Social support structures and predictors of depression in persons who are seropositive

Survey data from 87 seropositive individuals were analysed to assess the extent to which: (1) the social-support network changes over the course of three levels of seropositivity (HIV asymptomatic, HIV symptomatic and AIDS); (2) certain types of support providers are associated with lower depression; and (3) the relative contribution of support network diversity, emotional support from several categories of providers (family of origin, friends, spouses/partners, and weak ties) and locus of control to depression. Results indicate that the support-network structure changes when symptoms appear, most notably reliance on weak ties decreases and on family of origin increases. Results also indicate that persons drawing on a particular support provider are no less depressed than persons not drawing on that support provider. However, health, social locus of control and increasing levels of emotional support from friends, family and weak ties all make independent contributions to lower depression. Future research is suggested to explore the transition points among HIV asymptomatic, HIV symptomatic and AIDS conditions.