Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1987. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
SOCIAL SUPPORT, COPING AND AUTO IMMUNE DEFICIENCY SYNDROME (AIDS): AN EXPLORATORY STUDY
Diss Abstr Int [A]; 46(8):2793 1986. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE ICDB/87632396 Alumbaugh MJ; California School of Professional Psychology
Abstract:
This study examined the social support and coping of individuals with Auto Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Fifty men were recruited from the AIDS outpatient clinic, Department of Immunology/Oncology at UCLA. Data gathered by self report questionnaire included sociodemographics, self esteem, attitudes toward homosexuality, social support, coping responses, mood state and physical health status. Additionally, diagnosis and the number of medical symptoms was obtained from medical charts. A model was tested which examined environmental, personal and social factors' influence on physical health and psychological well being. It was hypothesized the dependent variables of mood state and physical health would be predicted by the independent variables in a series of regression equations. It was also hypothesized that mood state at a second time interval would be associated with social support. The model was predictive of psychological outcomes, but not the physical health measures. Variables related to good psychological, and to a lesser extent, physical outcomes included self esteem, satisfaction with support, instrumental support, emotional support and active coping responses. Results conflict with previous research in that worsened physical condition was not associated with satisfaction with support, was negatively related to instrumental support and was not associated with increased quantitative support. Contrary to predictions, measures of satisfaction with support, instrumental support and emotional support were quite high, although network size was small. The quantitative measures of support were not predictive of outcomes but qualitative measures of support were associated with better overall psychological well being and the experiential aspects of physical health. Instrumental support and satisfaction with support proved to be important variables, associated with higher physical health scores and lowered mood disturbance. Instrumental support was the only support variable to remain associated with lowered mood disturbance at the second time interval. Coping responses demonstrated distinctly different patterns of association with active coping responses consistently associated to high self esteem, satisfaction with support, instrumental support, and lowered mood disturbance. Avoidance coping responses were associated with depression, low self esteem, low quantitative support and low satisfaction with support. Cognitive coping was not associated to any of the outcome measures. It was suggested that the uniformly high level of satisfaction with support was a function of the unique characteristics of this sample. Implications for interventions were also discussed.
Keywords: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/*PSYCHOLOGY *Adaptation, Psychological Human Male *Social Support THESIS
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Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1987. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
