Evaluating early maladaptive schemas and depression levels in living kidney and liver donors

Living organ donation is a stressful process, both in terms of physical and mental consequences after the operation. Studies have found that cumulative depression prevalence in 5-year follow-up after the organ donation is 4.2% in 1 year and 11.5% in 5 years. The aim of the present study was to find out early maladaptive schemas (EMS) and depression levels of living kidney and liver donors. Ninety-three patients who have become living kidney or liver donors in Baskent University Hospital between 2015 and 2019 and accepted to participate in the study are included. Interviews were conducted via telephone or face-to-face and socio-demographic information form, Young Schema Questionnaire Short Form-3 and Beck Depression Inventory were given to the participants. The first three schemas with the highest average scores in living donors were self-sacrifice, punitiveness and approval seeking. The Sschema domain with the highest score is 'other directedness' among living donors. The donors who had depression revealed higher scores in the schema domains of 'abandonment and rejection' and 'impaired autonomy' when compared to those who did not have depression. As the donors had higher scores in the 'other directedness' schema domain and 'self-sacrifice' and 'approval seeking' schemas, overthinking and acting accordingly for the others with the expectation of being praised is thought to be the underlying pattern (motivation) of being a living donor. Culture could have an important impact in this particular way of thinking and acting. There is a cultural and religious impact as well in the high scores of 'punitiveness' schema of the donors. Being adequately informed pre-operatively, feeling safe and independent during the decision process and getting enough social support post-operatively seem to be the important factors of tackling depression for living organ donors.