1. TEMPLATE DESIGN © 2008 www.PosterPresentations.com Psychological Constructs related to Willingness to Donate Organs Vera L. Voroskolevska, MSW, Brittany A. Canfield, MS, Leah Kenyon-George, MA, Sandra Barnes, MA,, Michele Harway, Ph.D., ABPP and Maureen Lassen, Ph.D. Abstract Introduction Method Table1 Table 2 Results Discussion and Conclusion References Acknowledgements and Contact Information The presenters wish to thank the participants who so helpfully participated in this study. Contact Information Michele Harway, Ph.D., ABPP Faculty--Clinical Psychology Fielding Graduate University 2020 De La Vina Street Santa Barbara, CA 93105 mharway@fielding.edu Bresnahan, M. J., Guan, X., Smith, S. W., Wang, X., & Edmundson, J. Z. (2010). Cultures of the soul: Spiritual beliefs about organ donation in China and the United States. Chinese Journal of Communication, 3 (2), 133-146. British Columbia Transplant Society. Stats and FAQs: Current statistics as of October 10 2002. Retrieved on November 23, 2014, http: www.transplant.bc.ca/stats_faqs_main.htm - Organ Transplantation Fact Sheet Faudree, C. B. (2010). Impact of a primary care based organ donation practice initiative on individual willingness to donate organs. (Doctoral Dissertation). UMI Publishing: 3402771. Statues of Alberta, (2013), Human Tissue and Organ Donation Act. C.H-14.5,s.3 (2). The Alberta Queen’s Printer: Edmonton, AB United States Department of Health and Human Services (2010). Organ Procurement and Transplant Network and OPTN/SRTR Annual Report. Retrieved on November 18, 2014, http://www.organdonor.gov/about/data.html Wakefield, C. E., Reid, J., & Homewood, J. (2011). Religious and ethnic influences on willingness to donate organs and donor behavior: An Australian perspective. Progress in Transplantation, 21 (2), 161-168. Participants willing to donate and not willing to donate any organ were compared using a preliminary correlational analysis, logistic regression and an ANOVA. The results of this exploratory study demonstrate some of the underlying psychological factors related to willingness to donate. These health and social implications are critical to better understanding the decision to donate, and to address the acute issue of high organ demand/ low registration. These findings also present a potentially new way to structure and develop messages for social marketing programs, targeting different aspects of personality. As state and provincial programs are implemented to increase donor registration, this information can be applied to better understand the willingness to donate organs, the organ donation decision-making process, and ultimately lessen the gap in this national as well as international social issue. Affiliations Michele Harway, PhD, ABPP and Maureen Lassen, PhD initiated this research project in the Clinical Psychology Program at Fielding Graduate University. Brittany A. Canfield, MS, Leah G. Kenyon-George, MA, Sandra Barnes, MA, and Vera L. Voroskolevska, MSW are doctoral students in the Psychology Program at Fielding Graduate University. The critical need for organs and inadequate registration numbers poses a significant social and health concern. Within the United States alone, 18 people die each day waiting for organ donations as 4,100 are added to transplant waiting lists around the country each month (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2010). Similarly, in 2012, patients awaiting a cadaveric kidney transplant in British Columbia were given an estimated wait of approximately forty-four months, leaving individuals on kidney dialysis for prolonged periods of time (British Columbia Transplant Society, 2014). We studied the individual, demographic, and other personality factors that influence the decision making process and an individual’s willingness to donate an organ. Participants were recruited from both Canada and the United States. A convenience sample of prospective donors (n= 219) was surveyed to determine willingness to donate any organ. Several psychological factors from the Big Five Personality Traits were hypothesized to be related to willingness, such as: cooperative, calm, and agreeable. Those participants willing and not willing to donate any organ were compared using a logistic regression and a ANOVA. The results of this study demonstrate some of the underlying psychological factors relating to willingness to donate. This information can be applied to better understand this social issue of organ donation, as well as the decision-making process. Objective: The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between multiple psychological factors and one’s willingness and non- willingness to donate an organ. Research Questions: Do personality factors predict willingness to donate an organ? Which personality factors best predict willingness to donate? Hypotheses: It is expected that several personality factors will predict willingness to donate an organ. From the Big Five Personality Traits, calm, agreeable and cooperative will be the items which best predict willingness to donate. We studied the individual, demographic, and other personality factors that influence the decision making process and an individual’s willingness to donate an organ. Participants were recruited from both Canada and The United States. A convenience sample of prospective donors (n=219) was surveyed to determine willingness to donate any organ. Several psychological factors were hypothesized to be related to willingness to donate: cooperative, agreeable and calm, from the Big Five Personality Traits. A preliminary correlational analysis, followed by a logistic regression and ANOVA were conducted. Several univariate analyses (ANOVA) were conducted to further analyze group differences between the ‘willingness to donate’ group (N= 32) and the ‘not willing to donate’ group (N= 112) in prospective donors. The ANOVAs revealed significant differences between groups. The analyses revealed there are significant differences between the ‘willingness to donate’ group and the ‘not willing to donate’ group for the following Big Five Inventory personality items: CalmFacingDiff p=.046; Unselfish p =.028; Relaxed p =.021; Energetic p =.020; Tense p =.006; Worrier p =.034; EmotionStable p =.023; Considerate p =.013; Sociable p =.018; Follows Through p =.040 and Nervous p =.023. There are significant differences between the ‘willingness to donate’ group and the ‘not willing to donate’ group for the following Big Five Inventory personality traits: Extraversion p =.027; Agreeableness p =.048; and Neuroticism p =.006. Table 2 provides a summary of the univariate tests. One of the limitations of this study is the relatively small sample size of the willing to donate group (N=32); therefore, the results should be interpreted with some caution. Participant demographics revealed that of the 219 participants, 172 identified as female; 47 as male. The majority of participants (N= 138) reported being married or in a civil union. In terms of education, the majority of the participants had some high school (N=136), 10 had some college or post-secondary, 36 had completed college, or postgraduate work and 35 had been enrolled in an advanced degree of masters or doctoral program. Of the 219 participants, 215 responded to the question regarding willingness to donate any organ. Of these, N=32 indicted that they were willing to donate any organ and N=112 indicated they were unwilling to donate any organ. The remaining indicated that they were willing to donate some organs but not others. Results from a preliminary correlation analysis revealed fourteen significant correlations. A logistic regression was conducted to determine if personality factors predict willingness to donate. The results indicated two personality factors were found to be significant. Table 1 provides a summary of the logistic regression. The analysis revealed two items were significant predictors of willingness to donate any organ: Tense p =.012 and Routine p = 0.34. The items were derived from the Big Five Personality Inventory and were associated with two personality traits: Tense (Neuroticism) and Routine (Openness). Responses identifying tense feelings (Tense; Neuroticism) predicted willingness to donate any organ. Responses identifying preference for routine (Routine; Openness) predicted willingness to donate any organ. Results Background Globally, the demand for donated organs exceeds available supply (Wakefield, Reid, & Homewood, 2011). There are multiple barriers to the organ donation process involving timing and setting of the requested donation (Faudree, 2010) and the role spirituality has on donating attitudes and behaviors (Bresnahan et al., 2010). Canada has often linked the construct of altruism with organ donation, as it relates to avoiding the commercialization of organs (Human Tissue and Organ Donation Act, 2006). As there are practical and theoretical implications to organ donating behavior, we examined the predictors of willingness to donate an organ. This study examines the individual, demographic, and personality factors that influence the decision making process and an individual’s willingness to donate an organ.