Negative mental health factors in children orphaned by AIDS: natural mentoring as a palliative care.
The study examined the psychosocial mental health of some children whose parents died of AIDS (n = 373) in Uganda and South Africa. The design had 2 control groups: other-causes orphaned (n = 287), and non-orphaned (n = 290) children (grand mean age = 13.59, SD = 2.34). We utilized a battery of standardized psychosocial measures to estimate mental health in the groups. Natural mentoring relationship was estimated with the Ragins and McFarlin (J Vocat Behav 37:321-339, 1990) Mentor Role Instrument. Results indicated that AIDS-orphaned children showed highest negative, and lowest positive mental health factors in the 3 groups. Children in a mentoring relationship showed better mental health factors than those without a mentor. We ascribed the AIDS-orphaned children's highest negative mental health condition to the incidence of higher double parental loss in the group, and suggested natural mentorship as a palliative care against negative mental health.
Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan. fnonuoha@yahoo.com
Francis N
FN
Onuoha
Tsunetsugu
T
Munakata
Philip A E
PA
Serumaga-Zake
Rebecca M
RM
Nyonyintono
Stephen M
SM
Bogere
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001601:Bereavement; D002648:Child; D054540:Child, Orphaned / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005581:Foster Home Care / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000401:mortality* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D008611:Mentors / Q000523:psychology*; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012917:Social Adjustment; D012944:Social Support; D013019:South Africa; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014454:Uganda