Effects of a Support Group Intervention on Physical, Psychological, and Social Adaptation of Liver Transplant Recipients.

OBJECTIVES Liver transplant recipients must adapt to a new life after transplant. We report the effects of a support group on physical and psychosocial adaptation of liver transplant recipients. MATERIALS AND METHODS The study used a quasi-experimental design, comparing an intervention group and a control group. Data were collected between January 2011 and May 2012 with 73 liver transplant recipients. A patient identification form, Modified Transplant Symptom Occurrence and Symptom Distress Scale - 58, and SF-36 were used for data collection. The intervention group attended support group meetings, while the control group received a routine follow-up. Data were analyzed with t test and The Repeated Measures ANOVA with 1 between-group factor. RESULTS The results indicated that the support group intervention increases physical, psychological, and social adaptation of liver transplant recipients. Specifically, this effect of the support group was accrued after support group intervention and decreased 3 months after intervention. CONCLUSIONS A support group intervention can have a positive effect on liver transplant recipients' physical, psychological, and social adaptations.