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- Title
Coping and cognitive processing style in HIV-positive subjects.
- Authors
Novara, Caterina; Casari, Salvatore; Compostella, Silvia; Dorz, Stella; Sanavio, Ezio; Sica, Claudio; Novara, C; Casari, S; Compostella, S; Dorz, S; Sanavio, E; Sica, C
- Abstract
<bold>Background: </bold>People's reactions to traumatic events are mediated by their subjective style of coping. This is of particular importance for HIV+ patients, mainly in the first phases of the disease. This work aimed at examining whether an 'acceptance' style of coping, as opposed to a 'mental disengagement' style, selectively influences the first stages of the processing of neutral, emotional and HIV-related information.<bold>Method: </bold>Two groups of 11 HIV+ asymptomatic subjects were chosen according to their coping strategies, acceptance or mental disengagement, as measured by Coping Orientations to the Problems Experienced (COPE). Twenty-two patients completed the Emotional Stroop Task and an incidental memory recognition task containing neutral, emotional and HIV-related stimuli.<bold>Results: </bold>Analysis of reaction times (RTs) on the Emotional Stroop Task showed that HIV+ subjects have longer RTs for emotional and HIV-related than for neutral words. Instead, no effect was found as regards interaction with style of coping.<bold>Conclusion: </bold>Results confirmed a processing bias of emotional information, whereas Acceptance and Mental disengagement strategies, as measured by the COPE scales, did not appear to influence information processing.
- Subjects
HIV infections &; psychology; ADAPTABILITY (Personality); COMPARATIVE studies; EMOTIONS; LIFE change events; RESEARCH methodology; MEDICAL cooperation; MEMORY; PSYCHOLOGICAL tests; QUESTIONNAIRES; REACTION time; RESEARCH; THOUGHT &; thinking; EVALUATION research; COPING Strategies Questionnaire
- Publication
Psychotherapy & Psychosomatics, 2000, Vol 69, Issue 6, p316
- ISSN
0033-3190
- Publication type
journal article
- DOI
10.1159/000012414