The relationship between social support and negative automatic thoughts among people living with HIV/AIDS in China: the mediating role of psychological capital

This study investigated negative automatic thoughts among Chinese people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) and the mediating role of psychological capital in the relationship between social support and negative automatic thoughts. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 94 PLWHA in Jiaxing, China, using a demographic questionnaire, the Social Support Rating Scale, the Positive Psychological Capital Questionnaire, and the Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire. The median score for negative automatic thoughts was 45.0 (33.8, 62.8). Social support was negatively correlated with negative automatic thoughts (β = −0.547, p < 0.001) and positively correlated with psychological capital (β = 0.479, p < 0.001). Psychological capital was also negatively correlated with negative automatic thoughts (β = −0.284, p < 0.01). Mediation analysis confirmed that psychological capital significantly mediated the relationship between social support and negative automatic thoughts (indirect effect = −0.365, 95% CI [−0.697, −0.049]). These findings indicate that Chinese PLWHA experience moderate negative automatic thoughts, and social support was negatively associated with negative automatic thoughts both directly and indirectly through psychological capital. Interventions should focus on eliminating discrimination, strengthening social support, and fostering psychological capital to mitigate negative automatic thoughts in this population.