Objective: To investigate the psychological well-being among adolescents of HIV-positive parents.
Methods: This study was involving 298 adolescents from 10 to 18 years old, including 54 adolescents of both parents living with AIDS or HIV, 114 adolescents of one parent living with AIDS or HIV and another 130 adolescents from normal families. Only one adolescent was studied per family. All participants completed an anonymous questionnaire. Psychological health, satisfaction on life, self-esteem and coping style were evaluated by SCL-90, Multidimensional Students' Life Satisfaction Scale, Self-esteem Scale and Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire.
Results: The total score and 10 factors of the SCL-90 in the adolescents of parents living with HIV or AIDS was higher than the adolescents from normal families and those scores in the adolescents of both parents living with HIV or AIDS were the highest. There were 27.8% of the adolescents with both HIV-positive parents were having the total score of SCL-90 more than 160 or at lest one of the 10 factors' score more than 3. The detected rate of adolescents with one HIV-positive parent was 16.7%, higher than those adolescents from normal families (8.5%) and with significant difference (chi2 = 11.457, P = 0.003). 50.0% of the adolescents with both HIV-positive parents, were having one or more factor' score between 2.0 and 3.0, compared to the rate (37.0%) of adolescents with one HIV-positive parent. The rate was higher than the adolescents from normal families (29.8%) and with significant difference (chi2 = 7.250, P = 0.027). Among the students from normal families, the total score and the 5 dimensionalities' score of the MSLSS were lower than those adolescents of parents living with AIDS or HIV. In the friend dimensionality, the score of the adolescents from normal families was significantly higher than the adolescents of parents living with AIDS or HIV. The scores of self-esteem, positive coping style and negative coping style were not significantly different in three different subjects.
Conclusion: The psychological status of the adolescents of parents living with AIDS or HIV indicated unoptimistic situation.