Association between social support and temperament and the intensity of PTSD symptoms in a sample of HIV positives

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between temperament and social support and the level of quantitatively rated PTSD symptoms in a sample of HIV+ and HIV/AIDS men and women. A total of 310 men and women, including 182 HIV+ and 128 HIV/AIDS, were studied. Social support was assessed with the Berlin Social Support Scales (BSSS). Temperament was assessed with the Formal Characteristics of Behaviour – Temperament Inventory (FCB-TI). Intensity of PTSD symptoms was assessed with the PTSDF (PTSD Factorial Version inventory). The best predictors of intensity of PTSD symptoms in HIV+ participants were support seeking and sensory sensitivity. Support seeking was positively associated, and sensory sensitivity was negatively associated with intensity of PTSD symptoms.

Full text

Marcin Rzeszutek*
Włodzimierz Oniszczenko**
Original Papers
Polish Psychological Bulletin
2013, vol 44(4), 431-438
DOI - 10.2478/ppb-2013-0046
Introduction
The main goal of this study was to investigate
the association between social support and the level of
quantitatively rated PTSD symptoms in a sample of HIV+
and HIV/AIDS men and women. It also focused on the
relationship between temperament and social support
in order to examine if particular temperament traits can
moderate the relationship between social support and
the intensity of PTSD symptoms in the sample of HIV+
positives. HIV+ and HIV/AIDS groups develop PTSD
symptoms largely in response to being diagnosed as having
a lethal virus in their body (Beckerman & Auerbach, 2010;
Martin & Kagee, 2011) and also because the course of
HIV/AIDS is unpredictable and treatment is troublesome
(Safren, Gershuny & Hendriksen, 2003; Theuninck, Lake
& Gibson, 2010). Social stigmatisation which significantly
disrupts the existing social status of HIV+ individuals is an
additional contributing factor. Although disclosure of HIV
infection may evoke considerable social support, more often
than not it leads to rejection and discrimination, especially
when the infected individual has many symptoms of HIV
infection (Adewuya et al., 2009; Chin & Kroesen, 1999;
Heckman et al., 2004; Shacham et al., 2007). Stigmatisation
and social isolation sever patients’ family bonds, leading to
withdrawal of support by family members (Dawey, Foster,
Milton & Duncan, 2009; Li et al., 2008). Family support
is important for perceived available support in patients
and for their mood (Abramowitz, Koenig, Chandwani et
al., 2009; Lee, Detels, Rotheram-Borus, Duan & Lord,
2007). It can also boost coping skills and improve general
psychosocial functioning in HIV+ individuals (Peterson,
Rintamaki, Brashers, Goldsmith & Neidig, 2001). Lack
of social support can aggravate psychological distress
(Delany-Brumsey, Joseph, Myers, Ullman & Wyatt, 2011),
increase the temptation to discontinue pharmacotherapy,
and intensify HIV-related symptoms such as PTSD, anxiety,
depression or fatigue (Barroso et al., 2010; MacDonell,
Naar-King, Murphy, Parsons & Huszti, 2011). Researchers
have demonstrated that a ramified social support system can
protect from the proliferation of depressive symptoms in
HIV+ individuals (Jagannath et al., 2011). On the other hand,
support seeking is an important motive behind willingness
to disclose the fact that one is HIV-positive (Ssali et al.,
Association between social support and temperament and the
intensity of PTSD symptoms in a sample of HIV positives
Abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between temperament and social support and the level
of quantitatively rated PTSD symptoms in a sample of HIV+ and HIV/AIDS men and women. A total of 310 men and
women, including 182 HIV+ and 128 HIV/AIDS, were studied. Social support was assessed with the Berlin Social Support
Scales (BSSS). Temperament was assessed with the Formal Characteristics of Behaviour – Temperament Inventory (FCB-
TI). Intensity of PTSD symptoms was assessed with the PTSDF (PTSD Factorial Version inventory). The best predictors
of intensity of PTSD symptoms in HIV+ participants were support seeking and sensory sensitivity. Support seeking was
positively associated, and sensory sensitivity was negatively associated with intensity of PTSD symptoms.
* Faculty of Management and Finance, University of Finance and Management, Pawia 55, 01-030, Warsaw, Poland, rzeszutek@vizja.pl
** Faculty of Psychology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
The research presented in this article was funded by grant BST no. 1445-02-2009 from the Faculty of Psychology, University of Warsaw.
Key words: social support, temperament, PTSD, HIV/AIDS.

432
2010), despite accompanying apprehensions (Emlet, 2006).
Social support has also been found to significantly attenuate
intensification of HIV symptoms (Ashton et al., 2005) and
improve quality of life in infected individuals (Hansen,
Vaughan, Cavanaugh, Connell, & Sikkema, 2009). In the
present study we assumed that social support can moderate
the intensity of HIV- related PTSD symptoms, i.e. it can
protect HIV-positive individuals from intensification of
post-traumatic symptoms. It also facilitates active coping
and helps to reduce the sense of loss of control (Dekel,
Mandl, & Solomon, 2011; Frazier, Gavian, & Hirai, 2011).
The temperament traits postulated by the
Regulative Theory of Temperament (RTT; Strelau, 2008)
were the second group of variables in our study. According
to the RTT, temperament traits are basic, relatively
stable personality traits which manifest themselves in all
behaviours and situations in which people are involved,
especially when in a state of extreme arousal. The reason
why these traits are important is that temperament is present
from the moment we are born and the related biological
mechanisms cooperate in the regulation of individual level
of activation. The role of personality traits in the dynamics
of PTSD is still poorly understood. As far as HIV-related
trauma is concerned, researchers have found that personality
traits may be associated with risky behaviour leading to
HIV infection (Moore, Atkinson, Akiskal, Gonzalez, &
Wolfson, 2005). They may also affect the dynamics of the
disease itself and speed of recovery (Erlen et al., 2009) and
affect patients’ quality of life (Penedo et al., 2003). PTSD
symptoms are significantly enhanced by neuroticism and
introversion (Jorm et al., 2000; LaFauci Schutt & Marotta,
2011; Watson, Gamez, & Simms, 2005; Zhang, Liu, Shi,
& Cheng, 2010, conscientiousness (O’Cleirigh, Ironson,
Weiss, & Costa, 2007) and the temperament and character
dimensions proposed by Cloninger (Evren, Dalbudak, Cetin,
Durkaya, & Evren, 2010; Fassino, Leombruni, Amianto, &
Abbate-Daga, 2004; Yoon, Jun, An, Kang, & Jun, 2009).
All these factors correlate with the temperament traits we
looked at in the present study (Hornowska, 2003).
In this study we were interested mainly in
the association between social support and the level of
quantitatively rated PTSD symptoms in a sample of HIV+
and HIV/AIDS men and women. We were also focused on
the relationship between social support and temperament
in order to examine if particular temperament traits can
moderate the relationship between social support and the
intensity of PTSD symptoms in the sample of HIV+ and
HIV/AIDS positives. We based our assessment of PTSD
symptoms on the theoretical PTSD construct and its basic
symptoms according to the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria:
intrusion, avoidance/numbing and hyperarousal (APA,
1994).
Method
Participants
The sample included 310 adults (157 men and
153 women) with clinically diagnosed HIV infection aged
from 19 to 68 (M=37.38; SD=9.69). In the whole sample
182 participants were HIV+ (the HIV+ group) and 128
participants had AIDS (the HIV/AIDS group). Duration
of HIV infection in the whole sample ranged from one
year to 29 years (M=7.44; SD=6.20); 123 participants had
higher education (39.7%), 140 had secondary education
(45.2%) and 47 had primary education (15.2%). No
cognitive dysfunction impeding psychological assessment
was observed. Participants were not remunerated. The
research project was accepted by the local Research Ethics
Committee at the Faculty of Psychology, University of
Warsaw.
Measures
Intensity of PTSD symptoms was measured with
the PTSDF, a factor-analysis-derived questionnaire. This
questionnaire has two scales: Intrusion/Arousal (Cronbach α
0.96) and Avoidance/Numbing (Cronbach α 0.92). A Global
Score can also be computed by adding scores on these scales
(Cronbach α 0.96). The PTSDF has 30 items. Each item is
rated on a 4-point scale where 1 signifies symptom absence
and 4 signifies that the symptom is always present. The
PTSDF has been validated against other clinical constructs
such as: trait anxiety, sense of coherence, mental health,
distress, psychological wellbeing and a civilian version of
the Mississippi PTSD (Strelau, Zawadzki, Oniszczenko, &
Sobolewski, 2002).
Temperament traits were assessed with the Formal
Characteristics of Behaviour – Temperament Inventory
(FCB-TI: Strelau & Zawadzki, 1995). This questionnaire
has 120 items, 20 items per scale and a YES or NO
response format. The FCB-TI includes the following scales
(Cronbach α coefficients in parentheses): Briskness (speed,
tempo and mobility of behaviour; 0.77), Perseveration (the
tendency to maintain and repeat emotional states; 0.79),
Sensory Sensitivity (the capacity to react to weak stimuli;
0.73), Emotional Reactivity (the tendency to react intensely
to emotogenic stimuli; 0.83), Endurance (the capacity to
react adequately in highly stimulating situations; 0.85),
and Activity (the tendency to engage in behaviour which is
intrinsically or extrinsically highly stimulating; 0.84). The
scales have test-retest stability scores ranging from 0.69
(Briskness) to 0.90 (Activity).
In order to analyze the association between social
support and PTSD symptoms intensity we used an instrument
which was constructed specifically to measure social
support in post-traumatic stress, the Berlin Social Support
Scales (BSSS; Łuszczyńska, Kowalska, Mazurkiewicz,
& Schwarzer, 2006). These scales measure cognitive and
behavioural aspects of social support, especially in cases of
severe somatic disease. The BSSS has six scales: Perceived
Available Support, Need for Support, Support Seeking,
Actually Received Support (Recipient), Provided Support
(Provider), and a Protective Buffering Scale – Support
Provider/ Support Recipient. Only the first four scales
were analyzed in this study because we were interested in
subjective perception of support in HIV+ individuals. The
Polish version of the BSSS has satisfactory psychometric
parameters. Cronbach α coefficients range from 0.74 to
0.90.
Marcin Rzeszutek, Włodzimierz Oniszczenko

433
Association between social support and temperament and the intensity of PTSD ...
Statistical analysis
The data were submitted to statistical analysis
using the PASW Statistics 18 (SPSS, 2009). First of all,
groups HIV+ and HIV/AIDS were compared for social
support (means and standard deviations) using the t test
for independent samples. Correlations between variables
were calculated using the Pearson product moment or
Spearman rho correlation procedures respectively. Validity
of predictions of PTSD symptoms intensity based on social
measures of social support and temperament traits was
estimated using hierarchical regression analysis (inclusion
model), where we also investigated the significance of
the interactions between temperament traits (see: sensory
sensitivity) and aspects of social support (see: social support
seeking). We included demographic variables (see: age) as
the first step in our hierarchical regression analysis. No
statistical significance in the level of PTSD symptoms
between HIV+ men and women was observed (see: t = .11;
n.s.), therefore gender was not put in the regression analysis.
Results
The basic descriptive statistics for both groups
and the outcomes of analyses of significance of differences
between groups HIV+ and HIV/AIDS for social support are
presented in Table 1. The problem of the intensity of the
temperamental traits in above mentioned groups was not
dealt with in this paper, as it was elaborated on in a different
paper by the same authors (see: Rzeszutek, Oniszczenko,
Firląg-Burkacka, 2012).
No significant differences were found for social
support between HIV+ and HIV/AIDS individuals.
The outcomes of the correlation analyses for social
support and intensity of PTSD symptoms and temperament
traits for the whole studied sample, are presented in Table
2. (page 434).
As we can see in Table 2, support seeking,
perceived available support and actually received support
correlate with all the PTSD symptoms indicators. These
correlations are low and positive. Sensory sensitivity,
emotional reactivity and perseveration correlate weakly and
negatively, and endurance correlates weakly and positively,
with perceived available support only.
In order to determine the extent to which specific
temperament traits and dimensions of social support
can be viewed as predictors or buffers of global PTSD
symptoms score in HIV+ individuals, which was treated
as the explained variable in the analysis, we conducted a
hierarchical regression analysis (inclusion model). Variables
which correlated most strongly with the global PTSD level
(see: sensory sensitivity and social support seeking) were
assumed to be potential predictors or buffers of the explained
variable. We included demographic variables (see: age) as
the first step in our hierarchical regression analysis so as
to explore, whether above mentioned temperament traits
and social support aspects contribute above and beyond the
level of PTSD symptoms among the whole group HIV+
individuals, when controlling for age. The results of this
analysis are presented in Table 3 (page 434).
As we can see in Table 3, positive correlations
between age and the level of PTSD symptoms in the whole
group of HIV+ individuals was observed. In addition to
this, sensory sensitivity accounts for 14% of the variance
of global PTSD symptoms in HIV+ patients and sensory
sensitivity and support seeking together account for 19.5%
of the variance of the explained variable among the whole
group of HIV+, when controlling for age.
Finally, we wanted to investigate, whether
temperament traits (see: sensory sensitivity) can moderate
the relationship between social support (see: social
support seeking) and the intensity of PTSD symptoms in
the sample of HIV+ and HIV/AIDS positives, also when
controlling age.. Explanatory variables were centered using
standardization to z scores. The results of an analysis can be
found in Table 4 (page 434).
Hierarchical regression analysis with interactive
ingredient has shown a significant relationship between the
level of sensory sensitivity (semipartial correlation = -.33; p
< .001) and the level of social support seeking (semipartial
correlation = .24; p < .001) with the intensity of PTSD
symptoms in the HIV+ sample, when controlling for age.
The model for the main effects of explanatory variable (see:
social support seeking) and the moderator (see: sensory
sensitivity) revealed good fitness to the data, F (3,306) =
24.69; p <.001. A significant interaction effect was also
revealed (semipartial correlation = -.09; p <.10). The model
with interactive ingredient revealed good fitness to the
data as well, F (4,305) = 19.46; p <.001, and after adding
interactive ingredient, 20.3% of variance of the explained
variable was produced.
Table 1. Means and standard deviations for social support dimensions in the HIV+ group and HIV/AIDS group.
HIV+ (n = 182)
M (SD)
HIV/AIDS (n = 128)
M (SD)
HIV+ vs. HIV/AIDS
t test (308) Cohen’s d
Social support
Perceived Available
Support 23.43 (6.57) 22.35 (5.70) -1.53 -.17
Need for Support 10.84 (2.28) 10.49 (2.34) -1.32 -.15
Support Seeking 12.60 (3.18) 12.74 (3.18) .33 .03
Actually Received
Support 41.92 (9.07) 42.57 (9.15) .62 .07

434 Marcin Rzeszutek, Włodzimierz Oniszczenko
Table 2. Pearson-r correlation coefficients for the BSSS, PTSDF, and FCB-TI scales (N=310).
Intrusion/
Arousal
Avoidance/
Numbing
Global
Score Briskness Perseveration Sensory
sensitivity
Emotional
reactivity Endurance Activity
BSSS
Perceived
Available
Support
.20** .14** .17** .19** (a) -.15** -.19** -.18** .17** .10
Need for
Support .05 .05 .02 -.03(a) -.03 -.10 -.03 -.03 .01
Support
Seeking .27** .22** .25** -.04(a) .06 -.06 .02 .05 .04
Actually
Received
Support
.16** .13* .15** .06(a) .06 -.09 -.10 .07 .02
Note: (a) Spearman-rho correlation coefficient * p < .05; ** p < .01.
Table 3. Hierarchical regression analysis of demographic variables (age), selected temperament traits and
particular social support aspects as predictors of HIV-related PTSD symptoms (N=310).
Model F F Δ R R² Predictor Semipartial
correlation
Age 5,68(a)* - .13 .02 Age .14*
+Sensory sensitivity 24.30(b)*** 42.16*** .37 .14 Age
Sensory sensitivity
.12*
-.34***
+ Social support
seeking 24.69(c)*** 22.13*** .44 .20
Age
Sensory sensitivity Social
support seeking
.15**
-.33***
.24***
Note: (a) df = 1/308, (b) df = 2/307; (c) df = 3/306; * p <.05; **p <.01; *** p < .001.
Table 4. Hierarchical regression analysis of demographic variables (age) and particular temperament traits
as moderators of the relationship between selected social support aspects and level of PTSD symptoms among
all tested HIV+ individuals (N = 310).
Model F F Δ R R² Predictor Semipartial correlation
Age 5,68(a)* - .13 .02 Age .14*
+ Sensory sensitivity
Social support seeking 24.69(b)*** 33.59*** .44 .19
Age
Sensory sensitivity
Social support seeking
.15**
-.33***
.24***
+ Sensory sensitivity
x
Social support seeking
19.46(c)*** 3.22*** .45 .20
Age
Sensory sensitivity
Social support seeking
Sensory sensitivity
x
Social support seeking
.14**
-.34***
.23***
.09#
Note: (a) df = 1/308, (b) df = 3/306; (c) df = 4/305; * p <.05; ** p <.01; *** p < .001.

435
Association between social support and temperament and the intensity of PTSD ...
The analysis of the relationship between social
support seeking and the general level of PTSD intensity,
after controlling for age, within groups according to their
level of sensory sensitivity, revealed a positive relationship
both in a group with high (semipartial correlation = .28; p
<.001) and low sensory sensitivity (semipartial correlation
= .18; p <.001). In the model looking at the group with low
sensory sensitivity fitness of data was close to statistical
significance, F (2,156) = 2.61; p <.10). In the model dealing
with the group with high sensory sensitivity, good fitness of
data was achieved, F (2,148) = 11.36; p <.001. In both models,
seeking of social support was a statistically significant and a
positive predictor of the level of PTSD symptoms, however
in the group of people with low sensory sensitivity, seeking
of social support explained 3.2% of variance of the level of
PTSD symptoms, and 13.3% of variance in the group with
high sensory sensitivity. It means that among people with
low sensory sensitivity, the relationship between the level of
social support seeking and the intensity of PTSD symptoms
is weaker than among people with high sensory sensitivity.
Above mentioned results are presented on the Graph 1 and
Graph 2.
Discussion
The results of our study suggest that some aspects
of social support and some temperament traits may have a
moderating effect on the origin and persistence of PTSD
symptoms in HIV+ individuals.
We found no differences between HIV+ and
HIV/AIDS individuals with respect to perceived available
support, which is consistent with the literature (see: Table 1)
(Ashton et al., 2005; Hansen, Vaughn, Cavanaugh, Connell,
& Sikkema, 2009) and shows that social attitudes towards
HIV+ individuals remain stable whatever the phase of the
disease.
The results of the correlation analysis (see: Table
2) show that PTSD symptoms correlate weakly with social
support. Three of the four aspects of support (support
seeking, perceived available support and actually received
support) correlate positively with the level of PTSD
symptoms in this group. The greater the intensity of PTSD
symptoms, the greater the level of support seeking, and the
higher the ratings of available and received support. This
may suggest that intensification of the trauma accompanying
Table 3. Hierarchical regression analysis of demographic variables (age), selected temperament traits and
particular social support aspects as predictors of HIV-related PTSD symptoms (N=310).
Model F F Δ R R² Predictor Semipartial
correlation
Age 5,68(a)* - .13 .02 Age .14*
+Sensory sensitivity 24.30(b)*** 42.16*** .37 .14 Age
Sensory sensitivity
.12*
-.34***
+ Social support
seeking 24.69(c)*** 22.13*** .44 .20
Age
Sensory sensitivity Social
support seeking
.15**
-.33***
.24***
Note: (a) df = 1/308, (b) df = 2/307; (c) df = 3/306; * p <.05; **p <.01; *** p < .001.
Table 4. Hierarchical regression analysis of demographic variables (age) and particular temperament traits
as moderators of the relationship between selected social support aspects and level of PTSD symptoms among
all tested HIV+ individuals (N = 310).
Model F F Δ R R² Predictor Semipartial correlation
Age 5,68(a)* - .13 .02 Age .14*
+ Sensory sensitivity
Social support seeking 24.69(b)*** 33.59*** .44 .19
Age
Sensory sensitivity
Social support seeking
.15**
-.33***
.24***
+ Sensory sensitivity
x
Social support seeking
19.46(c)*** 3.22*** .45 .20
Age
Sensory sensitivity
Social support seeking
Sensory sensitivity
x
Social support seeking
.14**
-.34***
.23***
.09#
Note: (a) df = 1/308, (b) df = 3/306; (c) df = 4/305; * p <.05; ** p <.01; *** p < .001.
Graph 1. Scatter plot – the level of PTSD symptoms according to the intensity of social support seeking in the group
of HIV+ individuals with low sensory sensitivity.
Graph 2. Scatter plot – the level of PTSD symptoms according to the intensity of social support seeking in the group of
HIV+ individuals with high sensory sensitivity.

436 Marcin Rzeszutek, Włodzimierz Oniszczenko
HIV intensifies the need for support and availability of
support may be rated more highly in conditions of social
isolation (Abramowicz, Koenig & Chandwani, 2009; Lee,
Detels, Rotheram-Borus, Duan, & Lord, 2007).
As far as temperament traits are concerned,
they correlated only with one aspect of social support,
perceived available support (see: Table 2). It looks as if the
temperament of people experiencing difficulty orients them
toward information seeking and motivates them to find out
where and from whom they can get help and how available
support networks are. This function of temperament seems
to play an important part in adaptation to threat. More
perseverating, sensory sensitive and emotionally reactive
individuals rated the availability of support lower than
individuals exhibiting opposite traits. On the other hand,
individuals high on temperamental briskness and endurance
rated the availability of support more highly, probably
because they are more mobile and more likely to keep on
looking for a solution to their problem (Strelau, 2008).
Positive correlations between age and the level of
PTSD symptoms in the whole group of HIV+ individuals
was observed (see: Table 3). It seems that the level of PTSD
symptoms caused by HIV infection increases with age,
which is consistent with some other studies (see: Hansen et
al., 2009).
In addition to this, hierarchical regression analysis
(see: Table 3) showed that sensory sensitivity accounts
for 14% of the variance of global PTSD symptoms in
HIV+ patients and sensory sensitivity and support seeking
together account for 20% of the variance of the explained
variable among the whole group of HIV+, when controlling
for gender and age.
We were quite surprised to find that sensory
sensitivity acts as a buffer in PTSD symptoms dynamics
in HIV-infected individuals. This finding was also a major
interpretative challenge because this trait did not correlate
with the analyzed PTSD symptoms analyzed in victims of
natural catastrophes (Strelau, 2008). When trying to explain
this finding it is worth noting that sensory sensitivity
compensates excessive or insufficient stimulation. When
there are too many or too few stimuli in the environment,
sensory sensitivity may change so as to restore effective
regulation of stimulation. In HIV+ individuals, the PTSD
symptoms caused by the experience of a life-threatening
disease probably lead to chronic, internal arousal (Safren,
Gershuny, & Hendriksen, 2003; Theuninck, Lake, & Gibson,
2010). On the other hand, the discrimination and social
isolation which so many HIV+ individuals experience may
deprive them of a considerable amount of environmental
stimulation (Lee, Detels, Rotheram-Borus, Duan, & Lord,
2007; Li et al., 2008). Intensification of sensory sensitivity
may then help to compensate these processes, in which case,
we may view this trait as an element of the information
processing system and therefore as a property lying at the
interface of not only temperament but also ability, a property
which restores effective stimulation regulation.
Another significant predictor of intensity of PTSD
symptoms was social support seeking. When trying to
interpret the significance of this predictor it is worth noting
that the proliferation of HIV/AIDS evoked many negative
social and psychological phenomena which disclosed
lack of tolerance, poor education and strong reliance on
stereotypes (Adewuya et al., 2009; Chin & Kroesen, 1999).
Despite their stigmatisation and social isolation, HIV-
infected people need to feel close to people. Despite their
fear of disclosure, progressive trauma may motivate them
to seek help and psychological support from other people
(see earlier reports by Heckman et al., 2004; Davey, Foster,
Milton & Duncan, 2009; Schachman et al., 2007).
However, our study demonstrated that sensory sensitivity is
a moderator of relationship between social support seeking
and the global PTSD level (see: Table 4). Among HIV+
individuals high on sensory sensitivity there is stronger,
positive relation between social support seeking and the level
of PTSD symptoms in comparison to HIV + people with
low sensory sensitivity. When trying to explain this finding
it is worth again mentioning the fact that sensory sensitivity
compensates excessive or insufficient stimulation. In other
words, intensification of this temperament trait may help
HIV+ people to compensate negative social attitudes toward
them. Perhaps also in this context sensory sensitivity acts
as a buffer in PTSD symptoms dynamics in HIV-infected
individuals.
To sum up it is worth noting that our study also has
its limitations. Above all we did not investigate the relation
between availability of support networks and intensity of
PTSD symptoms associated with HIV infection. It is also
not quite clear whether our chosen method of temperament
assessment or the dimensions of social support change are
modified by the experience of HIV/AIDS and if so, how.
Despite these limitations, we think that further psychological
research with HIV-infected individuals is justified. It is
important to know how support for HIV-infected individuals
relates to their personality traits because this may help to
improve patients’ quality of life.
Conclusions
Support seeking increases with the increase in
intensity of PTSD symptoms. Sensory sensitivity associated
with perceived support may act as a buffer protecting
HIV+ individuals from excessive development of PTSD
symptoms.
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438 Marcin Rzeszutek, Włodzimierz Oniszczenko
Acknowledgments
The research presented in this article was funded
by grant BST no. 1445-02-2009 from the Faculty of
Psychology, University of Warsaw. This study involves
no conflict of interests. We would like to thank Ewa Firląg
– Burkacka from the Warsaw’s Hospital for Infectious
Diseases, Warsaw, Poland, for your kind assistance in
collecting the data.