Select Personality Characteristic Differences between Caregivers for Persons with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome and Caregivers for Other Types of Illness.

Field: Psychology (Social Sciences)

The purpose of this study was to analyze select personality characteristics of individuals working within the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) populltion in comparison to non-AIDS caregivers by using two personality assessment instruments. Subjects were from two health care provider populations. Two hundred research packets were distributed to various AIDS and non-AIDS service organizations and health care facilities, with a return of 64 usable packets, which represented 2 groups. The first group of 32 dealt only with Persons with AIDS (PWAS). They provided counseling, emergency support, health care, and resource management. The second group of 32 worked with other forms of illness in the health care community providing the same services, but had no contact with PWAS. Instruments used were the Edwards Personal Preference Schedule (EPPS) and the Rotter Internal-External Control of Reinforcement Scale (Rotter I-E Scale). Subjects were given a research packet containing these instruments and a demographic background questionnaire to obtain information on age, sex, religious affiliation, marital status, caregiving population, number of care-hours per week, sexual orientation, and the subject's Human Immunodeficiency Virus status and subsequent diagnosis. Analysis of EPPS data indicated that AIDS caregivers had higher mean scores on the traits of Affiliation, Succorance, Nur:urance, and Change. Non-AIDS caregivers had higher means scores on the traits of Order, Heterosexuality, and Aggression. There were no significant differences on the Rotter I-E Scale. (ABL) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made J. from the original document. ***********************************************************k*********** Select Personality Characteristic Differences Between Caregivers for Persons With Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome and Caregivers for Other Types of Illness Daniel Scott Angel Jeannette Heritage NCN Tennessee Counseling Association P Nashville, Tennessee November 24, 1992 0 BEST COPY AVAILABLE U S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Once EdUCaliOnal ReSearC. and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE IC) S iNFORMADON CENTEER iTn.s document nas been reproduced as rece.ved from tne person 01 wpan.rat.on ongmannp Mmo, cnanges na,re been made tc rnprove reproduction opanty Points oI view or opinions stated in this do( u rnent do not necessarily represent t of Reinforcement Scale. Subjects were given a research packet containing these instruments and a demographic Background Questic'.aire to obtain information on age, sex, religious affiliation, marital status, caregiving population, number of care-hours per week, sexual orientation, and the subject's HIV status and subsequent diagnosis. The aim of this study was to gain descriptive data of personality traits of those persons working within the AIDS epidemic. Data were analyzed according to mean scores representing personality need traits measured by the EPPS for the AIDS and Non -AIDS caregivers using the ANOVA procedure. This analysis indicated that AIDS caregivers had higher means on the traits of Affiliation, Succorance, Nurturance, and Change. Non-AIDS caregivers had higher means on the traits of Order, Heterosexuality, and Aggression. According to demographic data, the typical AIDS caregiver was male, between 36 and 49 years of age, protestant, single, and homosexual and averaged 15 hours a week in client care. Three subjects from this group were HIV positive. Two subjects had a diagnosis of AIDS Related Complex (ARC), and one subject had a diagnosis of AIDS. The typical NonAIDS caregiver was female, between 31 and 35 years old, protestant, married, and heterosexual and averaged 2.3 hours a week in client care. No subject had a diagnosis of ARC or AIDS. There were no significant differences between the groups on scores for the Rotter I-E Scale_ Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) was first identified as a disease in 1981 (Henig, 1983). In the United States alone, as of September, 1992, there are approximately 242,136 case of Full Blown AIDS. World wide there are an estimated 10 to 20 million cases of HIV infeujon. Providing care for individuals infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) presents unique difficulties never before faced by medical and social service systems. Since the first years of the epidemic, a phenomenon has occurred to separate this health care problem from other approaches to providing care for patients. Many groups, both health providers and those politically oriented, have responded to the needs of individuals and communities hardest hit by AIDS. This response originally occurred without government or social service support. Gay communities in San Francisco and New York drew together as a viable force and began providing much needed care for AIDSinfected members. Pilot organizations, such as New York's Gay Men's Health Crisis and The San Francisco AIDS Foundation, took upon themselves the task of providing services for patients, services in the form of health care, emotional support, psychological consideration, and education for persons touched and those destined to be touched by the AIDS virus. These pilot organizations set the standard for numerous AIDS service organizations emerging all over the country. In the beginning most of these organizations were organized and run by volunteers and often by Persons With AIDS (PWAs). The objective of this study was to examine select personality characteristics and demographic data of persons working with the AIDS disease population. This group was compared to those persons working with other disease populations. Three instruments were used: (a) The Edwards Personal Preference Schedule (EPPS) (Edwards, 1957) which is designed t, measure a number of relatively normal, independent personality variables expressed as manifest needs, (b)The Rotter Internal-External Scale designed to indicate the perceived locus of control by individuals for life events. Subjects are presented with a series of alternate statements and must choose which is more appropriate in their perception. This is a forced-choice scale. Subjects must choose one