Personality characteristics among cardiothoracic transplant recipients

Stilley, Carol S.; Dew, Mary Amanda; Pilkonis, Paul; Bender, Ann; McNulty, Mary; Christensen, Alan; McCurry, Kenneth R.; Kormos, Robert L.

doi:10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2004.11.005

« Previous Next »General Hospital Psychiatry
Volume 27, Issue 2 , Pages 113-118, March 2005

Personality characteristics among cardiothoracic transplant recipients☆

Carol S. Stilley, Ph.D., R.N.
- School of Nursing, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
- Corresponding author. University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA. Tel.: +1 412 383 7284; fax: +1 412 624 1508.
Mary Amanda Dew, Ph.D.
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
Paul Pilkonis, Ph.D.
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
Ann Bender, Ph.D.
- School of Nursing, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
Mary McNulty, M.L.S.
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
Alan Christensen, Ph.D.
- Department of Psychology, University of Iowa, IA 52242, USA
Kenneth R. McCurry, M.D.
- Department of Medicine and Surgery (Cardiothoracic Transplant Program), University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
Robert L. Kormos, M.D.
- Department of Medicine and Surgery (Cardiothoracic Transplant Program), University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA

Received 30 August 2004; accepted 30 November 2004.

Abstract

Personality characteristics are clinically believed to predict posttransplant adherence and outcome; however, data, as to the prevalence and type of personality disorders (PDs) and distribution of personality traits among transplant (txp) populations, are sparse and inconclusive. This paper reports on the prevalence and type of PD and range of personality traits, according to the Five-Factor model, among 73 adult cardiothoracic txp recipients. It represents the first systematic assessment of PDs and traits in a sample of txp recipients. Personality disorders were assessed with a semistructured diagnostic interview; personality traits were assessed with a self-report instrument. Thirty-three percent of the sample met diagnostic criteria for a PD, approximately three times higher than prevalence of PD previously reported among nonpsychiatric populations. Mean values of personality traits for the sample were in the normative range but with wide variability; extreme values on four of the five traits were scored by subjects with a PD. This unexpectedly high prevalence of PD and the wide variability in traits among heart and lung recipients alert clinicians to consider personality characteristics when planning interventions to increase compliance and maximize quality of life after cardiothoracic transplantation.

Keywords: Personality, Heart transplant, Lung transplant