title: Living with HIV: responses to a mantram intervention using the critical incident research method.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to identify and describe ways that a spiritually based intervention of silently repeating a mantram-sacred word or phrase-was used as a coping strategy for managing human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  The design was a qualitative research method, the critical incident technique.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted at an academically affiliated Veterans Affairs Hospital in southern California.
  
  
  METHODS
  The subjects were outpatient adults living with HIV (n=32) who were receiving care through HIV clinics, community agencies, and HIV providers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects who participated in the intervention arm of a randomized controlled trial that tested the efficacy of a 5-weekly group mantram intervention were interviewed 2 months postintervention. Follow-up telephone interviews were specifically aimed at identifying instances of mantram use, and also participant perceptions of intervention usefulness or nonusefulness.
  
  
  METHODS
  The outcome measures comprised categorization and comparison of the types and frequency of incidents reported, describing ways that the intervention was "helpful" or "not helpful" in managing stressors of HIV disease.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants reported a total of 185 incidents. Analysis and classification of the incidents resulted in eight mutually exclusive categories, including Increasing calm and/or peace, Mastering the technique, Changing my viewpoint, Increasing personal awareness, Adjusting behaviors, Managing physical symptoms, Increasing spirituality, and Enhancing relationships.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows support for the benefits of the mantram intervention for adults with HIV. Additionally, the spiritually based mantram repetition intervention was found to be more helpful in providing a convenient, portable tool for managing a wide range of situations related to living with HIV disease.
authors.affiliation: University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, NC 28403, USA. kemppainenj@uncw.edu
authors.forename: Jeanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kemppainen
authors.forename: Jill E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Bormann
authors.forename: Martha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shively
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.forename: Sheryl
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bone
authors.forename: Wendy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Belding
authors.forename: Allen L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Gifford
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D026441:Mind-Body Therapies; D011788:Quality of Life; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D016896:Treatment Outcome