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. 2014 Mar;18(3):605-16.
doi: 10.1007/s10461-013-0544-7.

The role of parenting in affecting the behavior and adaptive functioning of young children of HIV-infected mothers in South Africa

Alexandra Boeving Allen  1 , Michelle Finestone, Irma Eloff, Heather Sipsma, Jennifer Makin, Kelli Triplett, Liesel Ebersöhn, Kathleen Sikkema, Margaret Briggs-Gowan, Maretha Visser, Ronél Ferreira, Brian W C Forsyth
Affiliations

The role of parenting in affecting the behavior and adaptive functioning of young children of HIV-infected mothers in South Africa

Alexandra Boeving Allen et al. AIDS Behav. 2014 Mar.

Abstract

Prior investigations suggest that maternal HIV/AIDS poses significant challenges to young children. This study investigates the relationships between mothers' psychological functioning, parenting, and children's behavioral outcomes and functioning in a population of women living with HIV (N = 361) with a child between the ages of 6 and 10 years in Tshwane, South Africa. Utilizing path analysis, findings revealed that maternal depression is related to increased parenting stress and parent-child dysfunction, maternal coping is related to parenting style, and maternal coping, parenting style and stress, and parent-child dysfunction are associated with children's behavior and functioning, with parenting emerging as an important mediator. These findings suggest that interventions for women living with HIV and their children should not only address maternal psychological functioning (depression and coping), but should also focus on parenting, promoting a positive approach.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Full model: relationships between maternal psychological characteristics, parenting and child psychosocial outcomes
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Direct effects of maternal psychological characteristics and sociodemographic characteristics upon child psychosocial outcomes
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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