Psychosocial Adjustment among Orphan Children Living with HIV/AIDS

Abstract

AIDS is the final stage of infection with the retro-virus HIV. This disease not only affects the individuals’ physical health, but it also affects the psychological health and the adjustment of an individual towards oneself and his surrounding environment. The objective of the present study is to understand the level of psychosocial adjustment among orphan and non-orphan children living with HIV/AIDS. Adjustment inventory was administered to 400 orphan and non-orphan children living with HIV/AIDS. Results indicated that orphan children with HIV/AIDS were having lower level of adjustment than non-orphan children with HIV/AIDS. Within the orphan children with HIV/AIDS the girl and rural children were having lower level adjustment compared to the boy and urban children. The study suggested the need for specific interventions to improve adjustment of the orphan children with HIV/AIDS.