Thesis (Ph. D.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1993. / Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 73-88). Also available via the Internet.

M.A.

Assignment (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This review examines themes related to children, especially children under the age of fifteen, living with HIV/Aids. For review purposes themes include defining children living with HIV/Aids as a vulnerable population, the psychological impact of HIV/Aids on children, children’s coping with and perceptions of HIV/Aids. The global HIV/Aids pandemic has caused major worldwide social change. The impact, especially the psychological impact of HIV/Aids on children appears to be vast and at times disastrous in nature. HIV/Aids is estimated to affect the lives of several generations of children and the impact of the pandemic will therefore characterize their communities for decades to come as the numbers of affected and infected children are on the increase. It has been noted by research done that children living with HIV/Aids become impoverished, their insecurities worsen and their psychosocial and psychological problems increase. In addition their educational and work opportunities decline, their nurturing and support systems disintegrate, and child mortality rates rise. The necessity of psychological support for children affected and infected by HIV/Aids is directly linked to the rights of children listed in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the South African Constitution. Research reviewed points out that a child’s physical and psychological health is intertwined and therefore a child cannot be physically healthy without also being psychologically secure. Research reviewed also points out that it is of the utmost importance that the voices of children who live with HIV/Aids are heard, their involvement in decision making and planning related to HIV/Aids is allowed and that their needs are met, especially their psychological needs in relation to the pandemic. Overall the literature reviewed in the past four years (2003-2006) highlights the significantly under-investigated, under-researched themes such as psychological aspects related to children living with HIV/Aids, both in South Africa and internationally. These aspects surrounding HIV/Aids, as previously mentioned, also seem to be the least tangible and the most difficult for adults to address or comprehend fully and yet they impinge on all aspects of developing children - hence the identified need in this area for adequate research and psychological support, such as program implementation. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie literatuuroorsig bied ’n ondersoek na die wêreldwye sosiale verandering en uitwerking wat die globale HIV/vigs-pandemie tot gevolg het. Daar word veral gelet op temas wat verwantskap hou met kinders, veral kinders vyftien jaar oud en jonger wat leef met HIV/vigs. Temas sluit in die definiëring van kinders as weerloos, kinders se hantering van HIV/vigs, hulle persepsies van HIV/vigs en hulle sielkundige behoeftes en ander aspekte met betrekking tot HIV/vigs. Die trefkrag van HIV/vigs blyk omvattend en by tye rampspoedig te wees. Na beraming beïnvloed HIV/vigs verskeie geslagte van kinders en die uitwerking van die pandemie sal dus dekades lank nog deel vorm van hulle gemeenskappe soos die aantal kinders wat geïnfekteer en geaffekteer is, toeneem. Navorsing toon dat kinders wat met HIV/vigs leef, verarm. Verder vererger hulle onsekerhede en hulle psigososiale en sielkundige probleme neem toe. Ook neem die kinders se opvoedkundige en werkgeleenthede af, hulle versorgings- en ondersteuningsnetwerke disintegreer en sterftesyfers neem toe. Die noodsaaklikheid van sielkundige ondersteuning vir kinders wat deur HIV/vigs geïnfekteer en geaffekteer is, word direk in verband gebring met die regte van kinders soos gelys in die Verenigde Nasies se Konvensie oor die Regte van die Kind en die Suid-Afrikaanse Grondwet. Die literatuuroorsig toon dat ‘n kind se fisieke en sielkundige gesondheid ten nouste met mekaar verband hou en daarom kan ’n kind nie fisiek gesond wees sonder om ook sielkundig geborge te wees nie. Verder dui navorsing ook op die kardinale belang daarvan dat kinders wat leef met HIV/vigs se stemme gehoor word, hulle betrokkenheid by besluitneming en beplanning verseker word en al hulle behoeftes bevredig word, veral hulle sielkundige behoeftes wat met die pandemie verband hou. Oor die algemeen beklemtoon die literatuuroorsig wat oor die afgelope vier jaar strek (2003-2006) dat daar nie voldoende navorsing gedoen is met betrekking tot temas wat verwantskap hou met kinders en HIV/vigs nie, nie alleen in Suid-Afrika nie, maar ook internasionaal. Hierdie bevindings is kommerwekkend veral omdat Suid-Afrika ‘n land is met onrusbarende groot getalle kinders wat deur HIV/vigs geïnfekteer is. Dit wil ook voorkom of hierdie aspekte wat te make het met kinders en HIV/vigs nie baie duidelik is vir volwassenes nie en ook die moeilikste is om te hanteer of ten volle te verstaan, hoewel dit alle aspekte van die kind se ontwikkeling raak. Vandaar die behoefte op hierdie gebied aan voldoende navorsing en sielkundige ondersteuning, soos program implementering.

Thesis (B.A.)--Haverford College, Independent College Programs, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2007. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on March 12, 2009) Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph.D.(Educational Psychology)--University of Pretoria, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references.

M.Tech. (Homoeopathy) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.Tech. / HIV/AIDS is one of the greatest and still unresolved challenges facing the world today (Giese, 2002). The UNAIDS (2004) Reports, 38 million people are infected globally with HIV/AIDS. One of the most devastating impacts of HIV/AIDS is the effect on children. Over 5 million infants have been infected with HIV/AIDS since the beginning of the epidemic and 90% of these cases are in Africa (Osborne, 2002). The aim of the study was to determine the effect of a combination of four homoeopathically prepared growth factors, compounded and named Cell Signal Enhancers®, on CD4% and CD4+ cell count, growth parameters such as weight, height and head circumference and clinical outcomes in children with HIV/AIDS. A sample of thirty-one (n=31) HIV positive children between one to thirteen years of age was recruited. Twenty-five (n=25) participants completed the trial. The participants were recruited from an informal squatter area called Finetown, situated south of Johannesburg. The parents or legal guardian of each participant were required to read and sign a Patient Information and Consent form (Appendix A). The duration of the study was fourteen weeks. Each participant acted as his/her own control in a two week pre-treament period. Analysis of CD4% and CD4+ cell count, measurements of growth parameters that included weight, height and head circumference and evaluation of the clinical outcomes were conducted pre-treatment, during treatment and post treatment. The school principal and daily caregiver administered the homoeopathic growth factor medication to each participant. One tablet was given three times a day, for a twelve week period. Statistical models such as a paired t-test, one-sample t-test and linear regression were used to analyse the data. The resultant analyses of the data have provided the following conclusions. HoGF treatment improved immune function of the participants, as there were increases in CD4% and CD4+ cell counts and an overall decrease in frequency of HIV symptoms. HoGF intervention reversed growth failure. This was demonstrated with increases in weight, height and head circumference that resulted in a form of “catch up” growth. When compared to published data trends of age-matched subjects using ART, HoGF demonstrated more favourable effects in the CD4%, CD4+ cell counts and growth parameters in a twelve week period. HoGF treatment was effective in each stage of HIV/AIDS; namely the asymptomatic, symptomatic and AIDS group. HoGF has proven to be effective in treating HIV infected children living with limited resources. It showed a 52% positive result as statistically significant versus a 5% prediction by random chance. Statistical significance was detected in the following; height, head circumference, energy, strength, vomiting, lymphadenopathy, skin lesions, respiratory tract infection, sinus tenderness and throat infection. There were no reported signs of adverse side effects while on HoGF treatment. The results of this study are expected to initiate further, much needed research in the area of HIV/AIDS and homoeopathy in both children and adults. It is recommended that future studies include a control group with placebo for inter-group comparisons. HoGF treatment can be seen as a possible public health option for treating HIV/AIDS in South Africa.

Studies that have concluded that human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) causes developmental delays have compared infected children's scores to instrument norms (Epstein et al., 1986; Ultmann et al., 1984), rather than matched control subjects. Early intervention programs have found similar deficits for children who were not HIV-infected but whose families were socially disenfranchised due to low SES and racial minority status. In the present study, cognitive (Bayley Mental Development Index), adaptive (Vineland Adaptive Behavior Composite), and physical (head circumference Z-score) measures were entered as outcomes in regression equations for low-SES samples of HIV-positive children (n = 9), children at risk for HIV who had seroreverted (n = 16), children too young to have conclusive HIV-antibody tests (n = 10), and children who had previously been admitted to a Neonatal Intensive Care unit (n = 19). The sample was predominantly African-American (84%) and half female. In addition to group membership, scores on the Parenting stress Index-Short Form (PSI-SF), Pediatric Review of Children's Environmental Support and stimulation (PROCESS), and a questionnaire about parent health were entered as predictors. Age differed across groups and was entered as a covariate. Group membership did not contribute significant variance to any regression. Age was inversely related to cognitive and adaptive development, accounting for 16% (p < .005) and 38% (p < .0001) in these respective outcomes. The parenting variables accounted for an additional 14% (p < .05) of the variance in cognitive development. No predictor was significant for head circumference. These results suggest that the delays observed in children with HIV may be attributed to environmental factors, rather than HIV as previous studies concluded. Children with HIV may thus be expected to benefit from early interventions as have their low SES peers. Generalization from these results remains tenuous, pending studies which replicate them while ameliorating methodological weaknesses of the present study. Future studies should match subject groups for age, control for experimenter bias, and utilize multi-site collaboration in order to obtain samples of sufficient size to test explanatory hypotheses about these developmental processes. / Ph. D.

Thesis (MSD (Play therapy))--University of Pretoria, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references.