Coping responses and psychological adjustment in gay men with AIDS: a longitudinal analysis.

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1990. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

Coping responses and psychological adjustment in gay men with AIDS: a longitudinal analysis.

Int Conf AIDS. 1990 Jun 20-23;6(1):140 (abstract no. Th.B.25). Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE ICA6/10002590
Reed GM; Kemeny ME; Taylor SE; University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: This study examined the relationship between coping responses of gay men diagnosed with AIDS and psychological adjustment, both cross-sectionally and longitudinally. METHODS: Fifty men with AIDS, recruited from the UCLA Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS), participated at Time 1. A subset of 24 men participated at Time 2, an average of 8 months later. Coping responses were assessed at Time 1 and multiple measures of subjective health status and psychological adjustment were assessed at Time 1 and 2 by questionnaire. RESULTS: Factor analysis of the Ways of Coping scale yielded five coping factors similar to those found in other populations with life-threatening illness. Cross-sectionally, Behavioral Escape-Avoidance accounted for the largest proportion of variance (17%), and was negatively related to adjustment, as was Cognitive Escape-Avoidance, while Active Positive Coping was positively related to adjustment, after accounting for subjective health status. Longitudinally, Behavioral Escape-Avoidance at Time 1 explained 39% of the variance in adjustment at Time 2, after accounting for subjective health status at Time 2. Items related to self-isolation, self-blame, and unhappiness with one's options had particularly strong negative relationships with adjustment. CONCLUSIONS: The use of specific coping strategies strongly predicted poor future psychological adjustment in these gay men with AIDS. The identification of a subset of men with AIDS at risk for poor adjustment will facilitate the development of interventions aimed at decreasing psychological difficulties and enhancing quality of life.

Keywords: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/*PSYCHOLOGY *Adaptation, Psychological Cohort Studies Cross-Sectional Studies Escape Reaction Homosexuality Human Longitudinal Studies Male Questionnaires Risk Factors ABSTRACT
901230
M90C3693

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