Family-Related Motivation and Regret Intensity Among Family Liver Donors by Type of Family Relationship

BACKGROUND Living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) from a family member, particularly adult children, is common in South Korea. Although LDLT is restricted to donors with altruistic motivations, some still experience post-donation regret. However, the role of family-related motivation in post-donation regret remains underexplored. This study examined whether family-related motivations were associated with regret intensity and whether these associations varied by the type of family relationship (child vs spouse, sibling, or parent donors). MATERIAL AND METHODS This study was a cross-sectional secondary analysis. The sample comprised 124 postoperative living liver donors. They completed a family-related motivation subscale of the Donor Motivation Questionnaire and a single-item measure of regret intensity. For moderation analysis, Model 1 of the PROCESS macro was used. RESULTS The mean score of post-donation regret was 1.3 out of 4. Non-child donors reported higher levels of regret than child donors. Particularly in non-child donors, family-related motivation was inversely associated with regret intensity, after adjusting for age, sex, caregiver role, postoperative complications, and months since donation. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that child and non-child donors have distinct motivations, which are linked to differing levels of regret. Accordingly, transplant teams should provide tailored information and support services based on the donor's family relationship type.