PEDIATRIC HIV, SOCIAL SUPPORT AND CAREGIVER ADJUSTMENT

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The purpose of this study is to determine whether a relationship exists between family social support, caregiver disease adjustment, and cognitive and psychosocial development of HIV-positive children. Specifically, this study aims to determine whether the adjustment of mothers to their own HIV status can explain the variance in child developmental level beyond that explained by the child's own HIV status, HIV symptoms, end CD4 count. The cognitive development of the child will be assessed via the Bayley Scales of Infant Development, the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence, or the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition. Psychosocial development will be assessed via the Personal-Social Adaptive domain of the Battelle Developmental Inventory. In addition, mothers will have to complete a brief packet of questionnaire measures assessing family social support, disease adjustment, and demographic characteristics. Although previous studies have attempted to examine the role that HIV and psychosocial factors may play in the development and adjustment of HIV-positive children, few have narrowed down the scope of the investigation to examine the role that maternal adjustment may play in the child's development. As such, this study will not only add to the very few studies on the psychosocial aspects of pediatric HIV, but it will also help elucidate some of the issues involved in the development of pediatric HIV patients. Due to the continued rise in the life expectancy of these children, understanding the psychosocial and in particular the mother child aspects of this disorder seems especially important.