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BMC Public Health
Published in: BMC Public Health 1/2019

Open Access 01-12-2019 | Mood Disorders | Research article

Effects of psychosocial interventions on children affected by parental HIV/AIDS: a meta-analysis on depression and anxiety

Authors: Peilian Chi, Shan Zhao, Chen Zhang, Xiaoming Li, Yan Guo, Xiuyun Lin, Hongfei Du

Published in: BMC Public Health | Issue 1/2019

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Abstract

Background

Children orphaned by parental AIDS or those of parents with HIV infection demonstrate many negative mental health outcomes. Different types of psychosocial interventions have been conducted to improve the psychological well-being of these children. The efficacy of these psychosocial interventions has been reviewed and synthesized recently (Skeena et al., Vulnerable Child Youth Stud 12:91-116, 2017), but not quantified.

Method

This study therefore adopted meta-analytic approach to quantify the efficacy of the existing psychosocial interventions on depressive and anxiety symptoms in children affected by parental HIV/AIDS. Eight intervention studies—four randomized controlled trials (RCT) and four pre–post intervention trials—were included.

Result

In general, psychosocial interventions could effectively reduce anxiety or depressive symptoms in children of parents with HIV/AIDS. The overall intervention effect size (Cohen’s d) was 1.298 and 1.100 for depressive and anxiety symptoms, respectively. Publication bias and exploratory moderating effects of study design (RCT vs. pre–post intervention trials), study location, and intervention levels were also analyzed.

Conclusion

Future studies reporting the detailed outcome data, which could be used for research integration, are warranted. Further research should also focus on the implementation of evidence-based interventions sensitive to the target population in a developmentally appropriate manner.
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Metadata
Title
Effects of psychosocial interventions on children affected by parental HIV/AIDS: a meta-analysis on depression and anxiety
Authors
Peilian Chi
Shan Zhao
Chen Zhang
Xiaoming Li
Yan Guo
Xiuyun Lin
Hongfei Du
Publication date
01-12-2019
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Public Health / Issue 1/2019
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2458
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-7806-x

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