Personality patterns of kidney donors

BACKGROUND: The renal transplantation occurrence has increased over the last 20 years, increasing as well, the importance of knowing personality traits of both donor and recipient deeply. The aim was to understand and describe the psychological profile (personality and psychopathology) that characterizes kidney donors. METHODS: The Minnesota Multiphase Personality Inventory MMPI (version 1) was applied to 110 subjects who decided to be kidney donors (before undergoing intervention) the results were analyzed by Student t test for comparison of independent groups and to know whether there are gender differences in personality. RESULTS: Significant differences in the scales of introversion and psychasthenia (anxiety) were found, men being the most anxious and women having higher levels of social isolation. CONCLUSIONS: In general, donors tend to seek social recognition, reflecting fear to donation and concern about the effects it may have on their health as well as mild depressive symptoms. That is why we remark the importance of psychological support to kidney donors.