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. 2023 Feb;28(2):170-181.
doi: 10.1080/13557858.2022.2035690. Epub 2022 Feb 24.

Self-esteem, adverse life events, and mental health diagnoses among Black women living with HIV

Sherene Samuels  1 , Sannisha K Dale  1
Affiliations

Self-esteem, adverse life events, and mental health diagnoses among Black women living with HIV

Sherene Samuels et al. Ethn Health. 2023 Feb.

Abstract

Purpose: Black women in the U.S. are disproportionately impacted by HIV and adverse life events (ALE). High self-esteem has been noted as a protective factor and low self-esteem has been linked to mental health diagnoses. However, the existing literature is limited in the examination of how self-esteem may buffer relationships between ALE and mental health diagnoses among Black women living with HIV (BWLWH).

Methods: One hundred and nineteen BWLWH completed self-report measures on self-esteem (Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale) and ALE (Life Events Checklist for DSM-5) (e.g. sexual assault, physical assault, accidents, natural disaster) as well as a clinical interview (via Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Inventory) to diagnose current depression, PTSD, and suicidality.

Results: Multivariable logistic regressions indicated that higher self-esteem was associated with lower likelihood of current depression (OR = .894, p < .01), PTSD (OR = .838, p < .001) and suicidality (OR = .889, p < .05). Interactions between self-esteem and total ALE significantly predicted current depression (OR = .000003, p < .05) and PTSD (OR = 2.7182 × 10-9, p < .001); and higher total ALE related to higher likelihood of current PTSD only among BWLWH reporting lower self-esteem (OR = 1.21, p < .05).

Conclusion: Interventions addressing mental health diagnoses among BWLWH should incorporate strategies to enhance self-esteem.

Keywords: Black women; HIV; adverse life events; mental health; self-esteem.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest/Competing interests

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

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