Pre-donation cognitions of potential living organ donors: the development of the Donation Cognition Instrument in potential kidney donors.
Cognitions surrounding living organ donation, including the motivation to donate, expectations of donation and worries about donation, are relevant themes during living donor evaluation. However, there is no reliable psychometric instrument assessing all these different cognitions. This study developed and validated a questionnaire to assess pre-donation motivations, expectations and worries regarding donation, entitled the Donation Cognition Instrument (DCI).



Psychometric properties of the DCI were examined using exploratory factor analysis for scale structure and associations with validated questionnaires for construct validity assessment.



From seven Dutch transplantation centres, 719 potential living kidney donors were included. The DCI distinguishes cognitions about donor benefits, recipient benefits, idealistic incentives, gratitude and worries about donation (Cronbach's alpha 0.76-0.81). Scores on pre-donation cognitions differed with regard to gender, age, marital status, religion and donation type. With regard to construct validity, the DCI was moderately correlated with expectations regarding donor's personal well-being and slightly to moderately to health-related quality of life.



The DCI is found to be a reliable instrument assessing cognitions surrounding living organ donation, which might add to pre-donation quality of life measures in facilitating psychosocial donor evaluation by healthcare professionals.
Leiden University, Institute of Psychology, Health, Medical and Neuropsychology Unit, Leiden, The Netherlands.|Department of Medical Psychology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Lieke
L
Wirken
Leiden University, Institute of Psychology, Health, Medical and Neuropsychology Unit, Leiden, The Netherlands.|Department of Medical Psychology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Henriët
H
van Middendorp
Department of Nephrology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Christina W
CW
Hooghof
Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Jan Stephan
JS
Sanders
Department of Nephrology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Ruth E
RE
Dam
Department of Internal Medicine/Nephrology, Renal Transplant Unit, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Karlijn A M I
KAMI
van der Pant
Department of Nephrology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Elsbeth C M
ECM
Berendsen
Department of Nephrology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Hiske
H
Wellink
Department of Internal Medicine/Nephrology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Henricus J A
HJA
Dackus
Department of Nephrology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Andries J
AJ
Hoitsma
Department of Nephrology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Luuk B
LB
Hilbrands
Leiden University, Institute of Psychology, Health, Medical and Neuropsychology Unit, Leiden, The Netherlands.|Department of Medical Psychology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Andrea W M
AWM
Evers
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D003071:Cognition; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D019520:Living Donors / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D009426:Netherlands; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life; D012067:Religion; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement; D055815:Young Adult
expectations; living kidney donors; motivation; quality of life; worries