Health outcomes resulting from the quality of emotional expression in HIV/AIDS patients

Abstract Introduction Studies on emotional expression and its impact upon health have mainly focused on quantitative aspects of interactions rather than on their quality. Objective The present study aimed to examine the interpersonal quality of interactions in the social sharing of emotions (SSE) in people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA), and its impact on patients’ physical and psychological well-being. Method One hundred and one PLWHA answered a questionnaire (Likert scale items) which assessed the following: shame, guilt, perceived stigma, perceived physical health, perceived mental health, SSE and the interpersonal quality of SSE (IQSSE). The main hypotheses were compiled into a theoretical model which was tested by a series of structural equation modeling (SEM) analyses. Results The final solution resulted into a well-fit model which showed that: shame predicted IQSSE, perceived stigma mediated the relationship between IQSSE and guilt, and perceived mental health mediated the relationship between IQSSE and perceived physical health. Conclusion These results corroborate previous findings which demonstrate that IQSSE is independent from quantitative aspects of SSE and that the way the SSE takes place is crucial to the benefits it induces.