Does Resilience Mediate the Relationship Between Negative Self-Image and Psychological Distress in Middle-Aged and Older Gay and Bisexual Men?

Overview

Journal Res Aging

Specialty Geriatrics

Date 2024 Jun 18

PMID 38886913

Authors

Mark Brennan-Ing

Sabina Haberlen

Deanna Ware

Steven Meanley

Frank J Palella

Robert Bolan

Judith A Cook

Chukwuemeka N Okafor

M Reuel Friedman

Michael W Plankey

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Aging gay and bisexual men may have negative self-image due to body image dissatisfaction and internalized ageism, resulting in psychological distress. Gay and bisexual men with HIV may be at greater risk for distress because of research linking HIV to accelerated aging. We examined associations between self-image and psychological distress, and potential mediating effects resilience, fitness engagement, and whether these relationships were moderated by HIV serostatus. We tested our hypotheses with structural equation modeling using data from gay and bisexual men with HIV ( = 525 = 57.6) and without HIV ( = 501 = 62.2). We observed significant positive associations between self-image and distress and significant mediation effects (resilience, fitness engagement) that were moderated by HIV serostatus (resilience was only significant for men with HIV). We conclude that resilience interventions may be beneficial in alleviating distress from negative self-image among aging gay and bisexual men with HIV.

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