CRITICAL REVIEW OF EMPIRICAL RESEARCH DEALING WITH THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OPTIMISTIC TENDENCIES AND HIV RELATED BEHAVIORS

Many variables related to risk of HIV infection, progression of the disease and adherence to antiretroviral drug therapy have been studied from different approaches. This review incorporates a group of studies including optimism as a variable related to Positive Psychology and HIV/AIDS, to explain how it interacts with: sexual risk behaviors, disease progression and adherence to antiretroviral (ARV) therapy. Refereed academic journals published from 1994 to 2009, were accessed from the EBSCO database. Subject Terms were related both to HIV and optimism. Articles were arranged into three classifications: infection, disease progression and ARV therapy adherence. The review included 32 articles carried out mainly in the USA. Most articles showed significant relationships between optimism and risk behaviors, disease progression and ARV adherence. This study concluded that more research in evaluation of optimism, and optimism related interventions should be made to disentangle the complex relationship it has with sex risk behaviors, disease progression and adherence to ARV Therapy. Moderate optimism appears to be a predictor to health related sexual behaviors.