TY - JOUR
T1 - Differences in adjustment in HIV+ African American heterosexual and homosexual women
AU - Prado, Guillermo
AU - Pratt, Indira Abraham
AU - Feaster, Daniel J.
AU - Robinson-Batista, Carleen
AU - Smith, Lila
AU - Charles, Marie
AU - Szapocznik, José
PY - 2002
Y1 - 2002
N2 - This preliminary study explores differences in adjustment in lesbians and heterosexual women by examining three dimensions: psychological distress, major depression, and social support. Surveys were administered to 48 participants. HIV-positive African American lesbians experienced higher levels of psychological distress, anxiety, and current major depression than did their heterosexual counterparts. Lesbians reported less social support from their immediate family, but not from other sources such as friends, compared to the heterosexual women. Lesbians also reported less satisfaction with their social support network. The results presented here highlight the merit of future research to examine factors associated with the lack of family-based social support in HIV-infected lesbians and the potential of developing interventions that assess relationships with members of the immediate family, explore the possibility of repairing these relationships, and capitalize on social support from friends.
AB - This preliminary study explores differences in adjustment in lesbians and heterosexual women by examining three dimensions: psychological distress, major depression, and social support. Surveys were administered to 48 participants. HIV-positive African American lesbians experienced higher levels of psychological distress, anxiety, and current major depression than did their heterosexual counterparts. Lesbians reported less social support from their immediate family, but not from other sources such as friends, compared to the heterosexual women. Lesbians also reported less satisfaction with their social support network. The results presented here highlight the merit of future research to examine factors associated with the lack of family-based social support in HIV-infected lesbians and the potential of developing interventions that assess relationships with members of the immediate family, explore the possibility of repairing these relationships, and capitalize on social support from friends.
KW - African American
KW - Depression
KW - Distress
KW - HIV/AIDS
KW - Lesbians
KW - Social support
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U2 - 10.1023/A:1020336731655
DO - 10.1023/A:1020336731655
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0037610880
VL - 6
SP - 19
EP - 26
JO - Journal of the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association
JF - Journal of the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association
SN - 1090-7173
IS - 1
ER -