Resilience factors in single parent families affected by HIV/AIDS

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of the current study was to investigate factors that help single-parent families copewith the news that a family member has been diagnosed with HIV. The theoretical model thatunderpinned the study is the Resiliency Model of Family Stress, Adjustment and Adaptationof McCubbin and McCubbin (1996). A salutogenic perspective offers a view of humansuffering that moves away from pathology to focus on factors that support successful coping,hence the focus of the current study on resilience. A cross-sectional survey research designwas used, incorporating a combination method inclusive of both a qualitative and quantitativecomponent. A total of 109 families, represented by an adult and a child, answered aqualitative question about what they considered to have helped them cope, and completing abiographical questionnaire and five questionnaires based on the theoretical model. Analysesincluded the Grounded Theory Method, a qualitative analysis method of Strauss and Corbin(1994; 1998), Pearson correlations and ANOVAs (for a categorical independent variable –employment status) to compute the significance of correlations between a dependent variableand a number of independent variables, and regression analysis.The results of the qualitative investigation revealed that families considered internal strength(or hardiness), social supports, communication, a sense of hope, using denial (both positiveand negative behaviours to get on with life despite the presence of hardship), changing orreframing thoughts about the stressor, and material support to have been helpful. Thequantitative results supported the qualitative results and showed that family hardiness(working together, viewing stressors as challenges and having a belief in own copingabilities), the availability of social support, supportive communication, use of reframing,accepting help from others and spiritual support all contributed to families functioning wellunder adverse conditions. It was also shown that inflaming types of communication, such asfighting and doing nothing about a crisis situation, negatively influenced the familyfunctioning. It was interesting to note that family size had a significant, positive correlation with the parents' views of family functioning, and that the higher the children's level ofeducation, the lower they rated their family functioning to be.Recommendations for further studies include a focus on resilience in various family types, afocus on families successfully coping with HIV diagnoses in their families, and thedevelopment of intervention programmes, inclusive of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy andAcceptance and Commitment Therapy.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University