Adjustment: Denial in the Styles of Coping with Hiv Infection

This study describes styles of denial associated with traumatic information (specifically HIV/AIDS infection). Participants were referred from three sites. Psychosocial, knowledge, and belief inventories were administered in structured individual interviews. CDC evaluations of high risk also were utilized. Clients with similar knowledge bases exhibited some differences in evaluating “risk groups” versus “high risk behavior.” Three styles of denial emerged: a) Primary Denial (PD), 2) Secondary Denial (SD), and 3) Denial with no benefit (NBD) ( Deferred Behavior-conscious knowledge is high). The three styles were evenly distributed PD = 38 percent (22); SD = 33 percent (19); NBD = 29 percent (17). There appeared to be some mobility where 9 percent of the total population migrated from one style to a higher adaptive style.