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
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.