Avoidance coping behaviors and low social support are related to depressive symptoms in HIV-positive patients in Japan.

The authors examined the influences of several psychosocial factors (i.e., coping behavior responses, social support, etc.) on mood states in 47 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients without the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). No patients fulfilled the DSM-III-R diagnostic criteria for mood disorders, including major depression. However, the HIV group indicate significantly stronger depressive symptoms and lower social support than the healthy control group. The strength of depressive symptoms and poor social support were significantly correlated with one another. Although the HIV group indicated significantly stronger active coping behaviors than the healthy control group, depressive symptoms were significantly and positively correlated with avoidance coping behaviors. When existence of social support was controlled for, this significant correlation was not noted, indicating that avoidance coping behaviors are independently and significantly related to depressive symptoms. The results suggest that, although depressive symptoms are not strong enough to warrant a psychiatric diagnosis of mood disorders, including major depression, avoidance coping behaviors and poor existence of social support may be a high-risk combination for the manifestation of depressive symptoms in HIV-positive patients without AIDS in Japan.