The impact of improved self-efficacy on HIV viral load and distress in culturally diverse women living with AIDS: the SMART/EST women's project

• Published in: AIDS care 2005-02, Vol.17 (2), p.222-236
• Main Authors: Ironson, G., Weiss, S., Lydston, D., Ishii, M., Jones, D., Asthana, D., Tobin, J., Lechner, S., Laperriere, A., Schneiderman, N., Antoni, M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome; Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - immunology; Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - psychology; Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - virology; Adult; Affect; AIDS; AIDS/HIV; Analysis of Variance; Behavior Therapy; Biological and medical sciences; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes - metabolism; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes - metabolism; Changes; Cognition; Cognition & reasoning; Cognitive behaviour therapy; Culture; Disease Progression; Diseases; Female; Health; HIV; Human immunodeficiency virus; Human viral diseases; Humans; Infectious diseases; Medical sciences; Minorities; Patient Compliance; Self Efficacy; Selfefficacy; Tests; U.S.A; USA; Viral diseases; Viral diseases of the lymphoid tissue and the blood. Aids; Viral Load; Women
• ISSN: 0954-0121; 1360-0451
• DOI: 10.1080/09540120512331326365

The purpose of the present study was to determine whether changes in self-efficacy over time would be related to changes in disease progression markers (CD4, viral load) in a sample of women with AIDS. A self-efficacy measure was developed and two sub-scales emerged via factor analysis of 391 HIV-positive women: AIDS Self-efficacy and Cognitive Behavioral Skills Self-efficacy. Subsequently, the sub-scales and an additional adherence self-efficacy item were given to 56 HIV-positive women who were measured at two time points three months apart. Half of these women were randomly assigned to a CB intervention and half to a low intensity comparison condition. Increases in AIDS Self-efficacy over the three-month period were significantly related to increases in CD4 and decreases in viral load. Similarly, increases in Cognitive Behavioral Skills Self-efficacy were significantly related to decreases in distress over time. Findings were maintained within the intervention group alone. Interestingly, increases in cognitive behavioral skills self-efficacy and increases in the self-efficacy adherence item were also significantly related to decreases in viral load. Implications of the findings and suggestions for future research are discussed.