PSYCHOSOCIAL CORRELATES OF EMOTIONAL DISTRESS AND RISK BEHAVIOR IN AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMEN AT RISK FOR HIV-INFECTION

Citation
A. Nyamathi et al., PSYCHOSOCIAL CORRELATES OF EMOTIONAL DISTRESS AND RISK BEHAVIOR IN AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMEN AT RISK FOR HIV-INFECTION, Anxiety, stress, and coping, 6(2), 1993, pp. 133-148
Citations number
67
Categorie Soggetti
Psychiatry
Journal title
ISSN journal
10615806
Volume
6
Issue
2
Year of publication
1993
Pages
133 - 148
Database
ISI
SICI code
1061-5806(1993)6:2<133:PCOEDA>2.0.ZU;2-O
Abstract
We examined a model of stress and coping in 749 African-American women at risk for HIV infection. Women in the sample were either homeless, intravenous drug users (IVDUs) sexual partners of IVDUs, or prostitute s. A model was hypothesized based on stress and coping theory and rese arch. Antecedents studied were personal resources, specifically self-e steem and available support. Mediators were threat appraisal and copin g efforts. Outcomes studied were emotional distress and HIV risk behav iors. Structural equation modeling techniques were used to test hypoth esized pathways between these variables. Forty-five percent of the var iance in emotional distress in these women was explained by the model with self-esteem and avoidant coping the strongest predictors. Ten per cent of the variance in risk behavior was explained by the model with emotional distress the strongest predictor. Direct and indirect pathwa ys predicting risk behavior and distress are discussed. Implications o f results for intervention and theory building are considered.