Benefits of Group Psychotherapy in Cirrhotic Patients on the Liver Transplant Waiting List.

Publisher: Elsevier Science Inc Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 0243532 Publication Model: Print Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1873-2623 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 00411345 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Transplant Proc Subsets: MEDLINE

Publication: New York, N.Y. : Elsevier Science Inc.
Original Publication: New York Stratton.

Psychotherapy, Group* ; Waiting Lists*; Anxiety/*therapy ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/*psychology ; Depression/*therapy ; Liver Cirrhosis/*psychology ; Liver Neoplasms/*psychology ; Liver Transplantation/*psychology; Anxiety/psychology ; Attitude to Health ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/surgery ; Depression/psychology ; Emotions ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis/surgery ; Liver Neoplasms/surgery ; Patient Acceptance of Health Care ; Stress, Psychological/psychology ; Stress, Psychological/therapy

Introduction: It is well-known that patients on the liver transplant (LT) waiting list experience a high rate of psychopathologic symptoms. However, few studies have been published about the use of group psychotherapy for these patients. We sought to assess (1) the psychopathologic data in patients on the LT waiting list and (2) the attitude toward a group psychotherapy procedure and its efficacy.
Material and Methods: In the pretransplant consultation phase, group therapy was offered to 20 patients on the LT waiting list. Patients who received psychotherapy were assessed previously using the Beck Depression Inventory.
Results: Fifteen patients were included in the study. Significant differences were found between the psychopathologic assessment and the level of hepatopathy. In the first session, we observed that patients with hepatocarcinoma were much more reluctant to participate in the group therapy. In the second session, the group showed a high level of anxiety connected with a fear of transplantation. In the third session, a transplant physician answered all their questions, and at the end of the session patient anxiety had decreased. During the following sessions, family bonds and sharing experiences with other transplant patients were emphasized.
Conclusions: Patients were initially reluctant to participate in the group psychotherapy, although this changed as sessions proceeded. It is necessary to provide more information about the transplant procedure itself to decrease anxiety. Group therapy was valued positively by all patients who participated.
(Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Date Created: 20151101 Date Completed: 20160620 Latest Revision: 20181202

20231215

10.1016/j.transproceed.2015.08.033

26518934