Coping Behavior in the System of Psychosocial Assessment of Patients Waiting for a Heart Transplant

Abstract

The paper presents the results of the study focusing on coping strategies and personal resources of patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) during the waiting period for heart transplantation (HT). The sample included 105 patients directed to the commission for inclusion in the waiting list of HT (WLHT) in the Almazov National Medical Research Centre. After 6 months of hospitalization, the patients were divided into two groups: those included in WLHT initially who kept their positions (n=55; Group 1), and those who were excluded or not included initially (n=50; Group 2). Methods: The Ways of Coping Questionnaire and Purpose in Life Test. It was found out that the most endorsed coping strategies were confrontation, positive reappraisal and self-control for Group 1, and distancing and escape/avoidance for Group 2. The significant increase in the life purposefulness general score, and subscale scores reflecting goals, time perspective and internal locus of control was observed in Group 1. We conclude that the obtained data can be used in planning psychological work with patients with CHF during the period of waiting for HT.

Keywords

• chronic heart failure (chf)
• heart transplantation (ht)
• coping strategies
• personal coping resources