Intraindividual Variability in Daily Experiences of Posttraumatic Growth, Affect, and HIV/AIDS Stigma among People Living with HIV: Does Resilience Matter?

This study investigated intraindividual variability in daily posttraumatic growth (PTG) versus posttraumatic depreciation (PTD), positive and negative affect (PA and NA), and HIV/AIDS stigma among people living with HIV (PLWH). Additionally, we examined whether this variability may derive from participants’ resilience. The participants included 67 PLWH who after filling the baseline questionnaire on resilience for five consecutive days they completed short versions of questionnaire on (PTG/ PTD), daily declared affect, as well as daily HIV/AIDS stigma. We observed significant intraindividual variability in PTG, PTD, PA, NA, and perceived stigma. Resilience was related to PTG, PTD, PA, and NA but not stigma. Moreover, higher resilience was associated with higher, stabler PA and lower, stabler NA. Our results show the need for better PTG operationalization and measurement, particularly regarding daily manifestations in real life and intraindividual variability, as well as further studies on PLWH’s daily functioning in various areas.