“I Don't Want to Sit by You”: A Preliminary Study of Experiences and Consequences of Stigma and Discrimination from HIV-positive Mothers and Their Children

Abstract

ABSTRACT This exploratory study seeks to recognize the voices of infected mothers and their uninfected children regarding their experiences and consequences of stigma and discrimination. Ten children and their HIV-positive mothers were interviewed to assess perceptions of stigma and discrimination, as well as emotional and educational functioning. Quantitative and qualitative methods indicated that infected mothers perceive greater levels of stigma and experienced a greater number of discriminatory acts than their uninfected children. Children's total stigma score was significantly correlated with levels of maternal anxiety and depression. Additionally, child reading levels were negatively correlated with their mothers' total stigma score. Qualitative analyses revealed that many acts of stigma and discrimination experienced by the mothers were related to a fear of contagion. Children did not report any acts of discrimination due, in part, to the fact that children did not typically share their mother's HIV status with others. However, the majority of children believed they would be mistreated if they revealed their mother's HIV status to their classmates. Findings suggest that those children who report high levels of HIV-related stigma may be at risk for educational problems and that children's perceptions of stigma are influenced by maternal mental health.