Globally, over 36 million people are living with HIV, and 51% are women, most of whom are of childbearing age. Children of mothers with HIV exhibit more adjustment problems than their demographically similar peers. Using mixed methods, this study examined associations between mothers’ HIV stigma and their children’s functioning. As part of a multi-site study in Georgia and California, participants included 181 HIV-positive mothers and one of their 6- to 14-year-old children. Mothers reported on children’s psychological adjustment, their own anxiety, and their perceived HIV stigma. Children reported on parent-child relationship quality. Following the quantitative portion of the study, 14 mothers and 13 children who knew their mothers were HIV positive completed in-depth qualitative interviews addressing the impact of HIV disclosure on family relationships. Hierarchical regression analyses found that parent-child relationship quality, maternal anxiety, and HIV stigma were significantly associated with child adjustment difficulties. HIV stigma predicted child adjustment problems after accounting for the role of parent-child relationship and maternal anxiety. Most mothers and some children in the qualitative portion of the study discussed the impact HIV stigma on their lives. In all, despite efforts to decrease HIV stigma, it continues to affect the lives of those with the virus and their families. Interventions, then, should not only focus on the parent-child relationship and maternal anxiety when attending to child functioning in families affected by HIV, but should also target coping skills for mitigating the impact of stigma while continuing efforts to reduce HIV-related stigma.

在全球范围内，超过 3600 万人感染了艾滋病毒，其中 51% 是女性，其中大部分处于育龄期。与人口统计学相似的同龄人相比，感染艾滋病毒的母亲的孩子表现出更多的适应问题。这项研究使用混合方法检查了母亲的 HIV 污名与其孩子的功能之间的关联。作为在乔治亚州和加利福尼亚州进行的多站点研究的一部分，参与者包括 181 名 HIV 阳性母亲和她们 6 至 14 岁的孩子之一。母亲们报告了儿童的心理调整、他们自己的焦虑以及他们感知到的 HIV 污名。儿童报告亲子关系质量。在研究的定量部分之后，14 名母亲和 13 名知道自己母亲感染艾滋病毒的儿童完成了深入的定性访谈，探讨艾滋病毒披露对家庭关系的影响。分层回归分析发现，亲子关系质量、母亲焦虑和艾滋病毒污名与儿童适应困难显着相关。在考虑了亲子关系和母亲焦虑的作用后，艾滋病毒耻辱预测了儿童适应问题。研究定性部分中的大多数母亲和一些儿童讨论了 HIV 污名对其生活的影响。总之，尽管努力减少艾滋病毒耻辱感，但它继续影响着病毒携带者及其家人的生活。那么，干预