Abstract:
This descriptive research aimed to study hope in HIV infected persons receiving anti¬retroviral treatment and to study the relationships among selected factors: self-esteem, stage of disease, social support, and hope. This study was guided by the Hope Conceptual Framework (Herth, 1992). Subjects consisted of 100 HIV infected persons receiving anti-retroviral treatment at Hatyai hospital and Maharat hospital, selected by purposive sampling technique. Data were collected by using four intruments: Demographic Data Form, Herth Hope Index, Self-Esteem Questionnaires, and Social Support Questionnaires. Instruments were tested for content validity by a panel of experts. The reliability of intruments were 0.77, 0.77 and 0.87, respectively. Data were analyzed by using mean, standard deviation, Point Biserial Correlation, and Pearsons product moment correlation. Major findings were as follows: l. Hope in HIV infected persons receiving anti-retroviral treatment was at the medium level ([mean] = 2.95, SD = 0.35). 2. Self-esteem was positively and significantly related to hope in HIV infected persons receiving antiretroviral treatment at the level of .01 (r = .73). 3. Social support was positively and significantly related to hope in HIV infected persons receiving anti-retroviral treatment at the level of .01 (r= .61). 4. Stage of disease was not significantly related to hope in HIV infected persons receiving anti-retroviral treatment.