Depression among HIV/AIDS patients: A study with reference to social support and optimism

Pages: 200-202
Tejal B. Nasit (Department of Psychology, Yogiji Maharaj College, Dhari, Amreli, Gujarat, India)

The aim of the present investigation was to study the impact of the level of social support and optimism on depression. A sample of 180 rural and 180 urban HIV/acquired immunodeficiency syndromes (AIDS) patients were administered by Derogatis’s symptom check list-90-R revised scale, Mehra and Kalhora’s social support scale and Scheier and Carver’s the life orientation test. One-way analysis of variance technique yielded that there was a significant effect of social support and optimism on depression. The level of depression was higher among group of less social support and less optimism HIV/AIDS patient than the other (moderate and high) groups.