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Ethnic differences in the links between benefit finding and psychological adjustment in people living with HIV

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Abstract

Experiencing growth after the diagnosis of a life threatening illness is commonly reported among people living with HIV (PLWH). The links between benefit finding and better adjustment in PLWH have been identified, but it is less clear whether these links vary by ethnicity. Minority stress theory suggests that individuals from minority populations may have unique stress experiences, which can have negative health implications but may also provide opportunity for growth. We hypothesized that the association between benefit finding and psychological adjustment would be stronger for Black (n = 80) than White (n = 87) PLWH. Contrary to predictions, the relationship between benefit finding and better adjustment was significant for White but not Black PLWH. Post-hoc analyses suggested that sexual orientation played role in this relationship. The relationship between benefit finding and psychological adjustment may be complex for Black PLWH, or they may achieve adjustment using other resources.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Psychological Sciences, University of Indianapolis, 1400 East Hanna Avenue, Indianapolis, IN, 46227, USA

    Erin M. Fekete & Michael Chatterton

  2. Pacific Graduate School of Psychology, Palo Alto University, 1791 Arastradero Road, Palo Alto, CA, 94304, USA

    Matthew D. Skinta

  3. Department of Psychology, East Tennessee State University, P.O. Box 70649, Johnson City, TN, 37614, USA

    Stacey L. Williams

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  1. Erin M. Fekete
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  2. Michael Chatterton
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  4. Stacey L. Williams
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Correspondence to Erin M. Fekete.

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Erin M. Fekete, Michael Chatterton, Matthew D. Skinta and Stacey L. Williams declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Fekete, E.M., Chatterton, M., Skinta, M.D. et al. Ethnic differences in the links between benefit finding and psychological adjustment in people living with HIV. J Behav Med 39, 493–501 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-016-9715-0

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