Coping and Cognitive Processing Style in HIV-Positive Subjects

Abstract

Background: 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. Method: 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. Results: 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. Conclusion: 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.

Personality Profile of HIV Outpatients: Preliminary Results and Remarks on Clinical Management

“…In fact, it emerges that the drug-dependent subjects express at the highest level the differences in NS, HA, and SD that have been found in the HIV population compared with the control group. This profile indicates the presence of a borderline or passive-aggressive personality profile [15, 16], according to the literature about drug-dependent subjects [1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28]. These personality traits, presumably related to the development of a drug dependence [28], may be relevant for the risk of HIV infection [29], for the difficult clinical management of drug-dependent HIV-positive subjects, and for the less consistent benefits from psychotherapy [12, 13, 14].…”

“…The presence of PDs is also likely to facilitate a dysfunctional coping with HIV infection [2, 3, 4]. Personality possibly also influences the processing of emotional information and the quality of life of the HIV-positive subjects [9, 10, 11]. …”

Emotional Stress, Psychosocial Variables and Coping Associated with Hepatitis C Virus and Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infections in Intravenous Drug Users

“…This area deserves further attention, both among HIV-infected as well as HCV-positive subjects. Furthermore, subtle evaluation of cognitive processes and functions, which could have influenced responses and coping mechanisms, was not performed here [49]. …”

Pathways to neurodegeneration

“…16 Detailed neuropsychological studies in HIV1 individuals have reported deficits in working memory (engaging CON), prospective memory (engaging DMN), and emotional-conflict processing (engaging SAL). [27][28][29] It may be that loss of functional connectivity within the DMN, SAL, and CON undermines the ability of an individual who is HIV1 to successfully process and integrate various external and internal stimuli. 28 Additionally, although the regional specificity of HIV impact at the molecular level in the neocortex remains to be fully elucidated, recent molecular evidence does suggest that HIV may show some preference for DMN, CON, and SAL.…”

“…[27][28][29] It may be that loss of functional connectivity within the DMN, SAL, and CON undermines the ability of an individual who is HIV1 to successfully process and integrate various external and internal stimuli. 28 Additionally, although the regional specificity of HIV impact at the molecular level in the neocortex remains to be fully elucidated, recent molecular evidence does suggest that HIV may show some preference for DMN, CON, and SAL. HIV affects the dorsolateral prefrontal regions important for CON processing, 30 temporal areas important for SAL processing, 31 and middle frontal and posterior cingulate areas important for DMN processing.…”