title: Longitudinal assessment of psychosocial functioning of adult survivors of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation.
abstract: Existing research regarding the psychosocial functioning of adult survivors of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) indicates that many patients experience difficulties in a variety of functional domains. A critical issue which has remained unexamined concerns the extent to which functioning improves, remains static, or perhaps even deteriorates with the passage of time post-BMT. To address this issue, the psychosocial functioning of 16 adult allogeneic BMT patients was assessed via a set of questionnaires on three occasions following their transplant. The initial assessment occurred a mean of 28 months post-BMT while the third assessment was a mean of 52 months post-BMT. Consistent with previous cross-sectional research, results indicated that many BMT survivors experience some long-term difficulties in physical, occupational, emotional, and cognitive functioning. Results indicated little change in functioning with the passage of time, suggesting that most patients might achieve a ceiling level of functioning within a couple of years post-BMT. At that time, further recovery of psychosocial functioning is likely to be minimal. Results are discussed with respect to their implications for both the encouragement of realistic expectations for post-BMT functioning as well as the development of post-BMT rehabilitation programs.
authors: Department of Behavioral Science, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington 40536-0086.
authors: M A
authors: MA
authors: Andrykowski
authors: P J
authors: PJ
authors: Henslee
authors: R L
authors: RL
authors: Barnett
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008875:Middle Aged; D011593:Psychology, Social; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires