Medical advances contribute to raise life expectancy of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) and quality of life (QoL) became a priority. However, PLWHA still face challenges related to the disease, having to adjust to different situations and adapt their goals. Tenacious Goal Pursuit (TGP) means the pursuit of goals with determination. Flexible Goal Adjustment (FGA), on the other hand, means seeking them with flexibility, disengaging if necessary. Illness perceptions (IP) are the beliefs and cognitions people have of a disease. This study aims to measure the effects of TGP, FGA and IP in the QoL of PLWHA. Data was collected from 140 French HIV positive patients. It was used the WHOQOL-HIV Bref, the Brief-IPQ and the FGA and TGP Scales. Results showed a correlation between FGA, IP and General QoL. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis indicates that the effects of FGA on the General QoL became non significant when IP is included. A Sobel test confirms that the effects of FGA in QoL is fully mediated by IP. PLWHA have to adjust in a daily basis, for that reason, FGA seems important to improve QoL. Goal oriented interventions should focus in the HIV/AIDS perception of PLWHA.
