Experiences of Korean adolescent renal transplant recipients

To understand the experiences of Korean adolescents who have undergone a renal transplant.

Nine adolescents aged 12-18 who received a renal transplant participated in this qualitative descriptive study. Using content analysis, we analyzed in-depth interview data from individual adolescents.

The main themes extracted were "being different from others," "not being invited as a decision maker," "becoming one of them," "still being different from others," "having mixed feeling toward mothers," and "coping with new circumstances."

Interventions designed to improve adolescent renal transplant recipients' sense of autonomy and belongingness are needed.