In June 2021, it was already 40 years since scientists first recorded cases of infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which resulted in a previously unknown disease, the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Over all these years, tremendous progress in HIV treatment has transformed society’s perception of this condition from a definitively fatal disease into a chronic, manageable medical issue. As a result, the current average life expectancy of people living with HIV does not differ significantly from that of the general population.

Despite these positive changes, people living with HIV still report lower levels of well-being, not only in comparison with the general population but also when compared to patients suffering from other chronic somatic diseases. Research findings indicate that the cause of this paradoxical situation is the persistent stigmatization of people living with HIV, the external manifestations of which have changed over time, while the overall intensity has remained at a relatively similar level to that of the early years of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

HIV/AIDS-related stigma is considered a major source of individual psychological distress and low well-being, but also, from a global perspective, it is recognized as a key barrier to effectively combating the HIV epidemic worldwide.

Chronic somatic illness is a source of ongoing stress not only for patients but also for their close ones in the role of caregivers. In such a demanding situation, the mutual exchange of social support plays a crucial role in the functioning of both individuals. However, studies on the daily receipt and provision of support in intimate relationships in the context of illness remain scarce. Daily support provision may be particularly important for patients, as it can enhance their sense of efficacy and self-esteem despite the illness, which is consistent with the general theory of social support strengthening self-worth.

The main aim of the project is to investigate the relationships between perceived daily provided and received social support, daily emotional well-being, and daily experiences of HIV/AIDS-related stigma in couples where at least one partner is living with HIV (PLWH).

To examine the mechanisms of social support exchange in relation to fluctuations in daily well-being and daily experiences of stigma, we plan to use an innovative psychological method, namely dyadic intensive longitudinal measurement. Daily online assessments will include evaluations of social support, stigma, and emotional well-being in both partners forming a dyad, taking into account their serodiscordant status (one partner living with HIV) or seroconcordant status (both partners living with HIV). The total time required to complete the daily online diary will be under 7 minutes and will span 3 weeks; each evening, partners within a dyad will independently complete personalized-link online questionnaires.

In summary, we would like to highlight the potential benefits of carrying out our research project, which have both epistemological and social significance.

- First, an analysis of the existing literature indicates that the proposed study will be the first to examine the exchange of social support, emotional well-being, and HIV/AIDS-related stigma within a daily dyadic research design.

- Second, the project is strongly grounded in theory and, as such, can provide new knowledge in the field of clinical health psychology regarding the mechanisms of social support exchange in chronic illnesses.

- Third, within the framework of science’s social responsibility, we plan to collaborate in the project with the non-governmental organization “Pozytywni w Tęczy” (“Positives in the Rainbow”), which supports people living with HIV.

This project will also be carried out as part of a cooperation agreement between the Faculty of Psychology at the University of Warsaw and the Institute of Psychology at SWPS University in Warsaw, which will further strengthen the position of both institutions through high-quality scientific publications.