehlers M.A.
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  4. J. Andrew Bertolatus M.D.
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Additional information

Preparation of this manuscript was supported in part by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases grant DK49129 awarded to Alan Christensen.

We gratefully acknowledge the assistance of Rachel Burke and Barbara Schanbacher in conducting this research.

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Moran, P.J., Christensen, A.J., Ehlers, S.L. et al. Family environment, intrusive ideation, and adjustment among renal transplant candidates. ann. behav. med. 21, 311–316 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02895963

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