Abstract:
The authors of this study evaluated a structured 10-session psy-
chosocial support group intervention for newly HIV-diagnosed
pregnant South African women. Participants were expected to
display increases in HIV disclosure, self-esteem, active coping and
positive social support, and decreases in depression, avoidant
coping, and negative social support. Three hundred sixty-one
pregnant HIV-infected women were recruited from four antenatal clinics in Tshwane townships from April 2005 to September 2006.
Using a quasi-experimental design, assessments were conducted
at baseline and two and eight months post-intervention. A series
of random effects regression analyses were conducted, with the
three assessment points treated as a random effect of time. At
both follow-ups, the rate of disclosure in the intervention group was significantly higher than that of the comparison group (p <
0.001). Compared to the comparison group at the first follow-up,
the intervention group displayed higher levels of active coping
(t = 2.68, p < 0.05) and lower levels of avoidant coping (t =
-2.02, p < 0.05), and those who attended at least half of the
intervention sessions exhibited improved self-esteem (t = 2.11,
p < 0.05). Group interventions tailored for newly HIV positive
pregnant women, implemented in resource-limited settings, may
accelerate the process of adjusting to one’s HIV status, but may
not have sustainable benefits over time.
