Self-efficacy and distress in women with AIDS: the SMART/EST women's project

• Published in: AIDS care Vol. 22; no. 12; pp. 1499 - 1508
• Main Authors: Jones, Deborah L., Ishii Owens, Mary, Lydston, David, Tobin, Jonathan N., Brondolo, Elizabeth, Weiss, Stephen M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Taylor & Francis Group 01-12-2010; Taylor & Francis; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome; Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - ethnology; Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - psychology; Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - therapy; Adaptation, Psychological; Adult; African Americans; AIDS; Algorithms; Anti-HIV Agents - therapeutic use; Anxiety; Anxiety-Depression; Behavior modification; Behavior therapy. Cognitive therapy; Behavioural psychology; Biological and medical sciences; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy - methods; Depression; distress; Emotional disorders; Female; Group psychotherapy; group therapy; Hispanic people; HIV; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Intervention; Low income; Low income women; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Psychological distress; Psychological effects; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Psychotherapies. Psychological and clinical counseling; Psychotherapy, Group - methods; Self Efficacy; Selfefficacy; Social Support; Socioeconomic Factors; Statistics as Topic; Stress, Psychological - etiology; Stress, Psychological - therapy; Treatments; United States; Urban areas; Women; Women's Health; United States; North America; America; United States > US; Social environment; Human; distress; Immunopathology; Cognitive therapy; Treatment efficiency; Mental health; Support psychotherapy; AIDS; Group psychotherapy; Immune deficiency; Infection; Treatment; Follow up study; Viral disease; self-efficacy; Self efficacy; Behavior therapy; Combined treatment; Coping; group therapy; Woman; Public health; women
• ISSN: 0954-0121; 1360-0451
• DOI: 10.1080/09540121.2010.484454

Though African American and Hispanic women accounted for 14% of the female population in the USA, they represented 66% of the total HIV/AIDS diagnoses among women in 2007. Among men living with HIV, increased coping self-efficacy (SE) following a cognitive behavioral intervention has been related to decreased distress, anxiety, anger, and confusion, but comparable studies had not been carried out with HIV+ women.
The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of changes in SE following a cognitive behavioral stress management plus expressive supportive therapy (CBSM+) intervention on depression and anxiety in low-income urban predominantly minority women living with AIDS. Women (n=451) were randomized to a group CBSM+ or individual informational intervention condition and completed baseline, post-intervention and long-term follow-up (12 months) assessments of depression, anxiety and SE. Women who were assigned to the CBSM+ group condition and increased their level of cognitive behavioral SE reported significant decreases in anxiety and depression at post-intervention and long-term follow-up in comparison with controls who did not improve. Results suggest that both cognitive behavioral skills and a concomitant increase in the perceived level of SE in the use of those skills are predictive of distress reduction.