Testing domains of the healing experiences in all life stressors questionnaire in a cohort of HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected Chicago women

Abstract

PurposePatients may deal with issues of spiritual and religious meaning when coping with life-threatening or chronic illness. Researchers at the National Institutes of Health have developed the healing experiences in all life stressors (HEALS) questionnaire, an assessment to determine psychosocial spiritual adjustment to healing. Many measures assess religious and spiritual behavior, but there exists a need to capture the meaning of these factors in the process of healing. The instrument consists of spirituality, religion, interpersonal, and intrapersonal domains. This study explores the preliminary partial validation of the spirituality and religion domains of the HEALS against the Ironson–Woods Spirituality and Religiousness Index (IWSR).MethodsThe abbreviated HEALS, IWSR, and a measure of depression were completed by 205 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected and HIV-uninfected women from Chicago as part of the Women’s Interagency HIV Study. Total scores on the HEALS and IWSR were correlated using Pearson correlations to examine convergent validity. Total depression scores were analyzed with Pearson correlations to investigate criterion validity.ResultsResponses between the abbreviated HEALS and IWSR were highly correlated (r=0.74). Similar to other measures of its kind, scores on the HEALS were associated with depressive symptoms. Women with clinically significant depressive symptoms scored significantly lower on the HEALS than women without. No significant differences were found for race, age, education, or HIV status.ConclusionThis study is an important step in the future validation of the HEALS. Results suggest that the spirituality and religion domains of the HEALS have good construct validity with the IWSR. After further validation, this measure may provide clinicians and researchers with a unique way to assess psychosocial spiritual healing.

The Effect of Religiously Integrated Cognitive Behavioral Therapy on the Psycho-Spiritual Well-Being of People Living with HIV

“…Before receiving RCBT, these PLHIV experienced increased levels of shame, isolation, and decreased value and connections with God, others, the environment, and the self, and self-blame (Yu et al, 2018). This is consistent with the findings of the study of Mistretta et al (2017), which revealed that PLHIV with significant depressive symptoms also scored significantly lower in their spiritual wellbeing assessment. As Filipinos, the spiritual wellness of these PLHIV is culturally influenced to keep afloat due to resiliency and coping mechanisms in hurdling adversity (Magpusao, 2019), also with the help of PhilCHAN.…”

“…Spirituality is the lifelong relationship with the Divine, which leads to transformation of the individual (Feldmeier, 2016). PLHIV cope with their illness effectively due to their spiritual behaviors and meaning (Mistretta et al, 2017). There is an association between spirituality and health outcomes (Feldmeier, 2016;Ironson et al, 2016), despite various forms of changes and challenges in the form of increased levels of shame, self-blame, fear of disclosing HIV status, and isolation and decreased value and connections with God, others, the environment, and the self (Yu et al, 2018;Hortillas & Gayoles, 2018).…”

Associations between spirituality and mental health in women exposed to adversity.

“…The measure also demonstrates adequate construct and discriminant validity (Radloff, 1977). Internal consistency in this study was strong at α = .90 and is consistent with previous research utilizing the CES-D with a sample of urban women living with HIV (Mistretta, Sloan, BrintzenhofeSzoc, Weber, & Berger, 2017).…”