Abstract:
The study was conducted to assess the psychosocial adjustment of children affected by HIV/
AIDS in the eastern part of Ghana.
Method: Four groups of children (children who lost their parents to AIDS, children who lost their parents
through other causes, children living with HIV infected, alive parents and the comparison children who
were from the same community but did not have HIV/AIDS-related illness or death in their families) were
interviewed on depressive symptoms, prosocial behaviours, hyperactivity, conduct and peer problems
using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ).
Results: Orphans in general and children living with HIV-infected parents consistently demonstrated
poorer psychosocial adjustment than comparison children in the same community.
Conclusion: The findings underscore the urgency and importance of culturally and developmentally
appropriate intervention efforts targeting psychosocial problems among children affected by AIDS and
call for more exploration of risk and resilience factors, both individual and contextual, affecting the
wellbeing of these children.
