Influence of Perceived Control and Religious Affiliations on HIV / AIDS' Stigma

Abstract

This study investigated influence of locus of control and religious orientations on HIV/AIDS' stigma. Participants were 177 students (131 women and 46 men) whose age ranged between 19 and 45 years, with a mean age of 27 years and a standard deviation of 4.11 years. Rotter (1973) locus of control scale and the Stigma of HIV/AIDS Questionnaire developed by the researcher to measure how people attach stigma to HIV/AIDS were used for data collection. Direct group administration was adopted in data collection. Two-way ANOVA revealed that locus of control had influence on stigma against people living with HIV/AIDS, F(1, 169) = 4. 75, p = .01, but not religious affiliation. The discussion was based on social construction of illness model, which assigns responsibility for contraction of illness to the victims.