Personality change as defensive responses of patients evaluated for liver transplant

Patients affected by endstage liver disease and awaiting liver transplant s uffer very stressful conditions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the personality and behavioral responses of a group of liver transplant candida tes, 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 f or Behavioral Assessment were administered to assess personality and behavi or. On the 16PF Questionnaire, patients had significantly different mean sc ores 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 a ddition, on the four second-order factors of the 16PF (Anxiety, Control, Pa themia, and Extraversion) patients had a significantly higher mean on Contr ol. With respect to PSY Inventory factors, patients showed impairment in en ergy, sleep, sexual disturbances, and obsessive behaviors, It appears these patients with endstage liver disease, who were evaluated for liver transpl ant, showed psychological regressive functioning, i.e., high control and de pendency on medical staff, submissiveness, which are interpretable as defen sive responses to upcoming transplant.