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Psychosocial Factors Associated with Resilience in a National Community-Based Cohort of Australian Gay Men Living with HIV

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Abstract

HIV-positive gay men may experience multiple sources of adversity and stress, related both to their HIV diagnosis and sexual identity. Most of these men, however, do not experience mental health problems. Little is known about factors that help them achieve resilience in the face of life challenges. This study examined psychosocial factors associated with resilience in a national community-based sample of 357 Australian HIV-positive gay men. Resilience was measured using the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale. Higher levels of resilience were linked with experiencing low or no internalized HIV-related stigma, having no previous history of mental health problems, and a number of socioeconomic indicators. In addition to providing a more complete picture of the mental health of HIV-positive gay men, findings from this study can be used to inform strength-based approaches to mental health prevention and support.

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Acknowledgments

This study was funded by the Australian Government Department of Health.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, 215 Franklin Street, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia

    Anthony Lyons, Wendy Heywood & Tomas Rozbroj

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  1. Anthony Lyons
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  2. Wendy Heywood
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  3. Tomas Rozbroj
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Correspondence to Anthony Lyons.

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Lyons, A., Heywood, W. & Rozbroj, T. Psychosocial Factors Associated with Resilience in a National Community-Based Cohort of Australian Gay Men Living with HIV. AIDS Behav 20, 1658–1666 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-016-1338-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-016-1338-5

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