Reviews the proposed etiology & epidemiology of AIDS & summarizes the psychiatric symptoms in high-risk groups, patients who have ARC or AIDS & patients who are seropositive yet asymptomatic. It differentiates between psychiatric manifestations predating & following prodromal symptoms of immunodeficiency & elucidates diagnostic criteria that may assist in this process. A brief description of suggested treatment & management for the various forms of AIDS related psychopathology follows.