---
_id: '14024'
abstract:
- lang: eng
  text: "Introduction:\r\n\r\nHeart transplantation (HTX), a treatment for end-stage
    heart failure, is accompanied by substantial psychological and physical strain
    for recipients. Many individuals develop Donor and Donation Images (DDI), referring
    to the thoughts and emotions directed toward the donor and/or the transplanted
    organ. The present study aims to systematically quantify the content dimensions
    of DDI and to explore their associations with psychological well-being and perceived
    organ acceptance.\r\n\r\nMethods:\r\n\r\nA total of 407 adult post-HTX patients
    participated in the survey. A self-developed questionnaire assessed 12 content
    categories of DDI, together with their perceived consequences. Descriptive analysis,
    gender comparisons, and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) were conducted to examine
    the underlying structure of DDI. Linear regressions and Spearman correlations
    were used in an exploratory manner to investigate statistical associations between
    DDI factors and psychological and emotional outcomes.\r\n\r\nResults:\r\n\r\nThe
    analysis of 402 complete datasets yielded three content factors: Social, Sex/Age,
    and Identity, capturing different facets of DDI. Women were more likely than men
    to contemplate the donor’s gender, age, and personality traits. Regression analysis
    showed small but statistically significant associations between the Social factor
    and perceived changes in personality and behavior, as well as between the Social
    and Sex/Age factors and positive emotional consequences. Across all models, the
    explained variance was low. No meaningful associations were observed with organ
    acceptance.\r\n\r\nDiscussion:\r\n\r\nThis study represents the first quantitative
    attempt to structure the contents of DDI and to examine their psychological correlates
    in a large cohort of HTX recipients. While the observed associations were modest,
    the findings contribute to a more nuanced understanding of how recipients engage
    cognitively and emotionally with their donor. The results underscore the need
    for further research, including instrument refinement and longitudinal designs,
    to better capture the complexity of DDI and their potential relevance for psychosocial
    care in transplantation."
article_number: '1813966'
article_type: original
author:
- first_name: Leoni
  full_name: Wahlers, Leoni
  last_name: Wahlers
- first_name: Nora M.
  full_name: Laskowski, Nora M.
  last_name: Laskowski
- first_name: Georg
  full_name: Halbeisen, Georg
  id: '85780'
  last_name: Halbeisen
  orcid: 0000-0002-9529-2215
- first_name: Katharina
  full_name: Tigges-Limmer, Katharina
  last_name: Tigges-Limmer
- first_name: Georgios
  full_name: Paslakis, Georgios
  last_name: Paslakis
citation:
  ama: Wahlers L, Laskowski NM, Halbeisen G, Tigges-Limmer K, Paslakis G. My heart
    will go on – quantitative content analysis of donor and donation images in patients
    after heart transplantation. <i>Frontiers in psychology / Frontiers Research Foundation</i>.
    2026;17. doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1813966">10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1813966</a>
  apa: Wahlers, L., Laskowski, N. M., Halbeisen, G., Tigges-Limmer, K., &#38; Paslakis,
    G. (2026). My heart will go on – quantitative content analysis of donor and donation
    images in patients after heart transplantation. <i>Frontiers in Psychology / Frontiers
    Research Foundation</i>, <i>17</i>, Article 1813966. <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1813966">https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1813966</a>
  bjps: <b>Wahlers L <i>et al.</i></b> (2026) My Heart Will Go on – Quantitative Content
    Analysis of Donor and Donation Images in Patients after Heart Transplantation.
    <i>Frontiers in psychology / Frontiers Research Foundation</i> <b>17</b>.
  chicago: Wahlers, Leoni, Nora M. Laskowski, Georg Halbeisen, Katharina Tigges-Limmer,
    and Georgios Paslakis. “My Heart Will Go on – Quantitative Content Analysis of
    Donor and Donation Images in Patients after Heart Transplantation.” <i>Frontiers
    in Psychology / Frontiers Research Foundation</i> 17 (2026). <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1813966">https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1813966</a>.
  chicago-de: Wahlers, Leoni, Nora M. Laskowski, Georg Halbeisen, Katharina Tigges-Limmer
    und Georgios Paslakis. 2026. My heart will go on – quantitative content analysis
    of donor and donation images in patients after heart transplantation. <i>Frontiers
    in psychology / Frontiers Research Foundation</i> 17. doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1813966">10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1813966</a>,
    .
  din1505-2-1: '<span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Wahlers, Leoni</span> ; <span
    style="font-variant:small-caps;">Laskowski, Nora M.</span> ; <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Halbeisen,
    Georg</span> ; <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Tigges-Limmer, Katharina</span>
    ; <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Paslakis, Georgios</span>: My heart will
    go on – quantitative content analysis of donor and donation images in patients
    after heart transplantation. In: <i>Frontiers in psychology / Frontiers Research
    Foundation</i> Bd. 17. Lausanne , Frontiers Media SA (2026)'
  havard: L. Wahlers, N.M. Laskowski, G. Halbeisen, K. Tigges-Limmer, G. Paslakis,
    My heart will go on – quantitative content analysis of donor and donation images
    in patients after heart transplantation, Frontiers in Psychology / Frontiers Research
    Foundation. 17 (2026).
  ieee: 'L. Wahlers, N. M. Laskowski, G. Halbeisen, K. Tigges-Limmer, and G. Paslakis,
    “My heart will go on – quantitative content analysis of donor and donation images
    in patients after heart transplantation,” <i>Frontiers in psychology / Frontiers
    Research Foundation</i>, vol. 17, Art. no. 1813966, 2026, doi: <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1813966">10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1813966</a>.'
  mla: Wahlers, Leoni, et al. “My Heart Will Go on – Quantitative Content Analysis
    of Donor and Donation Images in Patients after Heart Transplantation.” <i>Frontiers
    in Psychology / Frontiers Research Foundation</i>, vol. 17, 1813966, 2026, <a
    href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1813966">https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1813966</a>.
  short: L. Wahlers, N.M. Laskowski, G. Halbeisen, K. Tigges-Limmer, G. Paslakis,
    Frontiers in Psychology / Frontiers Research Foundation 17 (2026).
  ufg: '<b>Wahlers, Leoni u. a.</b>: My heart will go on – quantitative content analysis
    of donor and donation images in patients after heart transplantation, in: <i>Frontiers
    in psychology / Frontiers Research Foundation</i> 17 (2026).'
  van: Wahlers L, Laskowski NM, Halbeisen G, Tigges-Limmer K, Paslakis G. My heart
    will go on – quantitative content analysis of donor and donation images in patients
    after heart transplantation. Frontiers in psychology / Frontiers Research Foundation.
    2026;17.
date_created: 2026-09-14T05:55:47Z
date_updated: 2026-09-25T13:44:15Z
department:
- _id: DEP1500
doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1813966
intvolume: '        17'
keyword:
- DDI
- donor and donation images
- donor fantasies
- heart failure
- heart insufficiency
- heart transplantation
- organ fantasies
language:
- iso: eng
place: 'Lausanne '
publication: Frontiers in psychology / Frontiers Research Foundation
publication_identifier:
  issn:
  - 1664-1078
publication_status: published
publisher: Frontiers Media SA
quality_controlled: '1'
status: public
title: My heart will go on – quantitative content analysis of donor and donation images
  in patients after heart transplantation
type: scientific_journal_article
user_id: '83781'
volume: 17
year: '2026'
...