The relationship of hope and illness-related uncertainty to emotional adjustment and adherence among pediatric renal and liver transplant recipients.
OBJECTIVE
To examine, using partial least squares (PLS) modeling, the associations among hope, illness-related uncertainty, anxiety, depression, and adherence in a sample of children with renal and liver transplantations.


METHODS
Seventy pediatric renal and liver transplant recipients and their caregivers participated in a 3-month study which involved completing questionnaires and monitoring adherence via self-report and electronic monitoring (MEMS caps). A PLS estimation procedure was used to examine the associations among constructs in the theoretical model.


RESULTS
Hope and uncertainty were associated with both depressive symptoms and anxiety, and depressive symptoms were associated with treatment adherence. The association of hope and adherence to treatment was fully mediated by depressive symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
Findings suggest mechanisms for identifying patients that may be at risk for nonadherence and components for intervention programs to improve adherence rates among pediatric transplant recipients.
Maikranz
Julie M
JM
Clinical Child Psychology Program, University of Kansas, 2011 Dole Human Development Center, 1000 Sunnyside Avenue, Lawrence, KS 66045-7555, USA.
Steele
Ric G
RG
Dreyer
Meredith L
ML
Stratman
Aaron C
AC
Bovaird
James A
JA
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000339:Affect; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002648:Child; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D018670:Monitoring, Ambulatory; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires