Personality factors, Self-efficacy and depression in chronic renal patients awaiting kidney transplant in Brazil

The aim of this study was to assess personality factors, self-efficacy and depression in chronic renal patients awaiting kidney transplant. Patients (n = 65) were adults under hemodialysis treatment and on the kidney transplant list with average age of 49.11 years. Pearson correlation analysis showed positive associations between the factors Surgency (r=-.353, p<.01) Conscientiousness (r=.415, p<.01) and self-efficacy; Neuroticism had negative correlation with self-efficacy (r=-.389, p<.01) and total (r=.688, p<0.01), psychological (r=.627, p<0.01) and somatic (r=.673, p<.01) depression levels; and the factors Conscientiousness and Agreableness also correlated positively and significantly with age (r=.381, p<.01; r=.309, p<.05 respectively) and age at diagnosis (r=.450, p<.05; r=0.271, p<.01). Neuroticism was significantly a predictor (R2=.47, β=5.35, p<.01) of depressive symptoms, while Conscientiousness, Neuroticism and Surgency factors together were predictors of self-efficacy in these patients (R2=.33, β=.23, p<.05). Personality factors must be considered in patients on the kidney transplant list, because they impact on behavior and depression levels of these patients.