HIV This Week

Murphy DA, Marelich WD. Resiliency in young children whose mothers are living with HIV/AIDS. AIDS Care. 2008;20(3):284-91.

Resiliency was investigated among well children 6-11 years of age (N = 111) whose mothers were living with AIDS or were HIV symptomatic to determine if mother’s HIV status was a risk factor that could effect child resiliency, as well as to investigate other factors associated with resiliency. Assessments were conducted with mother and child dyads over four time points (baseline, 6-, 12-, and 18-month follow-ups). Maternal illness was a risk factor for resiliency: as maternal viral load increased, resiliency was found to decrease. Longitudinally, resilient children had lower levels of depressive symptoms (by both mother and child report). Resilient children also reported higher levels of satisfaction with coping self-efficacy. A majority of the children were classified as non-resilient; implications for improving resiliency among children of HIV-positive mothers are discussed.

Editors’ note: Resiliency at the individual level, as opposed to community resilience, refers to a person’s capacity for successful adaptation despite challenging circumstances. Rather than simply avoiding negative outcomes, resilience means demonstrating adequate adaptation in the presence of adversity. Resilient children have a more active approach to problem solving, tend to perceive experiences constructively, have better self-esteem, and have high self-reports of effectiveness. A strong adult attachment, problem solving and coping skills training, and psychotherapeutic interventions for depression can help build resiliency in vulnerable children.