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.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/21549 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Beetge, Lijahne |
| Contributors | Loxton, Helene, Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Psychology. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | vii, 40 leaves |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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