Measuring psychological adjustment to HIV infection.

AIMS: A modified version of the Mental Adjustment to Cancer Scale (The Mental Adjustment to HIV Scale--MAHIVS) was used to evaluate patterns of psychological adjustment in response to HIV infection.

METHODS

A sample of 164 HIV positive homosexual/bisexual men were recruited across three Australian centers (79 asymptomatic (CDC II/III) and 85 symptomatic HIV infection (CDC IV)). Factor analysis of the MAHIVS was conducted and the predictive validity of the MAHIVS was investigated using the General Health Questionnaire, while The Diagnostic Interview Schedule was used to assess current and lifetime psychiatric disorder. Other measures of adjustment/coping were used to investigate the construct validity of the MAHIVS (neuroticism, locus of control, defense style).

RESULTS

Factor analysis of the MAHIVS detected four factors: Hopelessness, Fighting Spirit/Self Efficacy, Personal Control, and Minimization. Hopelessness and Fighting Spirit factors exhibited acceptable levels of internal consistency and validity, with significant correlations detected with psychological symptoms and significant association with other measures of psychological adjustment and personality. Fighting Spirit emerged as a potential indicator of psychological resilience, whereas Hopelessness was significantly associated with psychological symptoms and current major depression (but not past depression).

CONCLUSIONS

The findings indicate the validity of the MAHIVS and support the presence of common themes in the psychological adaptation to life-threatening illness that can be detected across disease categories and groups.