Chronic kidney failure affects approximately 30,000 people in the UK (Stein and Wild, 2000). In addition to the physical impact this has, negative psychological consequences can also arise (Rodrigue, Mandelbrot & Pavlakis, 2011; Christensen & Ehlers, 2002). Treatment options involve either dialysis or kidney transplant, with living kidney donation being a viable option. The condition and its treatment affect not only the patient but also those close to them, potentially impacting on their relationships (Crombie & Franklin, 2006; Gill & Lowes, 2008; Reimer et al., 2006). This thesis is made up of three chapters:- Chapter one presents a critical review of the research on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) interventions in renal patients. It discusses the areas in which CBT has been applied, highlighting the focus on fluid adherence behaviour, sleep difficulties and psychological aspects such as depression. Many of the articles report promising findings, suggesting CBT to be potentially beneficial to the renal population. The review highlights many of the limitations of the current literature and identifies directions for further research. Chapter two presents an empirical study exploring the experiences of living kidney donors, donating to a spouse or partner. The paper focuses on gaining an understanding of the donor’s experience of their relationship with the recipient, using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Findings revealed four superordinate themes comprising of: transitions within the relationship, defences against distress, conflict of motivation to donate and reduction in uncertainty and return to normality. Clinical implications of the findings and directions for further research are discussed. Chapter three is a reflective paper highlighting some of the issues which arose for the researcher during the research process. This paper considers the development of knowledge and skills required for research and may be beneficial to future researchers in the area.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:618934 |
| Date | January 2013 |
| Creators | Poole, Donna |
| Publisher | University of Warwick |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Source | http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/63010/ |
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