Role of coping styles in quality of life of people living with HIV/AIDS

Pages:6-9
Naina Sharma (Department of Distance Education, Punjabi University, Patiala)
Gurminder Sokhey (Department of Psychology, Punjabi University, Patiala)

This study is an attempt to investigate the role of coping styles in quality of life of people living with HIV/AIDS. The sample comprised 225 patients (Males=116; Females =109 in the age range of 20-50 years) attending ART clinics of Punjab. Only those patients were included who were diagnosed by the consultant incharge on the basis of clinical examination and tests. Each subject was contacted personally by the investigator and Cope Inventory (Carver et al.,1989) was administered to study the coping styles and MOS-HIV inventory by Wu, Rubin et at (1991) was used to assess QOL. To study the role of coping styles with QOL, Pearson’s Product Moment coefficient of correlation and t test were applied to study the gender differences on coping styles in people living with HIV/AIDS. The results reflect significant positive correlations between problem focused coping styles and physical functioning, role functioning, social functioning, cognitive functioning and QOL. Positive correlations were found between emotion focused coping styles and physical functioning, role functioning and social functioning. Negative correlation was found between inefficacious coping styles and mental health. Furthermore significant differences were observed on various dimensions of coping styles viz: focus on and venting of emotions, use of social support, denial, religious coping, humor, use of emotional support and substance use.