Exploring positive adjustment in HIV positive African women living in the UK

This published version of this article has been made available through Open Access by the Brunel University Open Access Publishing Fund and can be accessed at the link below - Copyright @ 2011 Taylor & FrancisResearch into living with HIV/AIDS has to date mainly focused on quality of life and there is little on the adjustment process for this group. The numbers of African women living with HIV/AIDS in the UK is growing and yet little is known about the adjustment experience for these women. This study explored aspects of positive adjustment to living with HIV/AIDS among a sample of African women living in London, UK. Transcripts of semi-structured interviews with 12 women were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Two superordinate themes emerged inductively from the data: positive changes in coping (subthemes: positive interpretation of their situation and positive behavioural changes) and positive growth since the HIV diagnosis (subthemes: changes in the value of life and, changes in goals and opportunities). While these women acknowledged the negative impact of living with HIV/AIDS, all participants mentioned changes in health behaviours to help regain mastery of their lives and comparing with others better-off and worse-off was used to enhance self-esteem and view their situation positively. The data show evidence for Taylor's Cognitive Adaptation Theory

A longitudinal investigation of quality of life and negative emotions in misophonia

AimsThis longitudinal study examined the role of anger, disgust, and anxiety in the experience of misophonia, the quality of life of those with self-reported misophonia in comparison to those without misophonia, and the association of misophonia and quality of life over time.MethodsAn online longitudinal survey was conducted, with misophonia, anger, disgust, anxiety, depression, self-esteem, and quality of life measured at two time points (6-months apart) in two groups of people (those with self-reported misophonia and those without misophonia).ResultsAnger and disgust emerged as the primary predictors of misophonic responses. Anxiety and depression were not significantly associated with misophonia over time. Differences in quality of life were observed between those with and without self-reported misophonia in the current study, with lower scores across the SF-36 domains of role limitations due to emotional problems, energy/fatigue, emotional wellbeing, social functioning, and general health for those with misophonia compared to those without misophonia. Compared with other studies, scores for those with self-reported misophonia were lower than those with long-term physical conditions, similar to those with tinnitus, but higher than those with obsessive compulsive disorder. Misophonia was predictive of quality of life over time but only on two domains: role limitations due to emotional problems (predictors: avoidance, emotional responses, and impact on participation in life) and pain (predictor: impact on participation in life). Depression remained a strong predictor of quality of life over time.ConclusionAnger and disgust are more strongly associated with the experience of misophonia than anxiety. Quality of life in people with self-reported misophonia is lower than in the general population and may be similar to those with tinnitus. Depression, avoiding triggers, the extent of the emotional response, and perceived impact on participation in life are associated with perceptions of lower quality of life over time for people with self-reported misophonia

"Autism is me": an investigation of how autistic individuals make sense of autism and stigma

There are many different perspectives for understanding autism. These perspectives may each convey different levels of stigma for autistic individuals. This qualitative study aimed to understand how autistic individuals make sense of their own autism and experience the stigma attached to autism. The study used critical grounded theory tools. Participants (N = 20) discussed autism as central to their identity, and integral to who they are. While participants thought of autism as value neutral, they expressed how society confers negative meanings onto autism, and thus, them. The findings also indicate that different understandings of autism confer different levels of stigma. Participants expressed constant exposure to stigma and managed this stigma in different ways. Such methods included reframing to more positive understandings of autism, the reclamation of language, and using concealment and disclosure strategically. The implications of these findings are discussed further in the article

Assessing Stigma, Disclosure Regret and Posttraumatic Growth in People Living with HIV

Posttraumatic growth after a diagnosis of HIV is positively associated with adjustment, yet stigma and disclosure regret are negatively associated with adjustment. Research into whether posttraumatic growth is experienced while perceiving stigma and disclosure regret is still growing. This study aimed to determine whether posttraumatic growth maintains a positive relation with life satisfaction after controlling for disclosure regret and perceived stigma. Using a cross-sectional design, a questionnaire measuring life satisfaction, health status, depression, posttraumatic growth, disease severity, perceived stigma, disclosure regret, and demographical information was completed by 73 people living with HIV (PLWH). Results showed that all participants had disclosed to at least one person. Regression results showed that after controlling for other variables, including stigma and disclosure regret, posttraumatic growth was positively associated with life satisfaction. The importance of the relation of posttraumatic growth with subjective measures of adjustment may be important for interventions aimed at supporting PLWH

Factors influencing adjustment to chronic illness and the role of the self-help group in this process

The primary aim of this study was two-fold: to determine what influences changes in quality of life (QoL) over time and to determine what aspects of QoL changed over time. There was a particular focus on what role social comparison may play in changes in QoL during the process of adjustment to chronic disease. A longitudinal design was used where QoL was measured at baseline and ten months later at follow-up. To determine these relationships a qualitative study and a pilot study were carried out to develop and validate two new questionnaires. The main study then consisted of a survey where 550 people with Méniére’s disease completed questionnaires at baseline and 301 completed measures of QoL again at follow-up, ten months later. Three different aspects of QoL were measured (functional, goal-oriented, and perceived positive change since the onset of the illness), and baseline predictor variables were classified as the catalyst (disease severity measures), the antecedents (demographic factors and the psychological factors self-esteem, optimisation, and perceived control), and the mechanisms (the social comparison variables). Response shift was also measured using the ThenTest approach. A cross-sectional analysis at baseline showed that social comparison was indeed associated with adjustment after controlling for the antecedents and the catalyst. Longitudinally, support for the main prediction was found where negative social comparison emerged as a primary predictor of worse functional QoL, providing evidence for the influence of social comparison within a self-help group on adjustment. However, those who had been members of the society for longer showed better functional QoL which indicates that the self-help group was having a positive effect on QoL over time. Self-esteem and the perception of movement towards goals emerged as important predictors of functional QoL over time.</p

Social media use and perceptions of physical health

Social networking activity is becoming more endemic in society and yet little is known about how the social comparison, occurring when we use these sites, affects perceptions of health. This study sought to determine in what way people who use Facebook (FB) interpret the comparison information they see on FB and whether this was associated with perceptions of physical health. Determining this association is important given the positive association between well-being, quality of life and physical health. Using a cross-sectional design, participants completed an electronic questionnaire measuring FB use, FB social comparison, self-esteem, depression, anxiety, life satisfaction and physical health. The data was analysed using Hierarchical Linear Regression to determine the association of social comparison on perceptions of physical health after controlling for other influencing factors. The results showed that participants were indeed socially comparing via FB. More positive upward comparison was reported, followed closely by positive downward and negative upward, with negative downward comparison perceived least. Analysis showed physical symptoms were associated with gender, anxiety, depression, FB use and positively interpreted upward comparison. Those who agreed more with the positively interpreted social comparison statements and who engaged more with FB also perceived more physical symptoms. These results showed that the perception of symptoms still occurred despite the positive comparison. These results have implications for perceptions of well-being for general users of FB and for vulnerable populations where more social comparison may occur

Understanding weight loss in obese adults

This data consists of qualitative data from interviews with 15 participants.  The participants were split into two groups - the 'lost group consisted of those who were or had been obese and who had lost at least 8kgs within the last 3 years and those who were obese and who had not last 8kgs within the last 3 years.  Thematic Analysis was used to develop themes.  The clustered quotes which support the themes are presented in the attachment.  Themes include: the catalyst for weight loss, the mindset, and support (from health professionals and friends and family)

How does social comparison within a self-help group influence adjustment to chronic illness? A longitudinal study

Despite the growing popularity of self-help groups for people with chronic illness, there has been surprisingly little research into how these may support adjustment to illness. This study investigated the role that social comparison, occurring within a self-help group, may play in adjustment to chronic illness. A model of adjustment based on control process theory and response shift theory was tested to determine whether social comparisons predicted adjustment after controlling for the catalyst for adjustment (disease severity) and antecedents (demographic and psychological factors). A sample of 301 people with Meniere's disease who were members of the Meniere's Society UK completed questionnaires at baseline and 10-month follow-up assessing adjustment, defined for this study as functional and goal-oriented quality of life. At baseline, they also completed measures of the predictor variables i.e. the antecedents (age, sex, living circumstances, duration of self-help group membership, self-esteem, optimism and perceived control over illness), the catalyst (severity of vertigo, tinnitus, hearing loss and fullness in the ear) and mechanisms of social comparison within the self-help group. The social comparison variables included the extent to which self-help group resources were used, and whether reading about other members' experiences induced positive or negative feelings. Cross-sectional results showed that positive social comparison was indeed associated with better adjustment after controlling for all the other baseline variables, while negative social comparison was associated with worse adjustment. However, greater levels of social comparison at baseline were associated with a deteriorating quality of life over the 10-month follow-up period. Alternative explanations for these findings are discussed

Exploring users and non-users views of the Digital Twin on a mHealth app: a Thematic, qualitative approach

The aim of the present study was to explore perceptions of the Digital Twin (a three-dimensional digital representation of an anatomical body) on a mobile health application, and the potential mechanisms that are important for behaviour change, with a focus on health and weight management. An explorative and participant-led approach was taken using semi-structured online interviews to explore the experiences of people, in this case non-users and users wanting to independently manage their health. An opportunity sample of forty participants from the United Kingdom (20 who had not used digitally assistive technology and 20 who had) were recruited from social media platforms (22 females and 18 males; mean age was 30). The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using Thematic Analysis. Two main themes were elicited: Initiators of behaviour change (i.e., autonomous choices, social influences, and personalisation) and Barriers to behaviour change (i.e., adverse reactions, weight management norms and negative attitudes). Overall, it was suggested that the Digital Twin should be representative of a user's personalised health information and BMI. These results can inform an intervention designed to use the Digital Twin to initiate and maintain lifestyle behaviour change. It can also develop our understanding of how such technology can be applied as a tool for health management