The fork in the road: HIV as a potential positive turning point and the role of spirituality

Abstract

We interviewed 147 HIV-positive people regarding their key life-changing experiences – involving profound changes in attitudes, behaviors, beliefs (including spiritual beliefs), or self-views – to determine the prominence of HIV as the key positive/negative turning point. HIV was the key turning point, for 37% (26% positive, 11% negative), whereas for 63% of our sample it was not. Characteristics associated with perceiving HIV as the most positive turning point included having a near-death experience from HIV, increasing spirituality after HIV diagnosis, and feeling chosen by a Higher Powerto have HIV. Notably, perceived antecedents of viewing HIV as the key positive turning point were hitting rock bottom and calling on a Higher Power. Conversely, viewing HIV as the most negative turning point was associated with declining spirituality after diagnosis. Spirituality can both negatively and positively affect coping with HIV. Promoting positive spiritual coping may offer new counseling approaches. Further, for the majority of the participants, HIV is not the key turning point, which may be an indicator of the normalization of HIV with the advent of effective treatment.

Keywords:

• HIV/AIDS
• spirituality
• turning points
• life events
• benefit finding

Acknowledgements

We thank the Metanexus/Templeton Institute for funding this study (Gail Ironson, P.I.) and the NIH (R01MH53791 and R01MH066697, PI: Gail Ironson) for funding the parent study of the chronic disease sample. Further, we acknowledge all the people living with HIV for sharing their personal experiences with us and Annie George for performing many of the interviews. We also want to thank all the students who helped analyzing the interviews, in particularly Sana Pyaralli, Nicole Rodriguez, and Jennifer Kachmarik. We further thank Dale Ironson for being a consultant on this study and Marilisa Jiminez for her editorial comments.