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01-10-2009 | Original Paper

Negative Mental Health Factors in Children Orphaned by AIDS: Natural Mentoring as a Palliative Care

Authors: Francis N. Onuoha, Tsunetsugu Munakata, Philip A. E. Serumaga-Zake, Rebecca M. Nyonyintono, Stephen M. Bogere

Published in: AIDS and Behavior | Issue 5/2009

Abstract

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.

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Title: Negative Mental Health Factors in Children Orphaned by AIDS: Natural Mentoring as a Palliative Care
Authors: Francis N. Onuoha
Tsunetsugu Munakata
Philip A. E. Serumaga-Zake
Rebecca M. Nyonyintono
Stephen M. Bogere
Publication date: 01-10-2009
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: AIDS and Behavior / Issue 5/2009
Print ISSN: 1090-7165
Electronic ISSN: 1573-3254
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-008-9459-0

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