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Updated: Jun 11, 2026
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Comprehensive & Cost Effective Laboratory Monitoring of HIV/AIDS: an African Role Model
Published on: October 31, 2010
Play profiles of children with HIV/Aids: A comparative study
Nyaradzai Munambah1, Reinie Cordier2,3, Matthew Chiwaridzo1
1University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe.
Australian Occupational Therapy Journal
|November 22, 2020
Summary
Children with HIV/AIDS show lower playfulness than typically developing peers, especially outdoors. Occupational therapy can help address these play deficits in children with HIV/AIDS.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Occupational Therapy
- Child Psychology
Background:
- Play is crucial in occupational therapy but its impact on children with HIV/AIDS is understudied.
- Understanding play in children with HIV/AIDS is vital, particularly in resource-limited settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the playfulness levels of children with HIV/AIDS to age and gender-matched typically developing children.
- To identify specific play deficits in children with HIV/AIDS.
Main Methods:
- The Test of Playfulness (ToP) was administered to 44 children with HIV/AIDS and 52 typically developing children (ages 4-7).
- Play sessions were video-recorded indoors and outdoors, scored by blinded raters, and analyzed using Rasch analysis and independent t-tests.
Main Results:
- Typically developing children had higher playfulness scores outdoors than children with HIV/AIDS.
- No significant difference in indoor playfulness was found between the groups.
- Children with HIV/AIDS scored lower on suspending reality and framing play elements.
Conclusions:
- Children with HIV/AIDS demonstrate reduced playfulness compared to their typically developing peers.
- Play deficits and variations in indoor/outdoor play were identified in children with HIV/AIDS.
- Occupational therapy interventions can enhance playfulness in children with HIV/AIDS.
