title: [Depressive reactions and psychological processing of HIV-positive homosexual males].
abstract: Interviews and psychotherapeutic treatments performed with HIV-positive males reveal frequent depressive crises in some of the men, whereas others are mentally relatively stable after having gone through a period of mourning over the loss of long-term life perspectives and prospects. The present study examined in 54 HIV-positive male homosexuals not suffering from AIDS, the causes of the depressive management by comparing a depressive and a non-depressive group. The results show: 1. that three well-defined styles of coping can be discerned, namely, "self-confrontation", "avoidance", and "seeking social support"; 2. that the "avoidance" style of coping is particularly pronounced in the depressive group; 3. that in 86% of the depressive but only in 26% of the non-depressives there is a noticeable conflict between socioemotional retreat and seeking social support; 4. that the depressives estimate the changes of any subjective influence on the course, as being very low, whereas the subjective probability of falling ill is correspondingly high, the self-confronting coping style correlating negatively with the subjective disease probability; 5. that in the depressive group the reasons for the infection are seen rather in one's own person, a mental predisposition being held co-responsible. In this context, the lower self-acceptance of one's own homosexuality plays a decisive role in the "subjective infection theory".
authors.affiliation: Psychosomatische Klinik, Universität Heidelberg.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Weimer
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Clement
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nilsson-Schönnesson
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000275:Adjustment Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001727:Bisexuality / Q000523:psychology; D003674:Defense Mechanisms; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000523:psychology*; D006716:Homosexuality / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012803:Sick Role
vernacular_title: Depressive Reaktionen und psychische Verarbeitung bei HIV-positiven homosexuellen Männern.