The impact of maternal HIV infection on parenting in inner-city African American families.

Abstract

Parenting behavior and its association with child psychosocial adjustment were examined in inner-city African American families. Participants included 86 HIV-infected women and their noninfected children and 148 HIV-seronegative women and their noninfected children. Interview data were collected concerning maternal physical health, parenting behaviors, and child psychosocial adjustment. The results indicated that mother-child relationship quality and monitoring were important parenting factors for adaptive child psychosocial functioning. HIV-infected mothers reported poorer mother-child relationship quality and less monitoring of their children's activities than did noninfected mothers, suggesting that maternal HIV infection may disrupt effective parenting. Directions for future research and clinical implications are discussed.