title: The importance of quality over in quantity in the social sharing of emotions (SSE) in people living with HIV/AIDS.
abstract: Research shows that chronic illness patients encounter difficulties in the social sharing of emotions (SSE). Since most SSE studies focus on quantitative aspects, the present study, aimed, among others, to study the associations between the quality of SSE in people living with HIV/AIDS and patients' psychological and physical well-being. A total of 101 HIV/AIDS patients answered a questionnaire (Likert scale items) which assessed: shame, guilt, perceived stigma, reasons for non-disclosure of serostatus, physical health, mental health, SSE and quality of SSE. While no associations were found between quantitative aspects of SSE, physical health and mental health, the quality of SSE was negatively correlated to shame and guilt, and positively correlated to physical and mental health. Furthermore, mediation analyses showed the mediating role of the quality of SSE in the relationship between, on the one hand, shame and guilt; and on the other hand, physical and mental health. Findings suggest the importance of qualitative aspects of SSE in the emergence of positive outcomes linked to emotional expression in people living with HIV/AIDS.
authors.affiliation: a Octogone-Cerpp , Université Toulouse II-Le Mirail , Toulouse , France.
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cantisano
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rimé
authors.forename: Maria Teresa
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Munoz Sastre
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004293:Dominican Republic; D019260:Expressed Emotion; D005260:Female; D006167:Guilt; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000523:psychology*; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012650:Self Disclosure; D012752:Shame; D012944:Social Support; D013240:Stereotyping; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: HIV/AIDS; emotional inhibition; physical well-being; psychological adjustment; social sharing of emotions (SSE)