The impact of improved self-efficacy on HIV viral load and distress in culturally diverse women living with AIDS: the SMART/EST women's project
Authors:
G. Ironson a;
S. Weiss b;
D. Lydston b;
M. Ishii b;
D. Jones c;
D. Asthana b;
J. Tobin d;
S. Lechner a;
A. Laperriere b;
N. Schneiderman a;
M. Antoni a
| Affiliations: | a University of Miami, Miami, USA |
| b University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, USA | |
| c Barry University, Miami, USA | |
| d Clinical Directors Network, Inc., New York, USA |
DOI:
10.1080/09540120512331326365
Publication Frequency:
12 issues per year
Subjects:
AIDS & HIV;
AIDS & HIV Infection;
Allied Health;
Behavioral Medicine;
Child & Adolescent Psychiatry & Clinical Psychology;
Counseling;
Counselling - Social Work;
Ethics & Legal issues in Mental Health;
HIV & AIDS Counseling;
Health Psychology;
Infectious Diseases;
Medical Sociology;
Psychiatry & Clinical Psychology - Adult;
Public Health - Medical Sociology;
Risk;
Social Policy;
Number of References: 59
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Abstract
The purpose of the present study was to determine whether changes in self-efficacy over time would be related to changes in disease progression markers (CD4, viral load) in a sample of women with AIDS. A self-efficacy measure was developed and two sub-scales emerged via factor analysis of 391 HIV-positive women: AIDS Self-efficacy and Cognitive Behavioral Skills Self-efficacy. Subsequently, the sub-scales and an additional adherence self-efficacy item were given to 56 HIV-positive women who were measured at two time points three months apart. Half of these women were randomly assigned to a CB intervention and half to a low intensity comparison condition. Increases in AIDS Self-efficacy over the three-month period were significantly related to increases in CD4 and decreases in viral load. Similarly, increases in Cognitive Behavioral Skills Self-efficacy were significantly related to decreases in distress over time. Findings were maintained within the intervention group alone. Interestingly, increases in cognitive behavioral skills self-efficacy and increases in the self-efficacy adherence item were also significantly related to decreases in viral load. Implications of the findings and suggestions for future research are discussed.
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