Suboptimal adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) can interfere with virologic suppression and increase risk of developing drug-resistant... Show moreSuboptimal adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) can interfere with virologic suppression and increase risk of developing drug-resistant strains of the virus. People living with HIV (PLH) have difficulty complying with ART—a treatment regimen that is unforgiving of non-adherence—in large part because this population is at higher risk for stressors, including experiencing their HIV diagnosis as a traumatic event (e.g., Boarts et al., 2006; Theuninck, Lake, & Gibson, 2010). Perceived social support and coping are contextual and changeable factors that can be focused on in interventions to improve treatment adherence. This study aimed to confirm that more perceived social support is related to optimal treatment adherence in PLH who experienced HIV-related trauma, through bolstering coping strategies, namely, emotion-focused coping strategies like positive reappraisal and emotional social support seeking, and problem-focused coping related to managing ART (i.e., active coping). Participants were 62 young adults living with HIV recruited from a local HIV clinic. Participants were assessed for experiencing their HIV diagnosis as a traumatic event, perceived social support, coping, and medication adherence. Positive reappraisal, emotional support seeking, and active coping strategies did not mediate the relation between perceived social support and adherence, however, active coping had a statistically significant effect on adherence when controlling for other hypothesized mediators in the model. This finding has practical significance for clinicians in that it suggests active coping plays a more direct role in improving treatment adherence than emotional support seeking and positive reappraisal coping strategies. M.S. in Psychology, May 2017 Show less
