title: A randomized clinical trial of a coping improvement group intervention for HIV-infected older adults.
abstract: This research tested if a 12-session coping improvement group intervention (n = 104) reduced depressive symptoms in HIV-infected older adults compared to an interpersonal support group intervention (n = 105) and an individual therapy upon request (ITUR) control condition (n = 86). Participants were 295 HIV-infected men and women 50-plus years of age living in New York City, Cincinnati, OH, and Columbus, OH. Using A-CASI assessment methodology, participants provided data on their depressive symptoms using the Geriatric Depression Screening Scale (GDS) at pre-intervention, post-intervention, and 4- and 8-month follow-up. Whether conducted with all participants (N = 295) or only a subset of participants diagnosed with mild, moderate, or severe depressive symptoms (N = 171), mixed models analyses of repeated measures found that both coping improvement and interpersonal support group intervention participants reported fewer depressive symptoms than ITUR controls at post-intervention, 4-month follow-up, and 8-month follow-up. The effect sizes of the differences between the two active interventions and the control group were greater when outcome analyses were limited to those participants with mild, moderate, or severe depressive symptoms. At no assessment period did coping improvement and interpersonal support group intervention participants differ in depressive symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatric Medicine/Gerontology, Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine, 346 Grosvenor Hall, Athens, OH 45701, USA. heckmant@ohiou.edu
authors.forename: Timothy G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Heckman
authors.forename: Kathleen J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Sikkema
authors.forename: Nathan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.forename: Arlene
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kochman
authors.forename: Victor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Heh
authors.forename: Sharon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Neufeld
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group / Q000379:methods*; D012657:Self-Help Groups; D012720:Severity of Illness Index