Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and post-traumatic growth (PTG) after liver transplantation (LT): a cross-sectional study in Shiraz, Iran

Although liver transplantation (LT) is life-saving, recipients may experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and post-traumatic growth (PTG). Evidence on the occurrence of PTSD and PTG after LT in Middle Eastern countries remains limited. This study aimed to assess screening-positive PTSD symptoms and PTGI total scores among LT recipients in Iran. This cross-sectional study included 100 patients who had undergone LT and were randomly selected from the Namazi Hospital Liver Transplant Registry from 2020 to 2023. Participants completed a demographic questionnaire, the Mississippi Scale for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, and the 21-item Posttraumatic Growth Inventory. Screening-positive PTSD symptoms were defined as a Mississippi Scale score > 107, while PTGI total score was analyzed as a continuous variable. The average age was 40.8 ± 11.3 years, while 61% were men. Screening-positive PTSD symptoms were observed in 12% of participants, and the mean PTGI total score was 46.37 ± 26.20. In exploratory regression analyses, no statistically significant associations were detected between the assessed demographic variables and either screening-positive PTSD symptoms or PTGI total score. The correlation between PTSD symptoms and PTG was weak and not statistically significant. In this sample of LT recipients, screening-positive PTSD symptoms were observed in a minority of participants, while self-reported PTG varied across individuals. These findings suggest that trauma-related symptoms and perceived positive psychological change may both be observed after LT. Psychological assessment after LT may be useful for identifying distress and understanding patients’ psychological adaptation, although further longitudinal studies are needed.