The role of resiliency in the process of adaptation to life after heart transplantation

Aim. The aim of the research was to find out if resiliency is a potentially significant factor in the process of adaptation after heart transplantation. Material and methods. The research included 53 people after heart transplantation, hospitalized in the John Paul II Hospital in Kraków. Measures included a self-made interview questionnaire; the Acceptance of Illness Scale, the Polish Resiliency Assessment Scale SPP-25. The necessary statistics were conducted by means of SPSS program. Results. Examined group of heart transplant patients appeared to be well adapted to living with a transplanted heart and was characterized by an average level of resiliency. The results supported the hypotheses regarding the relationship between resiliency and adaptation after heart transplantation. Personal skill to cope, to tolerate negative emotions and failures as well as the ability to view life as a challenge seem to play a special role in the process of adapting to life with a new heart. Conclusions. Resiliency is a factor significantly related to adaptation after heart transplantation, and it has implications for clinical practice, especially for the rehabilitation of patients after transplantation. It seems to be important to shape and develop these elements of resiliency which are mostly related to positive adaptation after heart transplantation.