THE RELATIONSHIPS OF SPIRITUAL WELL-BEING, SELECTED DEMOGRAPHIC VARIABLES, SPIRITUAL VARIABLES, HEALTH INDICATORS, AND AIDS RELATED ACTIVITIES TO HARDINESS IN PERSONS WHO WERE HIV POSITIVE OR WERE DIAGNOSED WITH ARC OR AIDS (IMMUNE DEFICIENCY, HIV POSITIVE).

Description

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships of spiritual well-being, selected demographic variables, spiritual variables, health indicators, and AIDS related activities to hardiness in persons who were HIV+ or were diagnosed with ARC or AIDS. The study derived its theoretical basis from the work of Viktor Frankl (1955, 1963, 1967). Frankl believed that psychological health was dependent on spiritual health. Surveys were administered to 100 subjects who were either HIV+ or diagnosed with ARC or AIDS. Each subject completed three instruments, the Spiritual Well-Being Scale, the Personal Views Survey to measure hardiness, and the Demographic Data Survey. The sample was described using Descriptive Statistics. Analysis of data included One-Way Analyses of Variance (ANOVA), Pearson Product-Moment Correlations, and Multiple Regression techniques. The results demonstrated that in this sample, there was a significant relationship between spiritual well-being and and hardiness (R =.417, p $<$.0001) as well as existential well-being and hardiness (R =.505, p $<$.0001). Therefore, both hypotheses were upheld. In addition, there was no relationship between time since diagnosis, diagnosis, age, sex and spiritual well-being and hardiness. Subjects who perceived themselves to be in better physical, emotional, and spiritual health had higher spiritual well-being and hardiness scores. Individuals with increased participation in spiritual activities had higher spiritual well-being and hardiness scores. Individuals with increased participation in health promoting activities had higher spiritual well-being and hardiness scores. Affiliation with an organized religion did not relate to either spiritual well-being or hardiness. However, those individuals who perceived themselves to be religious had higher spiritual well-being scores as well as higher scores on the commitment and control subscales of the hardiness measure.

Subjects