RESEARCH PAPER Coping with HIV Related Stigma and Well-Being Pilar Sanjua ´n • Fernando Molero • Marı ´a Jose ´ Fuster • Encarnacio ´n Nouvilas Published online: 5 May 2012 Ó Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2012 Abstract The goal of this study was to analyze the relationships to be found among stigma perception, active and avoidant coping strategies, and subjective and psychological well-being in a sample of 133 people with HIV. The results showed that stigma perception and avoidant coping strategies (venting, self-blame, denial, behavioural disengagement and substance use) were positively associated, whereas, both stigma perception and avoidant coping were negatively associated with different measures of well-being (affect balance, self-acceptance and environmental mastery). These negative relationships between stigma perception and the three well-being measures were mediated by the use of avoidant coping strategies. Results suggest that psychosocial intervention programs for people who report psychological distress arising from prejudice must be aimed at developing appropriate ways to deal with this prejudice. Intervention programs should also include strategies to directly increase well-being since from a positive psychology viewpoint certain inter- ventions have been shown to do so, and HIV research has also shown that well-being is associated with lower mortality rates. Keywords Stigma perception Á Subjective well-being Á Psychological well-being Á Active coping Á Avoidant coping Á Affect balance 1 Introduction The experience of living with HIV involves a high level of stress. As well as other demands they may have to meet, people with HIV need to adapt to living with a chronic disease as well as coping with the stigmatization they may experience from society. As this stig- matization is recurring and intense, it is considered to be one of the most powerful stress factors (Miller and Major 2000). Stigma perception significantly increases reactions to stress, which apart from having an adverse effect on psychological well-being (Berger P. Sanjua ´n (&) Á F. Molero Á M. J. Fuster Á E. Nouvilas Facultad de Psicologı ´a, Universidad Nacional de Educacio ´n a Distancia (UNED), C/Juan del Rosal, 10-Ciudad Universitaria, 28040 Madrid, Spain e-mail: psanjuan@psi.uned.es 123 J Happiness Stud (2013) 14:709–722 DOI 10.1007/s10902-012-9350-6