SENSE OF COHERENCE IN MINORITY WOMEN AT RISK FOR HIV-INFECTION

It is theorized that persons with strong sense of coherence are likely to define an event as less stressful and be able to manage a problem more successfully than those with weak sense of coherence. The study i nvestigated the relationship among coherence and personal and environm ental concerns, appraisal of threat, emotional distress, and high-risk behaviors in minority women at risk for human immunodeficiency (HIV) infection. As predicted, a significant negative relationship was seen between level of coherence and concerns. Moreover, women strong in coh erence reported less negative appraisals of threat, less emotional dis tress, and fewer high-risk behaviors than those with weak coherence. R esults of tests of a path model investigating the impact of coherence and appraisal on distress and risk revealed coherence to be significan tly and negatively associated with appraisal, distress, and risk, both directly and indirectly through its association with appraisal. The p ath model accounted for 45% of the variance in distress, 10% of the va riance in appraisal, and 4% of risk behavior. Continuing investigation of factors such as coherence that can lessen the seriousness of envir onmental stressors is imperative as it relates to women at risk for HI V infection.