Altruistic kidney donor is a term used for an anonymous living kidney donor, altruism is also seen as an “ethical value” (Nuffield Council on Bioethics, 2011). Informed consent is assured through a psychiatric assessment on potential donors (HTA, 2012), once the informed consent is clear the other reasons why an altruistic kidney donor wants to donate is disregarded; for this reason there is lack of information explaining the reasons behind an altruistic donor. Although, recently a study by Clarke et al (2013) found donors commonly donate due to “connectedness to others” and “un-easy negotiations with others”. Due to a more individualistic society in the past Altruistic kidney donors were seen by many as a possible mental illness Sadler et al (1971).
This study by Challenor Watts (2013) used a psychosocial methodological framework to qualitatively investigate the social and psychological factors behind why altruistic kidney donors donate. Furthermore to allow the findings to not be affected by post-donation thoughts and experience the study focussed on pre-donation. Discourse analysis was used to examine how language is used by altruistic kidney donors to think and speak. Nonetheless the positioning theory argues that some participants may choose to …show more content…
The first question asked was, “I am interested in your decision to become an altruistic kidney donor, please tell me about it”. The question is quite open and not structured thus the participants are free to inform the experimenter however he feels comfortable explaining it; the interview was quite detailed as follow up questions were asked such as what their family thought about them donating. Three out of six interviews were chosen to be psychoanalytically read and interpreted as it presented reasons explaining the “emotional investment” the participants
This study by Challenor Watts (2013) used a psychosocial methodological framework to qualitatively investigate the social and psychological factors behind why altruistic kidney donors donate. Furthermore to allow the findings to not be affected by post-donation thoughts and experience the study focussed on pre-donation. Discourse analysis was used to examine how language is used by altruistic kidney donors to think and speak. Nonetheless the positioning theory argues that some participants may choose to …show more content…
The first question asked was, “I am interested in your decision to become an altruistic kidney donor, please tell me about it”. The question is quite open and not structured thus the participants are free to inform the experimenter however he feels comfortable explaining it; the interview was quite detailed as follow up questions were asked such as what their family thought about them donating. Three out of six interviews were chosen to be psychoanalytically read and interpreted as it presented reasons explaining the “emotional investment” the participants