DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2018.v06i01.072

Pages: 354-361

Due to early detection and advancements in treatment of HIV, paediatric HIV is now considered as chronic illness. In chronic illness, psychological adjustment of the patient and their family members to the illness is an important aspect. Hence considering the vulnerability of children infected by HIV, we planned a study assessing adjustment problems in children with HIV. The present study is aimed to evaluate the psychosocial adjustment in children with HIV & AIDS and also to compare adjustment problems among children infected with HIV staying with family members and away from family members and children without HIV staying at orphanage homes. A total sample of 90 with the age group 8-14 years of both sexes with three groups of 30 each of HIV children staying with family members, HIV children staying at homes away from family and non HIV children staying at homes away from family was taken for the study. They were administered semi structured intake proforma followed by Children’s Self Concept Scale (CSCS) and Pre Adolescent adjustment scale (PAAS). There was no statistically significant difference between mean score of PAAS-TOTAL across the three groups. This indicates children in all three groups were well adjusted. On the sub items of PAAS, there was no significant statistical difference between mean scores of Home, School, Peers and Teacher items among three groups. Mean score of PAAS-General item was 0.80 in HIV with family group, 2.37 in HIV away family group and 3.50 in Non HIV away family group which was statistically significant with p value <0.001. HIV children were well adjusted and have good overall self concept. The general adjustment of HIV children staying with family was significantly lower compared to HIV children staying at homes and Non HIV children staying at homes.