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OPTIMISM MODERATES COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL STRESS MANAGEMENT EFFECTS ON EPSTEIN - BARR VIRUS ANTIBODY TITERS IN HIV-INFECTED GAY MEN OVER TIME | |
| Contact: Adam Carrico, M.S. Phone: 305-283-8992 Email: : acarrico@umiami.ir.miami.edu Embargoed until: March 6, 2004 |
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Coral Gables, FL - A growing body of research indicates that optimists have better psychological and immune functioning. An optimistic outlook may be especially relevant for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) - infected persons, because they experience discrimination and a variety of other chronic stressors in the face of declining physical health. The current investigation examined whether a Cognitive Behavioral Stress Management (CBSM) intervention with symptomatic HIV+ gay and bisexual men impacted psychological adjustment and immune functioning. Men in CBSM participated in a 10-week group intervention where they learned a variety of strategies to cope with the stress associated with being HIV+. Men in the control condition participated in a 1-day seminar that contained much of the information in the 10-week group, but in a condensed format. As presented at the American Psychosomatic Society meeting, we examined 49 men who returned during the 1-year follow-up period, and determined that men in CBSM reported enhanced psychological adjustment as well as maintained control of Epstein-Barr virus infection. More specifically, men in CBSM reported decreased depression as well as increased social support, and displayed no changes in Epstein-Barr virus antibody titers over the 1-year follow-up period. Conversely, men in the control condition reported no changes in psychological adjustment and displayed poorer control of Epstein-Barr virus infection (i.e., increases in Epstein-Barr virus antibody titers) over the same period. Finally, we determined that men who were more optimistic received the greatest benefit from the CBSM intervention. Results highlight that a relatively short intervention can impact psychological and immune functioning up to 1 year after its conclusion. In addition, men who have a more optimistic outlook on life may receive the greatest benefits from this treatment. Better control of Epstein-Barr virus infection (measured in this study by antibody titers) may be especially relevant, because it has been implicated in the development of various cancers in HIV+ persons. | |
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Psychosomatic Medicine is the official peer-reviewed journal of the American Psychosomatic Society, published bimonthly. For information about the journal, contact Vicki White, Managing Editor for Manuscript Production,
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