Perceptions of social support and psychological adaptation to sexually acquired HIV among white and African American men.

Although the research literature documents the impact of social support on the mental health of people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), the assumption that relationships between social support and mental health functioning are comparable across ethnically distinct populations with HIV/AIDS has been challenged. This study reports preliminary data on the relationship between perceptions of social support and mental health in a sample of African American and white men with sexually acquired HIV. Data from 33 respondents revealed considerable differences within the sample. Data from white men revealed strong positive relationships between mental health measures and social support from friends and family, whereas data from African American men revealed negative relationships. Further, measures of social support seem to adequately reflect the support systems of white men but not those of African American men. Implications of these and additional findings for research and practice are considered.