QUALITY OF LIFE IN SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN FOLLOWING LIVER TRANSPLANTATION.
Contributors: University of Pittsburgh.
Published: 1988
Number of pages: 178
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: This study was conducted with 20 children, ages 5 years 4 months to 12 years, to explore the child's quality of life after liver transplantation. Eight males and 12 females, who had received liver transplants 3 to 6 years ago were interviewed by the investigator utilizing a 29-item open-ended questionnaire, a projective question, and the 80 item Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Instrument. Children's responses to the questionnaire and projective question items were taped, transcribed, and content analyzed. Verbal responses were analyzed and coded to provide information about: (a) psychosocial adjustment at school, and relationships with peers and family members; (b) internalization of the donor organ, the knowledge of the liver transplant experience, and thoughts about the donor person; (c) changes in physical appearance and functioning; (d) emotions, fears, or concerns about rejection and future outcome of the liver transplant; and (e) children's satisfaction with present and future life, and thoughts about self as reflected on The Pigem's Test.

Descriptive statistics were used to determine means and standard deviations for comparison of the 20 children with data from a normative sample of 485 school-age children on the general self-concept score and 6 cluster scores representative of self-concept (behavior, intellectual and school status, physical appearance and attributes, anxiety, popularity, and happiness and satisfaction). Analysis using a two-tailed t test of the 20 children's scale responses generated an individualized narrative test report based on normative findings from 1,183 school-age children.

The children attended a school or a preschool, and participated in appropriate activities. However, all children had socialization difficulties despite seemingly normal activities and social competency. All had integrated the transplanted organ as a part of their own body, and could still recall feelings and factual aspects of the transplant experience. Worry concerning the donor person or thoughts about rejection were rarely evident. All children had many negative changes and feelings about their physical appearance despite improvements in physical functioning. Positive and negative self-attributes and satisfaction with present and future quality of life were evident. Scores on the self-concept scale demonstrated higher mean scores for general self-concept and the 6 cluster scales.

When compared to the normative data, children in the study were more anxious (n = 16), insecure in peer relationships (n = 14), and reported cognitive delays (n = 10). It was concluded that the overall quality of life is generally good for children with congenital liver disease 3 to 6 years after liver transplantation. However, it is difficult to differentiate the impact which chronic illness, the transplant experience, and the antirejection medication have on self-concept and quality of life.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 50-05, Section: B, page: 1860.

Thesis (PH.D.)--UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH, 1988.

School code: 0178.