Abstract:
Prior investigations suggest that maternal HIV/
AIDS poses significant challenges to young children. This
study investigates the relationships between mothers’
psychological functioning, parenting, and children’s
behavioral outcomes and functioning in a population of
women living with HIV (N = 361) with a child between
the ages of 6 and 10 years in Tshwane, South Africa.
Utilizing path analysis, findings revealed that maternal
depression is related to increased parenting stress and
parent–child dysfunction, maternal coping is related to
parenting style, and maternal coping, parenting style and
stress, and parent–child dysfunction are associated with
children’s behavior and functioning, with parenting
emerging as an important mediator. These findings suggest
that interventions for women living with HIV and their
children should not only address maternal psychological functioning (depression and coping), but should also focus
on parenting, promoting a positive approach.
