Factors associated with resilience among Black women living with HIV and histories of trauma

Abstract

In the United States, Black women living with HIV face various individual (e.g. trauma) and structural (e.g. racism) adversities. However, resilience is understudied among Black women living with HIV. A total of 100 Black women living with HIV in the United States completed measures of resilience, general self-efficacy, self-esteem, post-traumatic growth, trauma symptoms, trauma-related cognitions, and depressive symptoms. Regressions controlling for age and education indicated that higher resilience was associated with higher general self-efficacy (β = .39, p < .001), higher self-esteem (β = .48, p < .001), higher post-traumatic growth (β = .34, p < .01), lower post-traumatic cognitions (β = –.36, p < .001), lower trauma symptoms (β = –.29, p < .01), and lower depressive symptoms (β = –.38, p < .001). Our findings suggest potential targets for interventions.

Exploring pathways from violence and HIV disclosure without consent to depression, social support, and HIV medication self-efficacy among women living with HIV in Metro Vancouver, Canada

“…Higher resilience has also been associated with reduced depression symptoms among WLWH, alongside other factors that could act along the pathway from internalized HIV stigma to depression (e.g. self-efficacy, self-esteem; Dale et al, 2019). Among many different populations in a systematic review, psychological resilience interventions based on a combination of cognitive-behavioral therapy and mindfulness techniques had a positive impact on individual resilience; more interventions should be tailored by and with WLWH (Joyce et al, 2018).…”

Psychological resilience is an independent correlate of health-related quality of life in middle-aged and older adults with HIV in the Deep South

“…Further, resilience is viewed a more adaptable construct that can be built upon and strengthened (Chmitorz et al, 2018; Dulin et al, 2018; Fang et al, 2015). Psychological resilience may buffer the negative effects of stress, and research among middle-aged and older PLWH has shown resilience is associated with better outcomes, such as better neurocognitive functioning, less impairment in everyday functioning (Fazeli et al, 2019, 2020b; McGowan et al, 2018), lower frequency of depression (Dale et al, 2021; McGowan et al, 2018; Rooney et al, 2019), better adherence to ART, and higher current and nadir CD4 count (Moore et al, 2018).…”

“…One recent study among 156 older PLWH in the Deep South found that employment, education, time since diagnosis, and social support were significant correlates of resilience in a multivariable model (Brown et al, 2021). Similarly, a study of 100 Black women living with HIV (age range 22–67) in the Southeast found that resilience was associated with lower depressive symptoms and lower trauma symptoms (Dale et al, 2021).…”

HIV-related challenges and women’s self-response: A qualitative study with women living with HIV in Indonesia

“…For example, several studies report supporting factors for WLHIV’s resilience such as employment, marital, family and social relationships, social support, community engagement and absence of stigma and discrimination [ 34 – 38 ]. Other studies have also reported on optimism, will to live, higher self-efficacy and self-esteem, and lower traumatic and depressive symptoms as factors that support the resilience of WLHIV [ 39 , 40 ]. What our data add to the existing literature is that despite experiencing a range of psychological challenges, stigma and discrimination, and lack of family and social support, these women demonstrated impressive self-response and capacity to seek support and treatment, and pursue effective strategies to overcome or change their circumstances to more positive ones.…”