Abstract:
“Telling stories and adding scores: Measuring resilience in young children affected by maternal HIV and AIDS”,
demonstrates how a concurrent mixed method design assisted cross-cultural comparison and ecological
descriptions of resilience in young South African children, as well as validated alternative ways to measure
resilience in young children. In a longitudinal randomised control trial, which investigated psychological resilience
in mothers and children affected by HIV/AIDS, we combined a qualitative projective story-telling technique (Düss
Fable) with quantitative data (Child Behaviour Checklist). The children mostly displayed adaptive resilience-related
behaviours, although maladaptive behaviours were present. Participating children use internal (resolve/agency,
positive future expectations, emotional intelligence) and external protective resources (material resources, positive
institutions) to mediate adaptation. Children’s maladaptive behaviours were exacerbated by internal (limited
problem-solving skills, negative emotions) and external risk factors (chronic and cumulative adversity).
