Disclosure, stress, and psychological adjustment among mothers affected by HIV

This study examined patterns of disclosure and psychological adjustment among mothers infected or affected by HIV. All participants were followed through a family AIDS clinic at a midwestern children's hospital. With respect to disclosure, results indicated that high perceived stress (r = 0.50, p = 0.001) and low efficacy related to managing parenting demands (r = -0.42, p = 0.01) were significantly associated with disclosure of seropositive status. Neither time since diagnosis, psychological adjustment, AIDS knowledge, nor health status as indicated by CD4 count were related to disclosure. Results also indicated that 51% of the mothers met DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for a psychological disorder in the preceding year. The most common diagnoses included posttraumatic stress disorder and major depression. Analyses suggested that perceived stress accounted for a significant 43% of the variance in psychological adjustment. Neither disclosure, time since diagnosis, nor CD4 count were related to adjustment. Findings are discussed in terms of mothers' mental health needs and provision of services to families affected by HIV/AIDS. Although the results of this study must be considered preliminary due to a limited number of participants and correlational analyses, they point to several avenues for future research.