Behavior and psychological functioning of young children of HIV-positive mothers in South Africa

dc.contributor.authorSipsma, Heather
dc.contributor.authorEloff, Irma
dc.contributor.authorMakin, J.D. (Jennifer Dianne)
dc.contributor.authorFinestone, Michelle
dc.contributor.authorEbersohn, L. (Liesel)
dc.contributor.authorVisser, M.J. (Maretha Johanna)
dc.contributor.authorSikkema, Kathleen J.
dc.contributor.authorBoeving Allen, Charmayne A.
dc.contributor.authorFerreira, Ronel
dc.contributor.authorForsyth, Brian William Cameron
dc.date.accessioned2014-08-28T10:37:36Z
dc.date.available2014-08-28T10:37:36Z
dc.date.issued2013
dc.description.abstractAdults with HIV are living longer due to earlier diagnosis and increased access to antiretroviral medications. Therefore, fewer young children are being orphaned and instead, are being cared for by parents who know they are HIV positive, although they may be asymptomatic. Presently, it is unclear whether the psychological functioning of these young children is likely to be affected or, alternatively, whether it is only when a mother is ill, that children suffer adverse effects. We, thus, aimed to compare the behavior and psychological functioning of young children (aged 6 10 years) of HIV-positive and HIV-negative mothers. We also aimed to examine the association between HIV status disclosure and child outcomes. This study uses cross-sectional data from the baseline assessment of a randomized controlled trial conducted in Tshwane, South Africa. Participants (n 509) and their children were recruited from area health clinics. Among the 395 mothers with HIV, 42% reported symptoms of HIV disease. Multivariate linear regression models suggested that after adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, children of HIV-positive mothers had significantly greater externalizing behaviors than children of HIV-negative mothers. Importantly, children whose mothers were symptomatic had greater internalizing and externalizing behaviors compared with children of HIV-negative mothers, but this was not true for children of asymptomatic mothers. Additionally, among children of HIV-positive mothers, those who had been told their mothers were sick compared with children who had been told nothing had less internalizing and externalizing behaviors and improved daily living skills. This study, therefore, provides evidence that maternal HIV disease can affect the behaviors of young children in South Africa but, importantly, only when the mothers are symptomatic from their disease. Furthermore, results suggest that disclosure of maternal illness but not HIV status was associated with improved behavior and psychological functioning among young children.en_US
dc.description.librarianhb2014en_US
dc.description.sponsorshipNational Institute of Mental Health (Grant 5R01HD057834)en_US
dc.description.urihttp://www.tandfonline.com/loi/caic20en_US
dc.identifier.citationHeather Sipsma, Irma Eloff, Jennifer Makin, Michelle Finestone, Liesel Ebersohn, Maretha J. Visser,Kathleen J. Sikkema, Charmayne A. Boeving Allen, Ronél Ferreira & Brian Forsyth (2013) Behavior and psychological functioning of young children of HIV-positive mothers in South Africa, AIDS Care: Psychological and Socio-medical Aspects of AIDS/HIV, 25:6, 721-725, DOI:10.1080/09540121.2013.779627.en_US
dc.identifier.issn0954-0121 (print)
dc.identifier.issn1360-0451 (online)
dc.identifier.other10.1080/09540121.2013.779627
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2263/41824
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherRoutledgeen_US
dc.rights© 2013 Taylor and Francis. This is an electronic version of an article published in AIDS Care, vol. 25, no. 6, pp. 721-725, 2013. doi : 10.1080/09540121.2013.779627. AIDS Care is available online at : http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/caic20.en_US
dc.subjectMaternal HIVen_US
dc.subjectChild behavioren_US
dc.subjectPsychologicalen_US
dc.subjectDisclosureen_US
dc.subjectHuman immunodeficiency virus (HIV)en_US
dc.subjectSouth Africa (SA)en_US
dc.titleBehavior and psychological functioning of young children of HIV-positive mothers in South Africaen_US
dc.typePostprint Articleen_US

Files

Original bundle

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Name:
Sipsma_Behavior_2013.pdf
Size:
134.88 KB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Postprint Article

License bundle

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Name:
license.txt
Size:
1.71 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description: