Abstract
<title>Abstract</title> <p>Introduction: Candidates undergoing evaluation for lung transplantation frequently experience substantial psychological distress. However, little is known about the relationships between generalized anxiety, panic-related symptoms, self-efficacy, and perceived social support during transplant evaluation. Methods In this single-center cross-sectional study, 50 adult patients undergoing evaluation for lung transplantation completed the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), Panic Disorder Severity Scale–Self Report (PDSS-SR), General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES), and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). Associations were examined using Spearman correlations, Mann–Whitney U tests, multiple linear regression, and a negative binomial hurdle model. Results Higher self-efficacy was independently associated with lower generalized anxiety severity after adjustment for age, sex, and perceived social support (B = − 0.373, p = .006). Perceived social support was not significantly associated with generalized anxiety or panic-related symptoms. Women demonstrated higher panic-related symptom severity and lower self-efficacy than men. Exploratory hurdle modeling indicated greater intensity of panic-related symptoms among women with non-zero PDSS scores. Discussion General self-efficacy appears to be an important psychosocial correlate of generalized anxiety during lung transplant evaluation. Assessment of self-efficacy may help identify patients requiring additional psychological support. Larger prospective studies are needed to confirm the exploratory findings regarding panic-related symptoms.</p>