COPING STYLES AND PSYCHOSOCIAL-RELATED VARIABLES AN HIV-INFECTED PATIENTS

The study examined the relationship between coping and psychosocial va riables (psychological stress symptoms, locus of control, emotional re pression, and social support) among 108 human immunodeficiency, virus (HIV)-infected patients. The authors administered sever-al tests, incl uding one that I?measures fighting spirit and degree of hopelessness, to assess each patient's individual coping style. The patients who wer e adjusting well to their HIV-positive status tended to have a higher level of fighting spirit and lower degree of hopelessness than those p atients who were not adjusting well to their HIV-positive status. A co ping style based on incapacity; to face and confront HN infection tvas associated with symptoms of psychological stress, repression of anger , external locus of control, and low social support in the latter grou p. These patients showed symptoms indicating maladjustment to HIV infe ction (43% of the sample) and differed from the ''noncases'' (the well -adjusted patients) in that the former group reported inadequate copin g responses (lower fighting spirit and higher hopelessness, fatalistic attitude, and anxious preoccupation) and poorer social support, and h ad a greater tendency to repress anger and express sadness. The data s upport the hypothesis that coping with HIV infection is a complex phen omenon involving multiple and inter-acting variables. Interventions ai med at improving the coping style for many HIV patients are needed.