Sharp Carla, Penner Francesca, Marais Lochner, Skinner Donald
a Department of Psychology , University of Houston , Houston , TX , USA.
b Center for Development Support , University of the Free State , Bloemfontein , South Africa.
AIDS Care. 2018;30(sup4):34-41. doi: 10.1080/09540121.2018.1511045. Epub 2019 Jan 9.
Children affected by HIV/AIDS are at high risk for poor mental health outcomes. Social and psychological connectedness to school has been identified as an important resilience factor for youth affected by adversity (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2009). School connectedness: Strategies for increasing protective factors among youth. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services). Defined as "the belief by students that adults in the school care about their learning as well as about them as individuals" (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2009). School connectedness: Strategies for increasing protective factors among youth. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services), school connectedness has been shown to be associated with higher academic performance, increased mental health, and quality of life. However, few studies have examined school connectedness in sub-Saharan Africa, and none have examined school connectedness in relation to mental health in children orphaned by HIV/AIDS. Further, existing studies have relied on self-report measures. Against this background, the aim of the current study was to examine orphan status, school connectedness, and their interaction in relation to child mental health by using a multimethod design. 750 children between the ages of 7-11, recruited through South African community-based organizations (224 AIDS/HIV orphans, 276 non-AIDS/HIV orphans, 250 non-orphans; 51.2% girls), completed measures of school connectedness; children, caregivers, and teachers reported on child well-being using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. AIDS/HIV and non-AIDS/HIV orphans reported lower school connectedness than non-orphans. However, results demonstrated significant relations between school connectedness and overall mental health regardless of group, suggesting that school connectedness buffers against negative mental health outcomes regardless of orphan status. This study identifies a strategic point of intervention to build resilience against the cascading effects of HIV/AIDS and poverty in children in sub-Saharan Africa.
感染艾滋病毒/艾滋病的儿童心理健康状况不佳的风险很高。与学校的社会和心理联系已被确定为受逆境影响的青少年的一个重要恢复力因素（疾病控制和预防中心。（2009年）。学校联系：增强青少年保护因素的策略。佐治亚州亚特兰大：美国卫生与公众服务部）。学校联系被定义为“学生相信学校里的成年人关心他们的学习以及他们个人”（疾病控制和预防中心。（2009年）。学校联系：增强青少年保护因素的策略。佐治亚州亚特兰大：美国卫生与公众服务部），研究表明，学校联系与更高的学业成绩、更好的心理健康和生活质量相关。然而，很少有研究在撒哈拉以南非洲考察学校联系，也没有研究考察艾滋病毒/艾滋病致孤儿童的学校联系与心理健康的关系。此外，现有研究依赖自我报告测量方法。在此背景下，本研究的目的是采用多方法设计，考察孤儿身份、学校联系及其相互作用与儿童心理健康的关系。通过南非社区组织招募了750名7至11岁的儿童（224名艾滋病毒/艾滋病孤儿、276名非艾滋病毒/艾滋病孤儿、250名非孤儿；51.2%为女孩），完成了学校联系测量；儿童、照顾者和教师使用优势和困难问卷报告儿童的幸福感。艾滋病毒/艾滋病孤儿和非艾滋病毒/艾滋病孤儿报告的学校联系低于非孤儿。然而，结果表明，无论组别如何，学校联系与整体心理健康之间都存在显著关系，这表明无论孤儿身份如何，学校联系都能缓冲负面心理健康结果。本研究确定了一个战略干预点，以增强撒哈拉以南非洲儿童抵御艾滋病毒/艾滋病和贫困连锁效应的恢复力。
