Cognitive coping, goal self-efficacy and personal growth in HIV-infected men who have sex with men

OBJECTIVE: The relationships between cognitive coping strategies, goal self-efficacy and personal growth were studied in HIV-positive men who have sex with men. METHODS: All members of a national organization for people living with HIV received a call for participation. The Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, the Goal Obstruction Questionnaire and the Personal Growth Scale were filled out at home by 104 HIV-infected men. RESULTS: Thinking about joyful and pleasant issues instead of thinking about being HIV-positive, thinking about what steps to take and how to handle being HIV-positive, thoughts of attaching a positive meaning to being HIV-positive, thoughts of playing down the seriousness of being HIV-positive or emphasizing its relativity when compared to other events, thoughts of putting the blame of being HIV-positive on others (inversely) and the extent to which one considers oneself able to reengage in alternative meaningful goals were related to personal growth. CONCLUSION: The study showed that both cognitive coping strategies and goal self-efficacy were related to personal growth. The findings suggest that mainly positive ways to handle being HIV-infected are related to personal growth. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: These findings suggested that intervention programs for people with HIV should pay attention to cognitive coping strategies and goal self-efficacy.