Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Close Relationships and Social Support in Coping with HIV: A Test of Sensitive Interaction Systems Theory

  • Published:
AIDS and Behavior Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study tested sensitive interaction systems theory, and examined how persons with HIV seek and receive social support in relationships with peers versus parents and the association between different kinds of support-receiving behaviors and depressive symptoms. The participants were men and women with HIV in southeastern Virginia who completed a self-administered questionnaire about their relations with parents, an intimate partner, and a close friend. Participants reported using more Ask behaviors (a direct form of support seeking) with a friend and an intimate partner than with parents. They also reported receiving more Approach (Solve/Solace) forms of support from a friend and an intimate partner than from parents and less Avoidance (Escape/Dismiss) from a close friend than from parents. As a support-seeking behavior Ask was most likely to be associated with Approach forms of support providing from all types of relationship partners. Avoidance from parents, an intimate partner, or a friend was positively associated with depressive symptoms. Counselors should discuss with clients the social support process and how different forms of support seeking and support providing may be more or less useful in coping with HIV.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Barbee, A. P., and Cunningham, M. R. (1995). An experimental approach to social support communications: Interactive coping in close relationships. In B. R. Burleson (Ed.), Communication yearbook/18 (pp. 381-413). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barbee, A. P., Cunningham, M. R., Winstead, B. A., Derlega, V. J., Gulley, M. R., Yankeelov, P. A., and Druen, P. B. (1993). The effects of gender role expectations on the social support process. Journal of Social Issues, 49(3), 175-190

    Google Scholar 

  • Barbee, A. P., Derlega, V. J., Sherburne, S. P., and Grimshaw, A. (1998). Helpful and unhelpful forms of social support for HIV-positive individuals. In V. J. Derlega and A. P. Barbee (Eds.), HIV and social interaction (pp. 83-105). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Catania, J. A., Turner, H. A., Choi, K.-H., and Coates, T. J. (1992). Coping with death anxiety: Help-seeking and social support among gay men with various HIV diagnoses. AIDS, 6, 999-1005.

    Google Scholar 

  • Derlega, V. J., Lovejoy, D., and Winstead, B. A. (1998). Personal accounts of disclosing and concealing HIV-positive test results: Weighing the benefits and risks. In V. J. Derlega and A. P. Barbee (Eds.), HIV and social interaction (pp. 147-164). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fleishman, J., Sherbourne, C. D., Crystal, S., Collins, R. L., Marshall, G. N., Kelly, M., Bozzette, S. A., Shapiro, and Hays, R. D. (2000). Coping, conflictual social interactions, social support, and mood among HIV-infected persons. American Journal of Community Psychology, 28, 421-453.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gaines, S. O. (2001). Coping with prejudice: Personal relationship partners as sources of socioemotional support for stigmatized individuals. Journal of Social Issues, 57(1), 113-128.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldsmith, D. J. (1995). The communicative microdynamics of support. In B. R. Burleson (Ed.), Communication yearbook/18 (pp. 414-433). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Haas, S. M. (2002). Social support as relationship maintenance in gay male couples coping with HIV or AIDS. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 19, 87-111.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hays, R. B., Catania, J. A., McKusick, L., and Coates, T. J. (1990a). Help-seeking for AIDS-related concerns: A comparison of gay men with various HIV diagnoses. American Journal of Community Psychology, 18, 740-755.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hays, R. B., Chauncey, S., and Tobey, L. A. (1990b). The social support networks of gay men with AIDS. Journal of Community Psychology, 18, 374-385.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hays, R. B., Magee, R. H., and Chauncey, S. (1994). Identifying helpful and unhelpful behaviours of loved ones: The PWA's perspective. AIDS Care, 6, 379-392.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hays, R. B., McKusick, L., Pollack, L., Hilliard, R., Hoff, C., and Coates, T. J. (1993). Disclosing HIV seropositivity to significant others. AIDS, 7, 1-7.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ingram, K. M., Jones, D. A., Fass, R. J., Neidig, J. L., and Song, Y. S. Social support and unsupportive social interactions: Their association with depression among people living with HIV. AIDS Care, 11, 313-329.

  • Johnston, D., Stall, R., and Smith, K. (1995). Reliance by gay men and intravenous drug users on friends and family for AIDS-related care. AIDS Care, 7, 307-319.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kalichman, S. C. (2000). Couples with HIV/AIDS. In K. B. Schmaling and T. Goldman Sher (Eds.), The psychology of couples and illness: Theory, research, and practice (pp. 171-190). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kalichman, S. C., Rompa, D., and Cage, M. (2000). Distinguishing between overlapping somatic symptoms of depression and HIV disease in people living with HIV-AIDS. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 188, 662-670.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kimberly, J. A., and Serovich, J. M. (1996). Perceived social support among people living with HIV/AIDS. American Journal of Family Therapy, 24, 41-53.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leserman, J., Jackson, E. D., Petitto, J. M., Golden, R. N., Silva, S. G., Perkins, D. O., Cai, J., Folds, J. D., and Evans, D. L. (1999). Progression to AIDS: The effects of stress, depressive symptoms, and social support. Psychosomatic Medicine, 61, 397-406.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leserman, J., Petitto, J. M., Golden, R. N., Gaynes, B. N., Gu, H., Perkins, D. O., Silva, S. G., Folds, J. D., and Evans, D. L. (2000). Impact of stressful life events, depression, social support, coping, and cortisol on progression to AIDS. American Journal of Psychiatry, 157, 1221-1228.

    Google Scholar 

  • Metts, S., Manns, H., and Kruzic, L. (1996). Social support structures and predictors of depression in persons who are seropositive. Journal of Health Psychology, 3, 367-382.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller, L. C., and Read, S. J. (1987). Why am I telling you this? Self-disclosure in a goal-based model of personality. In V. J. Derlega and J. H. Berg (Eds.), Self-disclosure: Theory, research, and therapy (pp. 35-58). New York: Plenum Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Parkenham, K. I. (1998). Specification of social support behaviours and network dimensions along the HIV continuum for gay men. Patient Education and Counseling, 34, 147-157.

    Google Scholar 

  • Radloff, L. (1977). The CES-D scale: A self-report depression scale for research in the general population. Applied Psychological Measurement, 1, 331-336.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rook, R. S. (1984). The negative side of social interaction: Impact on psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 46, 1097-1108.

    Google Scholar 

  • Siegel, K., Karus, D., and Raveis, V. H. (1997). Correlates of change in depressive symptomatology among gay men with AIDS. Health Psychology, 16, 230-238.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stevens, J. (1996). Applied multivariate statistics for the social sciences (3rd edition). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wrubel, J., and Folkman, S. (1997). What informal caregivers actually do: The caregiving skills of partners of men with AIDS. AIDS Care, 9, 691-706.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia, 23529-0267

    Valerian J. Derlega & Barbara A. Winstead

  2. Division of Infectious Disease, C3ID, Department of Internal Medicine, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Virginia, 23507-1912

    Edward C. Oldfield III

  3. Kent School of Social Work, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, 40292

    Anita P. Barbee

Authors
  1. Valerian J. Derlega
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Barbara A. Winstead
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Edward C. Oldfield III
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Anita P. Barbee
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Valerian J. Derlega.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Derlega, V.J., Winstead, B.A., Oldfield, E.C. et al. Close Relationships and Social Support in Coping with HIV: A Test of Sensitive Interaction Systems Theory. AIDS Behav 7, 119–129 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1023990107075

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1023990107075

Search

Navigation