title: Examining anxiety sensitivity as an explanatory construct underlying HIV-related stigma: Relations to anxious arousal, social anxiety, and HIV symptoms among persons living with HIV.
abstract: Persons living with HIV (PLHIV) are a health disparity subgroup of the overall population for mental and physical health problems. HIV-related stigma has been shown to increase anxiety symptoms and HIV symptoms among PLHIV. However, little is known about factors that may impact the relations between HIV-related stigma and anxiety symptoms and HIV symptoms among PLHIV. To address this gap in the literature, the current study examined anxiety sensitivity (i.e., the extent to which individuals believe anxiety and anxiety-related sensations) in the relation between HIV-related stigma, social anxiety, anxious arousal, and HIV symptoms among a sample of 87 PLHIV (60.9% cis gender male, 52.9% Black, non-Hispanic). Results indicated that anxiety sensitivity mediated the relations between HIV-related stigma and the dependent variables, with effect sizes indicating moderate to large effects of anxiety sensitivity on these relations. Findings suggest that anxiety sensitivity be a mechanistic factor in the relations between HIV-related stigma and social anxiety, anxious arousal, and HIV symptoms, and therefore, be important element in efforts to reduce mental/physical health disparity among this population.
authors.affiliation: University of Houston, Department of Psychology, 3695 Cullen Blvd., Room 126, Houston, TX 77204, United States; Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, United States. Electronic address: Charles.Brandt@bcm.edu.
authors.forename: Charles P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Brandt
authors.affiliation: University of Houston, Department of Psychology, 3695 Cullen Blvd., Room 126, Houston, TX 77204, United States.
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Paulus
authors.affiliation: University of Houston, Department of Psychology, 3695 Cullen Blvd., Room 126, Houston, TX 77204, United States.
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jardin
authors.affiliation: Kent State University, Department of Psychology, 144 Kent Hall, Kent, OH 44242, United States.
authors.forename: Luke
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Heggeness
authors.affiliation: Legacy Community Health, 1415 California St., Houston, TX 77006, United States.
authors.forename: Chad
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lemaire
authors.affiliation: University of Houston, Department of Psychology, 3695 Cullen Blvd., Room 126, Houston, TX 77204, United States; The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Department of Behavioral Science, 1515 Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX 77030, United States.
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Zvolensky
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D001143:Arousal; D005239:Fear / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D057545:Social Stigma
keywords: Anxiety; Anxiety Sensitivity; HIV; HIV Symptoms; Stigma