Marseille 2007
| Abstract #82 - Improvement of Psychosocial Adjustment to HIV-1 Infection through a Cognitive-Behavioral Oriented Group Psychotherapy Program | ||||
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Session: 31.3: Quality of Life (Parallel) on Tuesday @ 11.00-12.30 in HC Chaired by Adinani Amidu, Wendee Wechsberg Authors: Presenting Author: ra Araceli Rousaud - HOSPITAL CLINIC, Spain |
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| Additional Authors: Dr Jordi Blanch, Prof Martin Hautzinger, Dr Esteban Martinez, Dr Elisa De Lazzari, Dr Josep-Maria Peri, Prof Josep-Maria Gatell, | ||||
| Aim: The present study evaluated the efficacy of a group therapy program in improving psychosocial adjustment to HIV-infection, and tried to identify variables predictive of greater improvement. | ||||
| Method / Issue: The outcome of 47 completing patients was analysed, comparing the measures between T1 (one month before beginning of the therapy), and T2 (during the first session), and between T2 and T3 (during the last session) using the Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-ranks test for each dimension of the Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale (PAIS). The therapy consisted of 16 weekly two-hour sessions following a structured time-limited cognitive-behavioral group psychotherapy program. | ||||
| Results / Comments: During the intervention (between T2 and T3) a significant improvement was observed in health care orientation, vocational environment, domestic environment, sexual relation, extended family relationships, social environment, and total PAIS. There were no changes during baseline (between T1 and T2) in any of the PAIS subscales, or in the total PAIS score. Sexual route of transmission was independently associated with an improvement in health care orientation (beta = 2.525). Time since HIV diagnosis (beta = 0.022) and being in employment (beta = 2.548) were independently associated with an improvement in adjustment to vocational environment. Homosexual patients showed a poorer improvement in adjusting to family relations after the intervention (beta = - 2.548). Finally, a lower CD4 count (beta = -0.005) and being in employment (beta = 3.054) were independently associated with an improvement in adjustment to social environment. | ||||
| Discussion: Our psychotherapy program improved psychosocial functioning in a heterogeneous sample of HIV-1 infected patients referred to a consultation-liaison psychiatry unit. | ||||
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