Latent Profile Analysis and Influencing Factors of Learned Helplessness in Maintenance Hemodialysis Patients: A Cross-sectional Study.

Purpose: Maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients frequently experience psychological distress, including learned helplessness(LH), which impairs self-management and adversely affects health-related quality of life. This study aimed to investigate the latent profiles of LH among MHD patients and to identify the bio-psycho-social determinants influencing these profiles.

Method: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in five hospitals in Guangdong, China, from May to July 2024, enrolling 548 MHD patients. Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) was applied to classify patients into distinct LH subgroups. Chi-square tests and multinomial logistic regression analyses were employed to identify factors influencing LH profiles.

Results: LPA identified three distinct LH profiles: High Helplessness-Resigned Group (49.0%), Moderate Helplessness-Adaptive Group (36.4%) and Low Helplessness-Hopeful Group (14.6%). Regression analyses revealed that sex, income, history of kidney transplantation, symptom distress, hope, and family support were significant determinants of LH profiles. Patients with high symptom distress, lower levels of hope, and reduced family support were more likely to belong to the High Helplessness-Resigned Group.

Conclusions: The findings underscore the complex nature of LH in MHD patients and emphasize the importance of symptom management, hope enhancement, and family support in interventions. Tailored psychological and social support strategies may alleviate LH, improving the mental health and quality of life of MHD patients. Future studies should examine the long-term impact of these interventions on patient outcomes.