1.Siminoff L, Mercer MB, Graham G, et al. The reasons families donate organs for transplantation: implications for policy and practice. J Trauma. 2007;62:969-78. DOI: 10.1097/01.ta.0000205220.24003.51
2. Vincent A, Logan L. Consent for organ donation. Br J Anaesth. 2012;108(Suppl 1):80–87. DOI:10.1093/bja/aer353
3. Daly, B. J. End-of-life decision making, organ donation, and critical care nurses. Crit Care Nurse.
2006;26(2):78-86. DOI:10.4037/ccn2006.26.2.78
4. Kentish-Barnes N, Chevret S, Cheisson G, et al. Grief Symptoms in Relatives Who Experienced Organ Donation Requests in the ICU. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2018;198(6):751-58. DOI: 10.1164/rccm.201709-1899OC
5. Djelantik AAAMJ , Smid GE , Kleber RJ , et al. Symptoms of prolonged grief, post-traumatic stress, and depression after loss in a Dutch community sample: a latent class analysis. Psychiatry Res. 2017;247:276-81. DOI:10.1016/j.psychres.2016.11.023
6. Prigerson HG, Horowitz MJ, Jacobs SC, et al. Prolonged grief disorder: Psychometric validation of criteria proposed for DSM-V and ICD-11. PLoS Med. 2009;6(8):e1000121. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1000121
7. Neimeyer RA, Baldwin SA, Gillies J. Continuing bonds and reconstructing meaning: mitigating complications in bereavement. Death Stud. 2006;30(8):71-38. DOI:10.1080/07481180600848322
8. Currier JM, Holland JM. Neimeyer RA. Sense-making, grief and the experience of violent loss: Toward a mediational model. Death Stud. 2010;30(5):403-28. DOI:10.1080/07481180600614351
9. Neimeyer RA. Meaning reconstruction in the wake of loss: Evolution of a research program. Behav Change. 2016;33(2):65-79. DOI:10.1017/bec.2016.4
10. Hisli N. Beck Depresyon Envanteri’nin gecerligi uzerine bir calisma. Turk Psikol Derg. 1988;6(22):118-26.
11. Işıklı S, Keser E, Prigerson HG, et al. Validation of the prolonged grief scale (PG-13) and investigation of the prevalence and risk factors of prolonged grief disorder in Turkish bereaved samples. Death stud. 2022;46(3):628-38. DOI:10.1080/07481187.2020.1745955
12. Keser E, Işıklı S. Yas ve Anlamı Yeniden Yapılandırma Envanteri’nin Türkçe Formunun Psikometrik Özelliklerinin İncelenmesi. Dusunen Adam. 2018;31(4):364-74. DOI:10.5350/DAJPN2018310405
13. Can F. Organ Bağışında Aile Onayı Üzerine Bir Gözden Geçirme. Nesne Psikoloji Dergisi. 2017;5(9):131-49. DOI: 10.7816/nesne-05-09-07
14. Yilmaz TU. Importance of education in organ donation. Exp Clin Transplant. 2011;9(6):370-5
15. Ormrod JA, Ryder T, Chadwick RJ, et al. Experiences of families when a relative is diagnosed brain stem dead: understanding of death, observation of brain stem death testing and attitudes to organ donation. Anaesthesia. 2005;60:1002-8. DOI:10.1111/j.1365-2044.2005.04297.x
16. Rodrigue JR, Cornell DL, Howard RJ. The Instability of Organ Donation Decisions by Next-of-Kin and Factors that Predict It. Am J Transpl. 2008;8(12):2661-7. DOI:10.1111/j.1600-6143.2008.02429.x
17. de Groot J, Vernooij-Dassen M, Hoedemaekers C, et al. Decision Making by Relatives About Brain Death Organ Donation, An Integrative Review. Transplantation. 2012;93(12):1196–211. DOI:10.1097/TP.0b013e318256a45f
18. He L, Tang SQ, Yu W, et al. The prevalence, comorbidity and risks of prolonged grief disorder among bereaved Chinese adults. Psychiatry Res. 2014;219:347-352. DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2014.05.022
19. Siminoff LA, Gordon N, Hewlett J, et al. Factors influencing families’ consent for donation of solid organs for transplantation. JAMA. 2001;286(1):71-7. DOI:10.1001/jama.286.1.71
20. Miller C, Breakwell R. What factors influence a family’s decision to agree to organ donation? A critical literature review. London J. Prim. Care. 2018;10:103-7. DOI: 10.1080/17571472.2018.1459226
21. Özmen, O. Cultural characteristics of grief and coping in bereaved adult women: a phenomenological study with consensual qualitative research. Basılmamış doktora tezi. ODTÜ, Ankara.2014
22. Lundorff M, Holmgren H, Zachariae R, et al. Prevalence of prolonged grief disorder in adult bereavement: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Affect Disord. 2017;212:138-49. DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2017.01.030
23. Ahmadian S, Khaghanizadeh M, Zarghami MH, et al. Tools for the measurement of psychological aspects of organ donation among the families of brain-dead people. Int J Organ Transplant Med. 2018;9(2):53-67.
24. Newson RS, Boelen PA, Hek K, et al. The prevalence and characteristics of complicated grief in older adults. J. Affect. Disord. 2011;132(1-2):231-8. DOI:10.1016/j.jad.2011.02.021
25. Hyde JS, Mezulis AH. Gender Differences in Depression: Biological, Affective, Cognitive, and Sociocultural Factors. Harv Rev Psychiatry. 2020;28(1):4-13. DOI:10.1097/HRP.0000000000000230
26. Kırılmaz H, Güler PB. Benlik saygısı ve organ bağışı tutumu ilişkisi: Üniversite öğrencileri üzerine bir araştırma. İnsan ve İnsan. 2019;6(20):239-62. DOI:10.29224/insanveinsan.515104
27. Tsai W-I, Prigerson HG, Li C-Y, et al. Longitudinal changes and predictors of prolonged grief for bereaved family caregivers over the first 2 years after the terminally ill cancer patient’s death. Palliat Med. 2016;30(5):495-503. DOI:10.1177/0269216315603261
28. Ashkenazi T, Cohen J. Interactions between health care personnel and parents approached for organ and/or tissue donation: influences on parents’ adjustment to loss. Prog Transplant. 2015;25(2):124-30. DOI:10.7182/pit2015145
29. Merchant SJ, Yoshida EM, Lee TK, et al. Exploring the psychological effects of deceased organ donation on the families of the organ donors. Clin Transplant. 2008;22(3):341-7. DOI:10.1111/j.1399-0012.2008.00790.x
30. Shih FJ, Lai MK, Lin MH, et al. Impact of cadaveric organ donation on Taiwanese donor families during the first 6 months after donation. Psychosom Med. 2001;63(1):69-78. DOI:10.1097/00006842-200101000-00009
Donation Decision-Making Process and Psychological Experiences of Families of Brain-Dead Donors from Turkey
Purpose: Families play a key role in the decision to donate the organs of people with brain death. However, studies on the factors affecting the decisions of families who are expected to make donation decision in a short time after their loss and possible emotional difficulties they experience afterwards are insufficient. In our study, we aimed to investigate the psychological experiences of donor families during and after the donation consent process and the factors affecting them.
Methods: Relatives of donors who had brain death at least 6 months ago and gave their consent to be donors were included in the study. Demographic data form, Prolonged Grief Scale (PG-13), Grief and Meaning Reconstruction Inventory (GMRI), and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) were administered to the participants.
Results: In our study, it was found that male gender decreased the risk of depression (OR=0.08, p<0.05), whereas the risk of depression increased 17 times in those who were previously known to be waiting for organ transplantation (p<0.05). It was determined that the risk of depression increased 1.26 fold by the increase in PG-13 scores (p<0.05), while GMRI scores were not statistically significant in increasing the risk of depression (p>0.05). It was found that BDI and GMRI scores were not statistically significant variables in increasing the risk of prolonged grief diagnosis (p>0.05).
Conclusion: Considering the potential implications, it is advisable to assess the risk of depression among donor families and develop programs that facilitate the access of individuals at risk to psychological counseling services.
1.Siminoff L, Mercer MB, Graham G, et al. The reasons families donate organs for transplantation: implications for policy and practice. J Trauma. 2007;62:969-78. DOI: 10.1097/01.ta.0000205220.24003.51
2. Vincent A, Logan L. Consent for organ donation. Br J Anaesth. 2012;108(Suppl 1):80–87. DOI:10.1093/bja/aer353
3. Daly, B. J. End-of-life decision making, organ donation, and critical care nurses. Crit Care Nurse.
2006;26(2):78-86. DOI:10.4037/ccn2006.26.2.78
4. Kentish-Barnes N, Chevret S, Cheisson G, et al. Grief Symptoms in Relatives Who Experienced Organ Donation Requests in the ICU. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2018;198(6):751-58. DOI: 10.1164/rccm.201709-1899OC
5. Djelantik AAAMJ , Smid GE , Kleber RJ , et al. Symptoms of prolonged grief, post-traumatic stress, and depression after loss in a Dutch community sample: a latent class analysis. Psychiatry Res. 2017;247:276-81. DOI:10.1016/j.psychres.2016.11.023
6. Prigerson HG, Horowitz MJ, Jacobs SC, et al. Prolonged grief disorder: Psychometric validation of criteria proposed for DSM-V and ICD-11. PLoS Med. 2009;6(8):e1000121. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1000121
7. Neimeyer RA, Baldwin SA, Gillies J. Continuing bonds and reconstructing meaning: mitigating complications in bereavement. Death Stud. 2006;30(8):71-38. DOI:10.1080/07481180600848322
8. Currier JM, Holland JM. Neimeyer RA. Sense-making, grief and the experience of violent loss: Toward a mediational model. Death Stud. 2010;30(5):403-28. DOI:10.1080/07481180600614351
9. Neimeyer RA. Meaning reconstruction in the wake of loss: Evolution of a research program. Behav Change. 2016;33(2):65-79. DOI:10.1017/bec.2016.4
10. Hisli N. Beck Depresyon Envanteri’nin gecerligi uzerine bir calisma. Turk Psikol Derg. 1988;6(22):118-26.
11. Işıklı S, Keser E, Prigerson HG, et al. Validation of the prolonged grief scale (PG-13) and investigation of the prevalence and risk factors of prolonged grief disorder in Turkish bereaved samples. Death stud. 2022;46(3):628-38. DOI:10.1080/07481187.2020.1745955
12. Keser E, Işıklı S. Yas ve Anlamı Yeniden Yapılandırma Envanteri’nin Türkçe Formunun Psikometrik Özelliklerinin İncelenmesi. Dusunen Adam. 2018;31(4):364-74. DOI:10.5350/DAJPN2018310405
13. Can F. Organ Bağışında Aile Onayı Üzerine Bir Gözden Geçirme. Nesne Psikoloji Dergisi. 2017;5(9):131-49. DOI: 10.7816/nesne-05-09-07
14. Yilmaz TU. Importance of education in organ donation. Exp Clin Transplant. 2011;9(6):370-5
15. Ormrod JA, Ryder T, Chadwick RJ, et al. Experiences of families when a relative is diagnosed brain stem dead: understanding of death, observation of brain stem death testing and attitudes to organ donation. Anaesthesia. 2005;60:1002-8. DOI:10.1111/j.1365-2044.2005.04297.x
16. Rodrigue JR, Cornell DL, Howard RJ. The Instability of Organ Donation Decisions by Next-of-Kin and Factors that Predict It. Am J Transpl. 2008;8(12):2661-7. DOI:10.1111/j.1600-6143.2008.02429.x
17. de Groot J, Vernooij-Dassen M, Hoedemaekers C, et al. Decision Making by Relatives About Brain Death Organ Donation, An Integrative Review. Transplantation. 2012;93(12):1196–211. DOI:10.1097/TP.0b013e318256a45f
18. He L, Tang SQ, Yu W, et al. The prevalence, comorbidity and risks of prolonged grief disorder among bereaved Chinese adults. Psychiatry Res. 2014;219:347-352. DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2014.05.022
19. Siminoff LA, Gordon N, Hewlett J, et al. Factors influencing families’ consent for donation of solid organs for transplantation. JAMA. 2001;286(1):71-7. DOI:10.1001/jama.286.1.71
20. Miller C, Breakwell R. What factors influence a family’s decision to agree to organ donation? A critical literature review. London J. Prim. Care. 2018;10:103-7. DOI: 10.1080/17571472.2018.1459226
21. Özmen, O. Cultural characteristics of grief and coping in bereaved adult women: a phenomenological study with consensual qualitative research. Basılmamış doktora tezi. ODTÜ, Ankara.2014
22. Lundorff M, Holmgren H, Zachariae R, et al. Prevalence of prolonged grief disorder in adult bereavement: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Affect Disord. 2017;212:138-49. DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2017.01.030
23. Ahmadian S, Khaghanizadeh M, Zarghami MH, et al. Tools for the measurement of psychological aspects of organ donation among the families of brain-dead people. Int J Organ Transplant Med. 2018;9(2):53-67.
24. Newson RS, Boelen PA, Hek K, et al. The prevalence and characteristics of complicated grief in older adults. J. Affect. Disord. 2011;132(1-2):231-8. DOI:10.1016/j.jad.2011.02.021
25. Hyde JS, Mezulis AH. Gender Differences in Depression: Biological, Affective, Cognitive, and Sociocultural Factors. Harv Rev Psychiatry. 2020;28(1):4-13. DOI:10.1097/HRP.0000000000000230
26. Kırılmaz H, Güler PB. Benlik saygısı ve organ bağışı tutumu ilişkisi: Üniversite öğrencileri üzerine bir araştırma. İnsan ve İnsan. 2019;6(20):239-62. DOI:10.29224/insanveinsan.515104
27. Tsai W-I, Prigerson HG, Li C-Y, et al. Longitudinal changes and predictors of prolonged grief for bereaved family caregivers over the first 2 years after the terminally ill cancer patient’s death. Palliat Med. 2016;30(5):495-503. DOI:10.1177/0269216315603261
28. Ashkenazi T, Cohen J. Interactions between health care personnel and parents approached for organ and/or tissue donation: influences on parents’ adjustment to loss. Prog Transplant. 2015;25(2):124-30. DOI:10.7182/pit2015145
29. Merchant SJ, Yoshida EM, Lee TK, et al. Exploring the psychological effects of deceased organ donation on the families of the organ donors. Clin Transplant. 2008;22(3):341-7. DOI:10.1111/j.1399-0012.2008.00790.x
30. Shih FJ, Lai MK, Lin MH, et al. Impact of cadaveric organ donation on Taiwanese donor families during the first 6 months after donation. Psychosom Med. 2001;63(1):69-78. DOI:10.1097/00006842-200101000-00009
Akdağ EM, Ceylan İ, Korkmaz HA, Ökmen K, Ercan Tavşanlılı F, Alkan M, Önen S (January 1, 2025) Donation Decision-Making Process and Psychological Experiences of Families of Brain-Dead Donors from Turkey. Acıbadem Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi 16 1 102–109.