The Role Of Social Support In Ptsd And Depression In Hiv Positive Individuals With Histories Of Sexual Trauma

Individuals living with HIV/AIDS are disproportionately afflicted by sexual victimization. Furthermore, the negative sequelae of sexual trauma are deleterious to individuals with compromised immune systems and understanding the impact of trauma may inform interventions that significantly affect health outcomes in this population. This cross-sectional study explored the relationship of sexual trauma, social support, and posttraumatic stress disorder and depression in 64 HIV-positive individuals enrolled in a larger parent studying examining group therapy effects. Participants completed baseline questionnaires assessing demographics, sexual trauma histories, PTSD and depression, and social support satisfaction. Most participants (56.3%) reported experiencing a sexual trauma in their lifetime, as well as PTSD (M=36.78, SD= 14.4) and depression (M= 23.6, SD =4.2) levels indicating formal diagnoses. Analyses of psychiatric symptoms indicated that PTSD was negatively related to adulthood sexual trauma (r = -.25,p