Orphanhood by AIDS-Related Causes and Child Mental Health: A Developmental Psychopathology Approach

Impact of the Mediational Intervention for Sensitizing Caregivers on Mentalizing in Orphans and Vulnerable Children in South Africa

The Mediational Intervention for Sensitizing Caregivers (MISC) is a mentalization-based intervention which aims to enhance caregiver sensitivity and responsiveness. MISC has demonstrated treatment effects on mental health problems of Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) in South Africa working with Community-Based Organization (CBO) careworkers as the point of intervention. Recent elaboration of mentalization-based theory points to alternate figures in a child's early environment as critical resources for enhancing children's mentalizing capacity. In this study we evaluated the treatment effect of MISC on children's mentalizing capacity at baseline and following 12-months of the intervention, controlling for the effects of age, gender, orphan status, socioeconomic status, quality of the home environment, and mental health difficulties at baseline. MISC and Treatment as Usual (TAU) groups were compared using a mixed model linear regression. Results demonstrated significant effects of MISC, time, and mental health difficulties on mentalizing capacity. To our knowledge, this study is the first mentalization-based caregiver intervention to demonstrate treatment effects on child mentalizing capacity, and MISC is the first mentalization-based caregiver intervention to focus on paraprofessionals as the point of intervention.

"We need our own clinics": Adolescents' living with HIV recommendations for a responsive health system

Adolescents living with HIV comprise a significant patient population in sub Saharan Africa but are poorly retained in care with consequent increased mortality and morbidity. We conducted in-depth interviews with 25 adolescents living with HIV engaged in care from five clinics in Johannesburg regarding their recommendations for the healthcare system. Findings included advocating for adolescent clinics, recognizing the importance of clinic-based support groups, valuing the influence lay counselors have in providing healthcare to adolescents, improving widespread education of vertical HIV transmission and meaningfully linking clinics to the community. Our study offers guidance to the differentiated care model recommended for adolescent treatment highlighting that a positive youth development approach and use of lay and peer counselors may act as cornerstones of this model. Serving the mental health needs of adolescents living with HIV in a responsive manner may strengthen their use of the system and elevate it to a source of resilience.

Resilience and psychosocial outcomes among South African adolescents affected by HIV

OBJECTIVE

In South Africa, adolescents account for the largest share of new HIV infections. Given the scale of the epidemic, millions of adolescents cope with familial HIV illness and AIDS orphanhood. Developing an understanding of adolescent resilience is vital for informing HIV and mental health prevention efforts.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional survey of N = 195 South African adolescents, 13-15 years, and living in communities with high prevalence of HIV and poor mental health, was used to gather data on resilience, psychosocial factors, and mental health.

METHODS

Participants were recruited through systematic community-based household sampling. Analysis was conducted on a subsample of adolescents identified as potentially vulnerable (n = 82); potential vulnerability was defined as adolescents living with HIV, residing with parents or caregivers living with HIV, or experiencing orphanhood. Differences on behavioral and psychosocial outcomes in those with higher and lower resilience were evaluated using SPSS software.

RESULTS

Among adolescents identified as potentially vulnerable (n = 82), those with higher resilience scores reported significantly lower behavioral problems using the total difficulties Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire score (P < 0.01) with a mean score difference of 2.76 (standard error = 1.02). Multivariate linear regressions were conducted with total difficulties Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire score as the dependent variable. Higher resilience among vulnerable youth was significantly associated with fewer behavioral problems (β = -0.229, P < 0.05), even after adjusting for variables that could also contribute to poor behavioral outcomes.

CONCLUSION

Resilience is related to the behavioral health of vulnerable HIV-affected adolescents. Resilience-focused interventions hold promise for improving the behavioral health of adolescents living in high HIV prevalence settings.

School connectedness as psychological resilience factor in children affected by HIV/AIDS

Children affected by HIV/AIDS are at high risk for poor mental health outcomes. Social and psychological connectedness to school has been identified as an important resilience factor for youth affected by adversity (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2009). School connectedness: Strategies for increasing protective factors among youth. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services). Defined as "the belief by students that adults in the school care about their learning as well as about them as individuals" (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2009). School connectedness: Strategies for increasing protective factors among youth. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services), school connectedness has been shown to be associated with higher academic performance, increased mental health, and quality of life. However, few studies have examined school connectedness in sub-Saharan Africa, and none have examined school connectedness in relation to mental health in children orphaned by HIV/AIDS. Further, existing studies have relied on self-report measures. Against this background, the aim of the current study was to examine orphan status, school connectedness, and their interaction in relation to child mental health by using a multimethod design. 750 children between the ages of 7-11, recruited through South African community-based organizations (224 AIDS/HIV orphans, 276 non-AIDS/HIV orphans, 250 non-orphans; 51.2% girls), completed measures of school connectedness; children, caregivers, and teachers reported on child well-being using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. AIDS/HIV and non-AIDS/HIV orphans reported lower school connectedness than non-orphans. However, results demonstrated significant relations between school connectedness and overall mental health regardless of group, suggesting that school connectedness buffers against negative mental health outcomes regardless of orphan status. This study identifies a strategic point of intervention to build resilience against the cascading effects of HIV/AIDS and poverty in children in sub-Saharan Africa.