AVOIDANCE COPING BEHAVIORS AND LOW SOCIAL SUPPORT ARE RELATED TO DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS IN HIV-POSITIVE PATIENTS IN JAPAN

The authors examined the influences of several psychosocial factors (i .e., coping behavior responses, social support, etc.) on mood states i n 47 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients without the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). No patients fulfilled the D SM-III-R diagnostic criteria for mood disorders, including major depre ssion. However, the HIV group indicated significantly stronger depress ive symptoms and lower social support than the healthy control group. The strength of depressive symptoms and poor social support were signi ficantly correlated with one another Although the HIV group indicated significantly stronger active coping behaviors than the healthy contro l group, depressive symptoms were significantly and positively correla ted with avoidance coping behaviors. When existence of social support was controlled for this significant correlation was not noted, indicat ing that avoidance coping behaviors are independently and significantl y related to depressive symptoms. The results suggest that, although d epressive symptoms are not strong enough to warrant a psychiatric diag nosis of mood disorders, including major depression, avoidance coping behaviors and poor existence of social support may be a highrisk combi nation for the manifestation of depressive symptoms in HN-positive pat ients without AIDS in Japan.