Description: This presentation discusses research on the mental health of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) individuals. The authors hypothesize that mindfulness, self-esteem, and PSOM explain a significant proportion of variance of mental health of LGBT individuals and discuss their study in this presentation.

Description: This poster discusses research on perceived stress as a mediator between self-efficacy and depression in persons living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). In persons living with HIV, treatment has shifted towards chronic illness management since the introduction of highly active retroviral therapy. Coping with life threatening illness is stressful. Stress occurs when environmental stressors (e.g., HIV+ stigma) overwhelm an individual's ability to handle them effectively. HIV+ individual's inability to cope with stress is associated with increased depression, and worse treatment outcome (Remien et al., 2006). Thus, coping resources are indispensable for managing stress and depression in the HIV+ community (Remien et al., 2006). Self-efficacy is a perceived feeling of control over a taxing situation. Behaviorally, HIV+ self-efficacious individuals adaptively manage stress (Colodro, Godoy-Izquierdo, & Godoy, 2010). Stress uses resources needed to deal with depression; managing stress may reduce psychological impairment (Scott-Sheldon, Fielder, & Kalichman, 2008). The authors hypothesize that higher self-efficacy is associated with decreased depression, and that stress mediates this relationship. Future longitudinal studies focusing on self-efficacious stress interventions may reduce depression in HIV+ individuals.

Description: This presentation discusses research on parental social support as a mediator of stress and quality of life in HIV+ individuals. Social support is associated with increased medical adherence (Gonzalez et al. 2004) and improved Quality of Life (QOL) (Scott-Sheldon et al. 2008) in individuals with HIV. Not explored thoroughly in the literature are the specific associations of parental social support for adults. Research has yet to specifically explore the relationship between Parental Social Support, Stress and QOL. Using the Buffering Hypothesis Theory (Cohen & McKay, 1984), the authors posit that Social Support and Stress will be predictors of QOL, and Social Support will mediate the relationship between Stress and QOL. The authors' results suggest a link between Perceived Stress, Parental Support and QOL. They indicate that although Perceived Stress and Parental Social Support predict QOL, Social Support may not significantly buffer the relationship between Stress and QOL. This research is important as it helps inform the development of effective interventions that target parental social support in HIV individuals. Future research should continue to examine outcomes associated with Parental Social Support in Adults.

Description: This presentation discusses research on perceived stress in lesbians and gay men. Perceived stress negatively can lead to both physical and mental health factors that can greatly affect one's quality of life. Advancements in the study of lesbians and gay men (LG) have increased in the last few decades, but few have addressed variables predicting perceived stress. The compounding factors of a minority identity (both sexual and ethnic), discrimination/harassment, low self-esteem, and insufficient social support can influence how LG perceive stress. The author's findings support their hypotheses that discrimination was significantly associated with stress and higher self-esteem and perhaps social support in LG communities provides some insulation against stress. Additionally, the authors' findings suggest that younger gay and lesbian African Americans also perceive life as stressful.

Description: This presentation discusses research on the psychology of revenge. Previous studies have found that those who have been harmed in some way will try to restore equity to a relationship by exacting revenge on the person who has harmed them. This study examines whether or not an individual will exact revenge even when they do not know who their wrong-doer is. It also examines if that individual, when given the opportunity, will exact revenge on an innocent person in order to restore equity to the relationship between the individual and the unknown wrong-doer. The authors used an anger-induction method to treat half of our participants unfairly. The authors predicted that participants who were treated unfairly would be more likely to exact revenge on the next participant by choosing the option that they also be treated unfairly. The authors obtained results opposite of their hypothesis. The results are discussed in terms of the conditions in which individuals will choose not to exact revenge.