title: Factors associated with parents' decision to disclose their HIV diagnosis to their children.
abstract: Parents report that trying to decide whether or not to disclose their HIV diagnosis to their children is as emotionally charged as learning of the diagnosis itself. As part of a larger study, interviews were conducted with 17 parent-child dyads recruited from patients being treated at the National Cancer Institute to understand the factors that affect the process of disclosure of a parent's HIV diagnosis and its consequences. Parents and HIV-infected children were also interviewed and were administered several standardized measures for collecting information on parental depression, family environment, and social support satisfaction. The factors associated with a parent's decision to disclose his or her diagnosis to the children, and implications for clinical practice and future research, are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric HIV Psychosocial Support Program, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA.
authors.forename: L S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Wiener
authors.forename: H B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Battles
authors.forename: N E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Heilman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002648:Child; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003376:Counseling; D003657:Decision Making; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014342:Truth Disclosure