Knowing someone with AIDS: the impact on adolescents.

Tested 25 adolescents who reported knowing a person with AIDS or HIV (PWA) and were matched by gender, race, grade, school type, and academic achievement with 25 adolescents who reported not knowing a PWA. The groups were compared with respect to their knowledge, beliefs, and social anxiety about AIDS and with respect to their worries about personal vulnerability to HIV infection. Social anxiety was significantly lower in those reporting knowing someone with AIDS than in the matching group. No significant differences between the two groups were found for knowledge, beliefs, or vulnerability worries. The implications of these findings for research on AIDS interventions with adolescents are discussed.