title: Measuring AIDS stigmas in people living with HIV/AIDS: the Internalized AIDS-Related Stigma Scale.
abstract: AIDS stigmas create significant barriers to HIV prevention, testing, and care and can become internalized by people living with HIV/AIDS. We developed a psychometric scale to measure internalized AIDS-related stigmas among people infected with HIV. Items were adapted from a psychometrically sound test of AIDS-related stigmas in the general population. Six items reflecting self-defacing beliefs and negative perceptions of people living with HIV/AIDS were responded to dichotomously, Agree/Disagree. Data collected from people living with HIV/AIDS in Cape Town South Africa (n=1068), Swaziland (n=1090), and Atlanta US (n=239) showed that the internalized AIDS Stigma Scale was internally consistent (overall alpha coefficient=0.75) and time stable (r=0.53). We also found evidence in support of the scale's convergent, discriminant, and criterion-related validity. The Internalized AIDS-Related Stigma Scale appears reliable and valid and may be useful for research and evaluation with HIV-positive populations across southern African and North American cultures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA. seth.k@uconn.edu
authors.forename: Seth C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Kalichman
authors.forename: Leickness C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Simbayi
authors.forename: Allanise
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cloete
authors.forename: Phumelele P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Mthembu
authors.forename: Ruth N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Mkhonta
authors.forename: Themba
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ginindza
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology; D013541:Eswatini / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005845:Georgia / Q000453:epidemiology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012944:Social Support; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D013240:Stereotyping; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires