The relationship between coping strategies and anxiety and depression
was investigated in 29 women patients with acquired immune deficiency
syndrome (AIDS) or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, at a
psychiatric AIDS clinic. The women were divided on the basis of risk f
actor, intravenous drug use (IVDU), and nonintravenous drug use (non-I
VDU), and coping strategies were compared. Based on a battery of psych
ological tests, the coping strategies of self-blaming denial, wish-ful
filling fantasy, emotional expression, and threat minimization were si
gnificantly related to greater anxiety and depression. There was no di
fference in coping strategies between the IVDUs and non-IVDUs, and non
e of the coping strategies employed appeared to be associated with les
s anxiety or depression. This may have been due to the psychiatric AID
S clinic sample, possibly representing the more distressed group of HI
V/AIDS patients, for whom coping strategies were overwhelmed.