The contributions of social support and coping methods to stress resiliency in couples facing hemophilia and HIV

Abstract

The psychosocial impact of HIV on the hemophilia community has been largely ignored in the literature. The current study examined the contributions of social support and coping methods to resiliency against HIV-related stress among hemophilic men and their long-term female partners. Main effect and stress buffering models of stress resiliency were tested. Criterion variables included subjective psychological distress and physical symptoms. Results revealed support for the main effect model only. Marital satisfaction and support from friends predicted husbands' functioning and support from friends predicted partners' functioning. For both spouses, avoidant coping was associated with poorer functioning. The findings of this study and other research with this sample have provided the foundation for a clinical intervention which is summarized in an appendix.