Personality Change as Defensive Responses of Patients Evaluated for Liver Transplant

Abstract

Patients affected by endstage liver disease and awaiting liver transplant suffer very stressful conditions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the personality and behavioral responses of a group of liver transplant candidates, 95 men ( M age 50 yr.) and of a group of 18 normal men ( M age 49 yr.). The 16 Personality Factor Questionnaire of Cattell, and the PSY Inventory for Behavioral Assessment were administered to assess personality and behavior. On the 16PF Questionnaire, patients had significantly different mean scores from normal subjects on Scale B– (low mental capacity), G (conformity), N (shrewdness), and Q1– (conservatism). They also showed a somewhat lower but not a statistically significant mean on Scale E (submissiveness). In addition, on the four second-order factors of the 16PF (Anxiety, Control, Pathemia, and Extraversion) patients had a significantly higher mean on Control. With respect to PSY Inventory factors, patients showed impairment in energy, sleep, sexual disturbances, and obsessive behaviors. It appears these patients with endstage liver disease, who were evaluated for liver transplant, showed psychological regressive functioning, i.e., high control and dependency on medical staff, submissiveness, which are interpretable as defensive responses to upcoming transplant.