An Emotionally Inexpressive (Type C) Coping Style Influences HIV Disease Progression at Six and Twelve Month Follow-ups |
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| Authors: | Luigi Solano Massimo Costa Lydia Temoshok Simonetta Salvati Rosamaria Coda Fernando Aiuti |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Department of Psychology , University of Rome "La Sapienza" , Rome, Italy;2. Italian Institute of Social Medicine , Rome, Italy;3. Institute of Human Virology , University of Maryland , Baltimore, MD, USA;4. Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology , University of Rome "La Sapienza" , Rome, Italy |
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| Abstract: | This study examined the effects of specific psychosocial factors on the progression of HIV infection in 200 HIV-1 seropositive but asymptomatic men and women. At baseline, participants' disease status was determined, and they were administered self-report assessments of coping style, social support and loneliness. Participants were classified at 6 and 12 month follow-ups as progressed or unchanged, compared to their baseline status. In logistic regression analyses, higher baseline Type C coping scores (indicating emotional inexpressiveness and decreased recognition of needs and feelings) significantly predicted progression at 6 months ( p <0.01) and 12 months ( p <0.02), but only among participants classified at baseline as CDC-A2 (between 200-499 CD4 cells/mm 3 ). In participants originally classified as CDC-A1 (CD4 cell counts > 500/mm 3 ), no psychosocial variable showed any significant relationship. Results emphasize the need to consider the disease context, as well as the interaction between biological and psychological factors in contributing to disease progression. |
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| Keywords: | Hiv Infection Emotion Coping Type C Hardiness Social Support Disease Progression |
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